Associate, Development

About Think of Us

Think of Us (TOU) is transforming the child welfare system into one where young people and families can heal, develop, and thrive. We drive purpose-driven work aligned with meaningful systems change, powered by data and the insights of lived experience. Our focus is on prevention, keeping families strong before crisis, and on building kinship-first systems so children grow up with people they know and trust. Through bold collaborations with leaders and innovators across the public and private sectors — from Presidential Administrations to local providers — we identify leverage points and co-create solutions that re-architect child welfare for the future.

Here’s what this looks like:

• Built the Lived Experience Engine into the largest dataset of its kind (51,000+ voices), powering AI tools and shaping reforms
• Partnered with California to launch the Kinship Accelerator in 8 counties, backed by $150M and a budget increase from $317M → $896M
• Drove a national kin-first shift: 39 states (plus 5 tribes) adopting kinship standards, unlocking $3B for families
• Operate one of the largest direct resource networks, connecting 1,827 families to $28M+ in support 

Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results. 

Position Overview

Department: Development 

Reports to: Director, Donor Engagement & Stewardship

Direct Reports: N/A 

Location: Remote/Hybrid; USA

Category: Full Time; Exempt 

Think of Us is seeking a Senior Associate to join the Development department, providing operational and administrative support for our fundraising and donor engagement efforts.  After a successful onboarding period, this role will independently manage core development operations, ensuring seamless execution of donor and grant deliverables across the organization. This role will focus on owning and optimizing workflows across departments, coordinating information flow, and leading grant/reporting tasks. 

Key Responsibilities

Operational & Administrative Support

• Lead cross-functional coordination with Think of Us’ program, finance, and Executive teams to ensure the timely execution of donor deliverables (e.g. proposals, grant reports, donor communications).  
• Manage development team scheduling, deliverables calendar, and operational workflows. 
• Own preparation of donor and prospect briefings, track action items, and ensure follow-through with minimal supervision. 

Data & Information Management

• Maintain and continuously improve systems for document management, donor communications, and grant deliverables. 
• Oversee accuracy, integrity, and strategic use of donor and grant information in the CRM. Produce analysis, dashboards, and insights that inform donor engagement and fundraising strategy. Conduct routine data quality checks to ensure integrity across records and proactively resolve data issues. 
• Compile and synthesize fundraising data into actionable insights for leadership updates and briefing documents.

Prospect Research & Donor Support

• Manage background research on potential donors and funding opportunities.  
• Lead preparation of donor profiles, meeting briefs, and follow-up materials. 
• Oversee donor engagement activity and ensure consistent documentation across teams.

Grant Administration & Reporting

• Support the lifecycle management of grants, including tracking deadlines, deliverables, and payment schedules. 
• Ensure grant-related documentation is organized, up to date, and continuously optimized. 
• Coordinate and manage inputs from multiple departments to meet reporting requirements and identify risks before deadlines are missed. 

About You

We recognize that candidates may not meet every listed qualification. Research shows that individuals from underrepresented groups are more likely to opt out of applying if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria. If you believe you meet many of the criteria and can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply — we want to learn about your unique strengths and experiences.

Qualifications:

• You bring 3–5 years of experience in nonprofit development, grants management, or related fields, with specific experience in development operations strongly desired. 
• You are detail-oriented and possess strong organizational and project management skills. 
• You bring strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret and present data effectively. 
• Residence in the Washington, DC metropolitan area is desired, or the ability to reasonably commute to Washington, DC at least three days per week in accordance with the organization’s hybrid work arrangement.
• You bring personal or professional experience with the child welfare system or other social impact work, or you are deeply committed to learning about these systems. You approach this work with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to grow alongside the communities we serve. 
• You are passionate about driving systems change and bring a relentless, solutions-oriented mindset to your work. You thrive in fast-growing, evolving organizations and adapt quickly to new challenges, using change as an opportunity to learn, innovate, and make a greater impact.
• You have experience with or exposure to CRMs, fundraising databases, reporting tools,  conducting donor research and prospect pipeline development, and/or grant administration, and can quickly learn organizational systems and independently manage complex workflows within 90 days. 
• You have an active learning mindset when it comes to AI — you proactively explore,  apply, and adapt AI tools to improve efficiency, solve problems, and support better  decision-making. You balance technology with critical thinking and creativity, using AI to design thoughtful, context-aware solutions and to continuously strengthen your own and your team’s performance.

Compensation & Benefits

At TOU, we believe that taking care of our people is foundational to the impact we aim to make. Our compensation philosophy is rooted in transparency and a holistic understanding of people’s needs. We believe fair, market-competitive pay is essential to attracting and retaining the exceptional talent needed to achieve our ambitious goals. As a not-for-profit organization, we design our compensation packages—including both salary and benefits—with care and in alignment with our financial sustainability. 

The annual salary for this role is $70,000–$80,000. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

TOU’S benefits go beyond the basics. They’re designed to support your well-being, growth, and sense of purpose at work and beyond. From comprehensive health coverage to professional development support and meaningful time off, our benefits reflect our commitment to nurturing a workplace where people can thrive, both personally and professionally.

Health & Insurance

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
• Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
• Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
• Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
• Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.

Financial Benefits

• 401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
• Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.

Paid Time Off

• Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
• 8 company holidays, plus two organization-wide seasonal breaks.

Learning & Development

• TOU values continuous learning and invests in the professional development of its employees in alignment with organizational needs based on role, performance, business needs, and Company policies.
• Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.

Application Instructions 

As part of your application, please submit a resume outlining your skills and experiences relevant to this role.

Please note: We do not accept phone inquiries about this position in order to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process for all applicants.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Think of Us is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and value applicants of all backgrounds, knowing that diverse perspectives strengthen our work with children, youth, and families. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and for applicants’ religious practices as required by law.