Description:
About Us
The Cleveland Foundation, established in 1914 as the world’s first community foundation, continues to shape the future of place-based philanthropy more than a century later. With $3.9 billion in assets and a legacy of bold leadership, we are driven by a commitment to improve the lives of everyone who calls Greater Cleveland home, today and for generations to come.
Joining our team means becoming part of a culture that blends history-making impact with forward-looking innovation. Our vision is a vibrant Northeast Ohio where no Clevelander is left behind. Every team member plays a key role in advancing this vision by tackling Cleveland’s most critical issues, championing opportunity for all, and helping unlock the full potential of our region.
Our headquarters in the heart of MidTown places us at the center of a historic neighborhood and growing district, surrounded by partners, community leaders and residents who are reimagining what’s possible for our city. Here, you’ll work in a dynamic, collaborative environment designed to spark creativity, deepen relationships, and accelerate change.
At the Cleveland Foundation, you can be part of building a stronger future for every Clevelander.
About You
You are a proactive and detail-oriented professional who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. You take pride in delivering exceptional service and support, whether you're coordinating donor communications, managing data systems, or ensuring seamless event logistics. You’re energized by the opportunity to work across teams, solve problems creatively, and contribute to a culture of inclusion and excellence. Your ability to anticipate needs, juggle multiple priorities, and communicate clearly makes you a trusted partner to colleagues and donors alike.
You are also tech-savvy and eager to learn, with a strong grasp of CRM systems and a passion for using technology to improve processes and experiences. You bring a customer-first mindset to everything you do, and you’re comfortable navigating both the big picture and the fine details. Whether you're preparing stewardship reports, supporting philanthropic events, or helping donors navigate online tools, you approach each task with care, curiosity, and a commitment to the Foundation’s values of equity, service, and community impact.
Job Summary
The Philanthropy Operations Coordinator provides high-level administrative and technical support to the Philanthropic Services team, enhancing donor and fund services, ensuring seamless event experiences aligned with the Foundation’s mission. This role plays a key part in managing CRM systems, supporting data integrity, and improving donor-facing technologies. It also contributes to cross-departmental collaboration and donor engagement through responsive service and event coordination. The position reports to the Director.
Key Responsibilities
Donor & Fund Operations Support
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Execute requested fund procedures, including processing and documenting interested party updates, grant recommendations, distribution requests, and governance questions.
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Create and update materials for supporting organizations, committee-advised funds, and giving circles including pitch decks, onboarding materials, RFP requests, nonprofit recommendation briefings, and other Powerpoint or Canva presentations.
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Serve as the primary responder for the donor help desk email and hotline, providing technical assistance and responding to donor inquiries.
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Prepare and code monthly Visa statements and mileage reimbursements, collecting and submitting necessary receipts and expense descriptions.
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Utilize HTML coding to maintain and update donor portal content, including events, general information, and resource toolkits.
Data Management & Reporting
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Maintain Salesforce CRM database and creating accurate data entries for philanthropic giving trends such as impact related gifts, investment pool selections and ROI on educational experiences.
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Analyze national giving trends in comparison to Cleveland Foundation donors.
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Support segmentation and tiering of donors for expedited and appropriate services
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Develop and deliver recurring and ad hoc reports (e.g., event, donor, fund activity) and ensure accuracy from data systems such as iPhi, BI Launchpad, Salesforce, and QlikView.
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In partnership with the philanthropic data manager, assist with ensuring data accuracy and implementation of SOPs for data entry.
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Support the transition and integration of department files from F: Drive to SharePoint.
Communications & Reporting
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Manage fund-related mailings including fund statements, occasion cards for donors and preparation of acknowledgement letters from the CEO.
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In partnership with the marketing team, gather content, draft and coordinate distribution of quarterly DAF and organizational fund newsletters.
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Maintain and update the organizational fund partner list for the website.
Events & Meeting Coordination
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Create Salesforce campaigns and prepare reports on event ROI.
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Assist with scheduling and coordinating meetings and events related to funds.
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Support event execution by managing RSVPs, preparing nametags, managing registration tables, assisting with setup and cleanup, coordinating guest lists, and post-event data entry.
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Serve as a primary point of contact for events and marketing teams and attend event planning meetings.
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Maintain the bi-weekly Philanthropic Services team meeting agenda.
Special Initiatives
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Provide administrative and program support to the Black Philanthropy Center and Black Philanthropy Fund through slide deck creation, meeting scheduling, meeting minutes, follow-up activities, event planning and set-up.
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With a critical eye, review existing department processes and procedures, and make recommendations for utilizing AI or other tools to streamline workload.
General Competencies
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Judgment
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Communication
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Teamwork & Collaboration
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Adaptability
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Problem-Solving
Requirements:
Required Qualifications
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High school diploma or equivalent, with 3–5 years of experience in customer service, administrative, or development environments.
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Strong interpersonal, organizational, grammatical, and proofreading skills.
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Demonstrated customer service orientation and ability to interact effectively with diverse populations.
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Strong critical thinking and communication skills with a proactive, solution-focused approach.
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Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
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Detail-oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects and anticipate challenges.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), internet research, and database maintenance.
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Physical ability to lift or move items up to 15 lbs. for event support.
Preferred Qualifications
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Associate or bachelor’s degree in a related field.
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Familiarity with the Cleveland business and nonprofit community.
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Understanding of philanthropic fundraising practices.
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Experience with donor databases such as Salesforce or similar platforms.
Work Environment
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The role is primarily office-based, involving frequent interaction with executives, staff, and external partners.
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The position may require prolonged periods of sitting, as well as occasional lifting of light office supplies and materials.
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Occasional extended hours to meet deadlines or support special events.
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Occasional travel may be required for meetings, events, or conferences.
