Associate Manager, Development Operations

Organization Overview 

The School of American Ballet (SAB) at Lincoln Center, founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, is the preeminent ballet school in the country. Our mission is to train professional dancers for careers in classical ballet. We provide the resources for a diverse pool of students to train at the highest level – with 15-25 a year going on to dance for New York City Ballet, our official but independent ballet company, and other major ballet companies worldwide. SAB has a far-reaching impact on the art form and enriches the lives of each student who comes through its doors, over 800 annually, ages 6 to 18. SAB has approximately 90 part- and full-time employees and an operating budget of $17 million. In the 2026-2027 school year, administrative employees are expected to work in person 4 days per week and may telecommute one day per work week. 

Position Overview 

The Associate Manager, Development Operations is a vital member of SAB’s Development team, which raises more than $6 million annually from individuals, foundations, corporations, and special events. This position oversees and executes all administrative processes and tracking related to contributed revenue and serves as a key point of coordination between the Development and Finance teams, with a particular focus on the input of all transaction data into and management of SAB’s Raiser’s Edge database, and related workflows. The Associate Manager plays an important role in maintaining and strengthening the technological, administrative, and data systems that support the Development team’s work. 

This role offers an opportunity for an early to mid-career professional with experience in Raiser’s Edge database management and analytics to help shape and strengthen operational processes during a period of growth and expansion at SAB. The ideal candidate is highly organized, demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, approaches work with a systems-oriented mindset, and is able to manage competing deadlines in an environment with multiple fundraising priorities and timelines. This is a full-time, non-exempt position reporting in the short-term to the Interim Director of Marketing and Development, as well as the Senior Financial Officer (SFO). Ultimately this role will report directly to the Chief Marketing and Development Officer and the SFO. 

Requirements 

Key Responsibilities 

Contribution Management: 

• Accurately and timely record gifts (checks, credit card charges, online gifts, and electronic deposits) into Blackbaud Database.

• Monitor incoming contributions, including pledges, payments, and transfers to SAB’s contribution account.    

• Lead collaboration with the Finance department on ongoing reconciliations and key projects. 

• Manage and maintain digital backup files. 

• Execute income reports for executive team, Development staff, and Board. 

• Execute year-end tasks in the office during one day of SAB's Winter Break. 

Raiser's Edge (RE) Management: 

• Oversee RE records and infrastructure, constituent records, and large-scale constituent data transfers. 

• Manage lists and reports, using Queries, Exports, Lists, and Reports functions, for donor listings, eblasts and mailings, 990 reporting, and other needs. 

• Drive resolution of system issues through research and collaboration with RE support. 

• Stay apprised of RE changes and updates and act as Development team’s primary liaison with Blackbaud/RE support. 

• Lead RE continuing education and training sessions for the Development team. 

Development Support 

• Manage donor data, contribution analysis, and recognition projects. 

• Serve as the main point of contact with development team on tracking incoming gifts. 
• Advise on and support the administration of Development systems and digital tools, including email distribution systems, prospect research databases, and AI platforms. 

• Support cultivation activities and special events (occasional evenings/weekends are required). 

• Assist with administrative, office management, and other tasks as required. 

Finance Support 

• Create pre-posts in preparation for Financial Edge.
• Work closely with the Finance team on monthly reconciliations.
• Serve as the liaison between finance and development for team inquiries.

Qualifications 

• 3–5 years of Development Operations experience; advanced knowledge of Raiser’s Edge (NXT and RE 7) and Blackbaud Forms required. 

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe, with considerable experience using Microsoft Excel.

• Strong writing, organizational, and communication skills. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate across teams. 

• Flexibility to work evenings/weekends for Development events. 

• Interest in arts and cultural organizations preferred. 

SAB offers a superior benefit package, including full health benefits, four weeks of vacation (plus two holiday weeks in December), and generous retirement savings benefits. 

The School of American Ballet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. 

The annual salary range for this position is $60,000-$65,000.