Development Internship

Parsons Dance · New York City, New York (NYC tri-state area) · This is an unpaid internship with the option to earn college credit.

  • Paid
  • Internship

About the role

PARSONS DANCE is seeking an Intern to assist with Development fundraising and data entry. Parsons Dance is a contemporary touring dance company based in New York City. Our dancers perform dozens of shows each year in cities all over the country and the world. We have an extensive network of educational, institutional, and individual supporters whose contributions to our mission are paramount.

The Intern shall gain hands-on experience across development aspects of arts administration, including but not limited to grant research, CRM database management, donor development, event management, patron research, and day-to-day company operations. This internship will provide a broad overview and insight into the operations of a not-for-profit arts organization and is ideal for individuals wishing to pursue careers in fundraising/development or business/arts administration.

The Intern will be assisting the developmental side of dance, including the planning and execution of our annual Gala fundraiser, New York performance season, and additional cultivation experiences.

Duties and responsibilities of the Development Intern include, but are not limited to:

  • Supporting the coordination and execution of fundraising campaigns, mailings, and events
  • Management and up-to-date tracking of fundraising data for individual giving and campaigns in collaboration with the Director of Individual Giving & Development Operations
  • Database reporting and maintenance of donor accounts, opportunities and key files
  • Supporting the creation and management of acknowledgement letters (mail and email)
  • Supporting cultivation events onsite and interacting professionally and courteously with Company patrons

This position's interaction with the Parsons Dance database focuses heavily on campaign-specific reporting, such as for the Annual Appeal; generating donation acknowledgements to be sent via mail and email; updating statuses (individual and en masse) to reflect current progress of fundraising efforts.

Qualifications

Candidates should demonstrate ability to multitask, work well in a busy collaborative environment, meet deadlines, be extremely detail oriented, follow through with tasks from beginning to end, and have excellent written and oral communication skills.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and diplomacy
  • Creative problem-solving skills
  • Ability to manage and maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information
  • Outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines
  • Schedule flexibility, including the ability to work occasional nights and weekends
  • Salesforce (or related database) experience a plus
  • Ability to learn quickly and adapt to new software
  • A terrific sense of humor, drive to learn, and a "can-do" attitude

Commitment:

The Intern must commit to 16 hours per week. The internship may be completed primarily remotely during our business hours of 9am-5pm Eastern Time on weekdays, but additionally onsite in the NYC tri-state area during occasional evenings and/or weekends. A stable internet connection and access to a web browser (and some desktop apps) is assumed; some assistance may be available in the form of technology procurement if you are not able to provide a laptop of your own.

This is an unpaid internship with the option to earn college credit. You may be eligible for compensation through programs connected to your academic institution (such as the Federal Community Work Study program), and are encouraged to review and propose any terms that may be necessary to fulfill your eligibility for such initiatives. Parsons Dance is committed to collaborating with you and your advisor(s) to meet all reasonable obligations for your compensation in these cases. Length of internship will be determined in the interview process, and paid positions are sometimes available following successful completion of the internship.

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