United Way of Southeast Minnesota is a community change organization that fights for a healthy community, youth opportunity, financial security, and community resiliency. United Way fights to erase divisions, bridge divides, and right inequities. We connect people with resources that change lives and transform our community. Please see our opportunities below if you are interested in working or volunteering with us.
United Way is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals who share lived experiences with the people and communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply. We intentionally do our best to eliminate bias and remove barriers that may limit other applicant pools. United Way encourages applications from individuals of all races, genders, ages, and abilities.
For any questions please contact Mathew Bjorngaard at mathewb@uwsemn.org.
Community Research and Learning Intern
Title: Community Research and Learning Intern
Department: Community Impact
Reports to: Vice President of Community Impact
Duration: Late May-Mid August 2025
Salary: This is an unpaid volunteer position
WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO:
United Way of Southeast Minnesota (UWSEMN) responds to the greatest needs across our region by inspiring people to get involved, give back, and take action. We envision a resilient region defined by care and collective action where residents are healthy, households are financially secure, and young people succeed in school and life.
You can learn more about our organization, our impact, and our values at www.uwsemn.org
HOW YOU’D FIT IN & STAND OUT:
-
This intern position will be guided and assigned projects by the Vice President of Community Impact, who will also work with the Intern to fulfill the necessary Internship requirements to secure academic credit. This Internship will be part of the United Way’s Community Impact team, which is a team of four. Our team has a strengths-based culture and finds value in diverse skills and strengths.
-
Our team is a group of strong, social justice-oriented individuals who believe in high quality work to achieve community-level change. We are interested in continuous growth and improvement, as well as having hard conversations. We know that the best strategies aren’t always the easiest ones. We welcome dissenting views and would like a team member who doesn’t shy away from disagreements.
-
We are looking for a summer intern to support us in our community learning and research efforts. This person will work alongside staff’s current research agenda to help us develop an emerging community navigation program. This includes reviewing available research and data sets, meeting with non-profits across the community and beyond, and distilling key information for our team to use.
-
This person will also support a community learning activity in Winona County as they are interested and able. That project would include conducting a review of publicly available reports and data sets, building relationships with community experts, and support in facilitating meetings.
-
This internship can focus solely on activities based in Olmsted County, or depending on the applicant’s interest, can expand duties into work in Winona County.
-
-
Review the entire job description & details here
TO APPLY:
To apply, please email Zeni Aly (zenia@uwolmsted.org). In the email we ask for:
2-3 paragraphs in the email (not attached, write in the body of the email) telling us why you are interested in this position, how you believe you meet the qualifications, and if you are interested in supporting work solely in Olmsted County or work in both Olmsted and Winona Counties.
By paragraph we mean a set of 3-7 sentences, meaning your email should be approximately 6- 21 sentences long.
You will not receive more or less consideration because of a shorter or longer email.
DO NOT send us a traditional cover letter. In this process we are seeking someone who pays attention to detail and follows direction. If you send a cover letter, this will be considered not following directions.
A summary of your work/skills/training/educational history as an attachment OR a link to your LinkedIn profile
-
We do not have a preference on which one.
-
You will not receive special consideration for sending both.
-
Our aim is to understand where you have worked/volunteered before and the types of roles you have had. Maybe you have led research projects in the nonprofit sector, maybe you have incredible relational and organizational skills from the education sector, maybe you have experience collecting data to evaluate programs—we are open and interested in learning from folks across the spectrum of experience and industry.
Our timeline is as follows for interviews:
-
Application ideally are due by Thursday April 24th
-
First round interviews with the VP of Community Impact will be done Monday April 28th - Friday May 2nd .
-
Second round interviews with the Community Impact team will be done Monday May 5th – Friday May 9th
-
An offer will be extended by Friday May 9th
-
Start date is flexible—ideally someone will begin full time by May 27th, but we are open to a June start date if you are in a Summer Session.
Finance Operations Associate
TITLE: Finance Operations Associate
DEPARTMENT: Administration
REPORTS TO: Vice President of Administration
STARTING WAGE: $20.00 – $23.00 per hour
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
United Way of Southeast Minnesota mobilizes our community to action so all can thrive. For 100 years, United Way of Southeast Minnesota has seen how our communities’ greatest challenges are connected — and how we can bring people and resources together to address them. We meet basic needs today while working with community members to help create a better future for tomorrow.
You can learn more about our organization, our impact, and our values at www.uwsemn.org
HOW YOU’D FIT IN & STAND OUT
- This role is managed by the VP of Administration. United Way’s Administration team has three employees, but this position collaborates across all departments.
- Our organization has a strengths-based culture and finds value in diverse skills and strengths.
- This position plays a key role in ensuring financial and data integrity and facilitating mission-driven work by ensuring the organization can function smoothly and with minimal distraction from logistical or operational concerns.
- We are looking for an individual with a high attention to detail and experience in finance, data entry, database maintenance, or a related field. Key technical skills for this role are familiarity with CRM systems and comfort with Microsoft Office Suite.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS
The Finance Operations Associate is a key member of the United Way of Southeast Minnesota’s administration team. Serving as the primary liaison between the finance and Resource Development teams, this position handles data entry for the customer relationship management (CRM) database and supports various accounting and bookkeeping tasks. The Finance Operations Associate ensures the accuracy and integrity of data within the CRM and is involved in accounts receivable and accounts payable processes. Additionally, they provide technical and accounting support across multiple functional areas, including campaign management, pledge processing, allocations, property management, and personnel administration, assisting the VP of Administration as needed.
The Finance Operations Associate reports to the Vice President of Administration.
Accounting and Finance Duties
-
Record and maintain financial transactions, including accounts receivable and accounts payable.
-
Prepare and process daily deposits, including accounts receivable and campaign pledge receivables.
-
Generate and send monthly pledge receivable statements to relevant stakeholders.
-
Support Finance and Audit Committees by preparing meeting materials and taking meeting minutes.
-
Process accounts payable on a semi-monthly basis.
-
Assist with monthly credit card reconciliation and processing.
-
Support the preparation of monthly financial statements.
-
Assist with payroll processing and preparation of related reports.
-
Track incoming payments for meetings, events, and other organizational activities.
-
Perform other accounting and finance duties as assigned.
Administrative Support
-
Support organizational development initiatives by assisting in the logistics, progress tracking, and implementation.
-
Ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures, escalating concerns as needed.
-
Assist with HR functions, including coordinating onboarding processes, preparing documentation, and supporting new hire orientation.
General Office Duties
-
Back-up Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator (secondary support for answering phones, and assist as needed to respond to the needs of callers and visitors).
-
Work closely with Office Coordinator and Executive Assistant to ensure sufficient cross-training and back-up on critical office functions.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS
-
Are detail-oriented and organized.
-
Have experience in finance, bookkeeping, database maintenance or related field.
-
Are familiar with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
-
Thrive in a mission-driven, community-based organization.
-
Are comfortable using tools like Excel, accounting software, Microsoft Office 365 and learning new tech.
OUR WORKPLACE
- Our typical work week is 37.5 hours.
- We are looking to hire a resident of our service area (Olmsted, Dodge, Winona, or Fillmore Counties) who lives within daily commuting distance, as we are rooted in our local community. In-person meetings and activities are required.
- Typically offer hours are Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- We offer flexible work schedules to meet individual and family needs, and we need you to be available during peak times. We are willing to work together to make sure both employee and organizational needs are met.
- Hybrid/remote work options are available on an individual basis.
- Occasional availability outside of typical office hours is expected for special events.
United Way of Southeast Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals who share lived experiences with the people and communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply. We intentionally do our best to eliminate bias and remove barriers that may limit other applicant pools. United Way encourages applications from individuals of all races, genders, ages, and abilities.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- Starting wages of $20.00 – $23.00 per hour, depending on qualifications.
- Employees are paid electronically twice a month.
- Benefits include health, dental, and life insurance; 403b retirement plan with 9% employer match available after one year of employment; 12 weeks paid parental leave.
- 20 days paid time off plus 15 paid holidays.
TO APPLY
Please email Mathew Bjorngaard (mathewb@uwsemn.org) with your resume and a cover letter that touches on topics such as interest in the role, relevant experience, connection to the mission. Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and position is open until filled. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by 4:00pm on Friday, June 20th.
Thank you for your interest in joining United Way of Southeast Minnesota's Board of Directors. We are now accepting nominations for board service for terms beginning April 1, and ending March 31, 2028.
To submit a self-nomination, please first read the Board of Directors Job Description and consider whether you can commit to the responsibilities and time commitment required of a board member. These include supporting the organization in developing resources, meeting the ethical and fiduciary duties of a director, and participating in required board and committee activities.
After you have read the Board of Directors Job Description, you may complete the interest form below to self-nominate. Nominations will be accepted January 23-February 10, 2025. After submission, you can expect to hear back from us sometime in February; candidates may be invited to meet with United Way board and staff representatives for na informal interview. Final invitations to join the Board of Directors will be issued in March.
United Way of Southeast Minnesota is committed to recruiting candidates who represent the diversity of our region, contributing a variety of personal and professional expertise to support our mission.
Please contact Mathew Bjorngaard with any questions: mathewb@uwsemn.org or 507-287-2002.
Interest Form
Volunteer
If you'd like to get more involved with our work, please visit our volunteer opportunities page.
If you are interested in volunteering your time and talents to United Way of Olmsted County while pursuing educational credit, we respond to inquiries received three months before typical semester start dates. Please send a resume, a description outlining what type of experience you’re hoping to gain, and scheduling considerations to impact@uwolmsted.org by the following dates:
- Fall semester volunteer placement: June 1st
- Spring semester volunteer placement: October 1st
- Summer semester volunteer placement: February 1st
Our ability to provide a meaningful volunteer experience depends on staff capacity, project availability, and mission alignment. If you submit an inquiry, you can expect to hear from staff within two weeks of the dates listed above to coincide with typical semester schedules.