Blackbaud Reviews

Pros

Amazing people to work with and for. Pride in the work we do for the world.

Cons

The salaries are not comparable to other software companies.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the great work!

Pros

Supportive supervisors/direct line managers. Interesting work and ever changing technologies. Opportunity to work with non-profits and to help them do their work better. Plenty of opportunities to take on new challenges and responsibilities to build your experience level.

Cons

Very low salaries. The company over-relys on college new hires and outsourcing to keep costs low. Experience and longevity are not rewarded or valued. You have to move up quick or risk being totally stagnant. Senior leadership get in the way of actual work. Frustrating to see the same issues reoccur year after year, suggest changes and have solutions hit the trash heap in a political nightmare.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in your people and keep smart, talented people there, rather then losing them to competitors. Our intellectual capital is our biggest resource, yet we don't communicate across silos or practice what we preach in our own key business systems. Non-profits care that we know who they are. How can a college new hire understand those nuances?

Pros

good group of people, good management, good training, overall good atmosphere

Cons

Grossly underpaid considering the support analysts are the foundation of the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Get your analysts paid.

Pros

There are lots of entry level and mid-level openings. The company is stable and there are opportunities for advancement to a certain level. Charleston is an amazing place.

Cons

No longer employee focused. Products seem to be stuck. Blackbaud is now at a size were it is hard to make changes and stay on top of the latest technology.

Advice to Senior Management

I know Blackbaud is now public but it seemed during my time there was less focus on keeping employees and more on competitor acquisitions. It was frustrating to be told we would not be getting a annual raise but then see Blackbaud spend 100 million on buying out a competitor.

Pros

Competitive benefits package for the Charleston area
Young, exciting company
Working with non-profit orgs
Lots of advancement opportunities (even outside your hiring department)
Little micromanagement--if you can get your job done, you'll be left alone

Cons

Pervasive, overuse of acronyms and corporate jargon
Services roles can be brutal for work/life balance (lots of travel)
Skill of management uneven (some good, some not go great)-Slow to rectify the "not so great"

Pros

- Very kind employees, who are very resourceful and are very good at what they do.
- Relaxed dress code/appearance
- Option to work remotely

Cons

- Low morale amongst employees, mainly noticed after acquisition by Blackbaud in 2008, formerly known Target Software/Analytics
- High turnover on middle management
- No major company outings since acquisition - Very redundant work environment.
- Poor lunch options within a mile radius (office is located next to Cambridgeside Galleria)
- Yearly raises are unacceptable under the Corporate hammer
- Unreasonable deadlines (depending on department)

Advice to Senior Management

The budget cuts on the company are absolutely killing morale. It's been 4 years since there was a reasonable pay raise, and yet corporate shows no sympathy, or help make their employees feel valued. Granted these are tough times, but the turnover rate is atrocious. Not even a counter-offer for the most resourceful assets in the company. You are expendable here.

Pros

Full autonomy with little responsibility yet high compensation. Seems like this would be contrary to popular opinion but this was the case. They have a leading-edge technology and are willing to manage and compensate their employees who perform. It was a great experience. I would still be there if my personal circumstances didn't have me needing to move out of state.

Cons

Too much time off doesn't allow the staff to focus. Everyone was busy planning their next vacation.

Advice to Senior Management

Just keep rocking it out.

Pros

Diversity. Culture. Plenty of opportunities for advancement. Employees who work hard are noticed.

Cons

Large company. It's "what have you done for me lately."

Advice to Senior Management

Communicate with employees.

Pros

Interaction with people, ethical environment, team-oriented culture, talented senior management, and strong brand recognition.

Cons

There are several bureaucratic procedures involved in certain processes. This occasionally will cause employee frustration.

Advice to Senior Management

The top management at Blackbaud is strong ethical and very impressive. They are bold in strategy and have great proven track records.

Pros

A lot to learn, casual dress and chill environment.
A good stepping stone company

Cons

Depending on where you work, some are chill, but the culture depends on you. Some companies have a certain culture. You will have to determine if the culture fits you well. You can ask anyone that works here that no one is really happy. The moral is at an all time low. People seem pretty bitter and almost depressed. Also the San Diego blackbaud used to belong to Kintera, so at this point San Diego office is under the mercy of the corporate office. This place in San Diego still has a Kintera attitude and has not been fully merged into Blackbaud yet. Everyone here is scrambling to keep thier jobs and try too hard to look good to blackbaud corporate office.

The pay is not equal to the amount of time and stress put into the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Culture is important to a company, and if not everyone is on the same page its pretty hard for a company to flourish. Middle Management is really the area where work is needed. Try to raise the company moral and not let everyone feel unrespected and get depressed. The pay should be equal to the amount of stress.