As the owner of Staffing Boutique, Inc., a New York City staffing firm focused on nonprofits and education, I’ve seen a stark decline in administrative job openings. Pre-COVID, we placed candidates in 5-7 roles weekly—think office managers or program coordinators. Over the past nine months, we’ve had zero. AI and automation, which now handle tasks like filing, stapling, and copying, are often blamed. But are these jobs truly gone, and why should nonprofits still turn to agencies like ours?
Automation’s Impact
NYC’s nonprofit sector, with over 33,500 organizations employing 600,000 people, relies on administrative staff to support missions in housing, healthcare, and education. Yet, AI tools like Salesforce and DocuSign have automated tasks once central to these roles, slashing demand. At Staffing Boutique, we’ve seen this firsthand since late 2024, as nonprofits cut costs with technology.
A 2025 report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli notes a 4.1% drop in nonprofit jobs from 2017 to 2022, with only 7.4% of losses recovered by 2022. Recent graduates feel the pinch: 59% find entry-level jobs very challenging due to competition (24%) and lack of experience (25%), with only 9% securing roles easily. Moreover, 79% believe AI is reducing entry-level opportunities, pushing 46% toward temporary or flexible work.
Why the Drop?
Beyond AI, other factors shrink admin roles:
✅ Funding Squeezes: Nonprofits face delayed grants and contracts, forcing prioritization of frontline staff over admins.
✅ Evolving Roles: Remaining jobs, like “operations associate,” demand tech skills (e.g., CRM or data analysis) over traditional tasks.
✅ Digital Shift: Post-COVID remote work accelerated use of tools like Google Workspace, reducing manual admin needs.
Yet, job boards like Idealist and NYC Government Jobs still list roles like finance assistants, often requiring digital proficiency.
The Solution: Why Staffing Agencies Matter
Despite fewer traditional admin jobs, nonprofits need skilled, mission-driven talent to thrive. Staffing Boutique excels here. We don’t just fill roles; we match nonprofits with candidates who share their passion for social impact. Our candidates are vetted for alignment with organizational missions, ensuring they contribute to goals like affordable housing or racial justice. While 54% of graduates lack AI training, we prioritize those who have who’ve self-taught AI skills (22%) or are adept with tools like Tableau, making them ready for hybrid roles blending admin with program or fundraising tasks.
Using an agency like ours saves nonprofits time and resources. We navigate the competitive market—where only 9% of graduates find jobs easily—to deliver candidates who fit both skill and cultural needs. Initiatives like the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services and Executive Order 47 (2025) signal growth in areas like climate and education, where our mission-driven candidates can shine.
Want to chat about a strategic hiring plan? Email me katie@staffingboutique.org.
Katie Warnock