Senior Development Manager

About This Role

The Senior Development Manager is a critical leadership role advancing Mighty Writers' fundraising strategy and long-term financial sustainability. This role partners with the Director of Development and Executive Team to cultivate, steward, and grow philanthropic support from various sources. The manager also builds and sustains relationships with large-scale donors and oversees grants management to secure funding and capacity-building opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Director of Development to implement MW’s annual fundraising strategy, revenue goals, and multi-faceted donor engagement plan
• Serve as second-in-command of the Development Department, providing strategic input on department planning, operations, and resource allocation
• Provide resources, guidance, and feedback to the Grants Manager and Development Specialist as needed to ensure timely, accurate, and compelling grant submissions, reporting, and campaign planning and tracking
• Collaborate with Executive Director, Development Director and leadership team to integrate development priorities with organizational strategy, program needs, and external partnerships
• Represent Development in cross-departmental meetings, helping to strengthen communication
• Support Development Director in managing Mighty Writers’ portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation donors; cultivate relationships through meetings, calls, site visits, and stewardship events
• Lead or support the development of funder presentations, pitch materials, and donor communications in collaboration with the Marketing & Communications team
• Ensure all donor stewardship practices are consistent, timely, and mission-aligned, including donor acknowledgments and impact reporting
• Assist with planning and executing fundraising campaigns, year-end appeals, donor events, and special campaigns
• Support the Grants Manager in managing the entire grants life cycle, including prospecting, proposal writing, budgets, submissions, and reporting

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5-7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation
• Demonstrated success in grant writing
• Experience managing a small fundraising team
• Strong writing, editing, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience with donor CRMs and data-driven fundraising practices
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across departments in a fast-paced, mission-driven organization
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills
• Commitment to the mission of advancing literacy and equity for children and youth

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or fundraising certification is a plus
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in a youth development, education, or community-based nonprofit

Nice to Have

• Advanced degree or fundraising certification
• Experience in youth development, education, or community-based nonprofit
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish

Skills

* Required skills

Benefits