The Development Manager is a new and critical role at Leap to Success, designed to own and execute the day-to-day fundraising operations and systems of the organization. Working closely with the CEO, this position ensures that fundraising activities are implemented with excellence, consistency, and care—freeing the CEO to focus on major donor relationships, fundraising strategy, and organizational leadership.

This role is both relationship-centered and execution-driven. The Development Manager builds and nurtures meaningful donor relationships while also taking full responsibility for the operational and administrative functions of development. Through compassion, professionalism, and strong systems management, the Development Manager plays a key role in sustaining and growing Leap to Success’s mission.

The Development Manager is fully responsible for the operational backbone of fundraising.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Campaign Execution & Donor Communications

Manage execution of the annual campaign and additional fundraising campaigns throughout the year
Draft donor appeals, solicitation materials, and impact reports
Produce and publish the monthly donor newsletter (~1,500 supporters)
Coordinate and conduct donor outreach with timelines, segmentation, and follow-up
Prepare materials for CEO review and approval

2. Donor Stewardship & Relationship Support

Identify and research prospective donors
Conduct outreach (calls, emails) to schedule donor meetings and follow-ups
Prepare donor briefings, background research, and call notes for the CEO
Track stewardship touchpoints and next steps in the CRM

3. Fundraising Operations & Donor Systems

Enter and maintain all gifts, pledges, and donor records in Bloomerang
Create, send, and track timely donor acknowledgement letters
Prepare and manage handwritten thank-you cards
Reconcile donations from online giving platforms and campaigns
Maintain accurate donor data, reports, and dashboards for CEO and Board use

4. Grants Administration & Institutional Support

Collaborate with grant writer to support and grow grant submissions
Identify corporate and private foundation funding opportunities
Maintain a grants calendar with deadlines and reporting requirements
Track grant submissions and compliance requirements
Draft funder impact and grant reports for CEO review

5. Events & Board Development Support

Plan and execute special fundraising events, including Circle of Hope gatherings
Manage logistics, materials, timelines, and follow-through for events
Support the Board Development Committee by:

a. Coordinating Circle of Hope planning and follow-up

b. Preparing materials and tracking action items

c. Attending monthly committee meetings

General Responsibilities

Participate in weekly staff meetings
Maintain professional, respectful conduct with staff, board members, donors, and participants
Actively support the mission, values, and guiding principles of Leap to Success
Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

The ideal candidate brings both heart and discipline to this role and demonstrates:

At least 5 years of professional experience in nonprofit development or advancement
Proven experience managing fundraising operations and donor systems
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through
Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
Emotional intelligence, discretion, and integrity
Passion for empowering women and strengthening communities

Skills & Systems

Strong systems thinker; able to create and maintain efficient processes
Proficiency with Bloomerang or similar donor management systems
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Drive, Teams, Zoom, and related tools

Hours, Location & Benefits

Full-time, hourly position (40 hours per week)
Hybrid role with regular reporting to the Carlsbad office
Monday–Friday schedule with occasional evenings/weekends for donor events

Benefits include:

Work-from-home flexibility
Group health insurance
Vacation/PTO
Paid holidays
Paid holiday closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day (40 hours)

******COVER LETTER REQUIRED*******

This is the first full-time development role at Leap to Success. In your cover letter, please share how your skills and experience and past experience would help build strong fundraising systems, strengthen donor relationships, and support the organization’s growth.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $68,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Health insurance
Paid time off

Application Question(s):

A cover letter is required in order to consider your application. Please tell us how your background and experience are a fit for our organization and this position.

Education:

Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

Development/Fundraising: 5 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Carlsbad, CA 92011

PLEASE APPLY ON INDEED: https://www.indeed.com/job/development-manager-2806c44bda3fb295

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