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:
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
