Development Manager

The Charles River Conservancy (CRC) seeks a team-oriented individual who is eager to grow their skills and career in development to increase the CRC’s capacity and impact. This role is ideal for a fundraising professional looking to take on additional management and strategy responsibilities to advance their career. The CRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and people from a range of backgrounds and experiences to add their unique perspective to the organization to apply.

Organization Overview

Founded in 2000, the mission of the Charles River Conservancy (CRC) is to make the Charles River and its parks a well-maintained network of natural urban places that invite and engage all in their use and stewardship. In partnership with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and other stakeholders, we promote the active use and vitality of the Charles River parks, increase recreational and educational opportunities, and implement interventions to support ecological health, biodiversity and resiliency. Our work within the urban Charles River Reservation spans parks in Boston, Cambridge, Allston/Brighton, and Watertown, which are within walking distance of 300,000+ urban residents and welcome over 1 million annual visitors.

Key Responsibilities

The Development Manager will support the Executive Director and coordinate with key staff to raise $300,000+ in unrestricted revenue annually by building a pipeline of new donors and stewarding the gifts of mid-level donors. Responsibilities include:

• Donor Engagement and Cultivation

• Draft compelling communications to individual donors and for broad appeals
• Represent the CRC at events to network and meet prospective donors
• Plan and manage 1-2 social events for current and prospective donors annually, with support of staff and consultants/vendors as needed
• Assist Executive Director in cultivating major donors including creating presentations, scheduling and attending meetings
• Support Executive Director in managing the board of director’s development subcommittee including scheduling meetings, creating presentations, and taking notes
• Remain informed about best practices in philanthropy and strategize with leadership on opportunities for improving annual fund implementation
• Support grant applications, with particular emphasis on cultivation strategy

• Research and Analysis

• Perform donor prospect research
• Manage donor database, including logging contacts, communications and donations
• Create monthly development summary and reconcile income with financial reports
• Generate quarterly analysis presentations for Executive Director and board

• Outreach

• Work closely with the CRC’s Communications and Advocacy Associate to coordinate print and digital annual fund materials, such as the annual report and appeals
• Manage mailing lists and donor contact information using donor database
• Increase regular donor communications, such as through a monthly email update or similar

• Administration

• Process donor gifts and generate acknowledgement letters
• Develop and manage annual development budget
• Willingness to help with tasks outside this job description on an as-needed basis

Qualifications

• Three to six years of relevant fundraising experience
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Proven ability to build relationships, connecting and engaging with donors and community members
• Availability to attend 1-2 evening events per month, year round
• Availability to work occasional Saturdays during peak park season (April-June and September-October)

Preferred Experience and Skills

We recognize no one individual will embody all listed attributes and encourage candidates with equivalent, non-traditional career experience to apply.

• A demonstrated interest in the mission of the Charles River Conservancy
• Ability to handle diverse, simultaneous tasks, meet deadlines, and attend to follow-through
• Experience managing donor database systems (familiarity with Filemaker is a plus) and discretion with confidential information
• Knowledge of development best practices and ability to implement planned campaigns
• Multilingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience preferred
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and an interest in using best practices to increase representation of diversity in park users
• Openness to learning and willingness to give and receive feedback 

Salary & Benefits

Salary for this full-time position is $60,000 - $75,000, depending on experience. The CRC’s strong benefits include: 

• 10 days each: vacation, flexible time off, and holidays
• Hybrid/remote work schedule: currently Tuesdays and Thursdays required in office with occasional additional in person work in alignment with responsibilities and seasonal programs
• Option to work 1 week per quarter fully remote after 6 months of employment
• Health insurance (50% - 75% CRC paid) and reimbursements for dental cleanings
• 403b retirement plan with CRC contribution after 3 years of employment