Development Manager

Position description

We foster a culture of trust and well-being by providing 90% healthcare coverage, a 401K and an Unlimited PTO policy that empowers you to balance high-impact work with a full personal life.

Salary: $57,000- $64,000 per annum

The Climate Initiative(TCI) believes the most at-risk generation is also the most powerful. We empower youth to become architects of their own future through nonpartisan, education-first climate action that brings global issues home to local landscapes. We’re building a cohesive grassroots movement, and we need your help to scale our impact and reach 1 million youth.

Development Manager (Growth-Oriented Role)

As we launch our 2026 strategic planning process, TCI is seeking a Development Manager who is ready to build the engine that will power our mission to reach 1 million youth. This is a high-impact role designed for someone who wants to grow alongside a scaling organization.

Strategic Mentorship and Support

You will work in a “dual-track” reporting structure designed to set you up for success:

• Strategic Execution: You will work hand in hand with our Director of Development to execute the fundraising plan and achieve our 2030 milestones. This will give you the high-level experience needed to grow in this department.
• Organizational Support: For internal administrative needs (Payroll, time-off, etc.), you will report to our Director of Operations, to ensure that you are fully integrated into TCI’s systems and teams.

This is a remote/work-from-home position with allowable locations in the United States, its Territories, or Sovereign Tribal Nations.While not required, proximity to our Maine office would enable valuable in-person collaboration during development meetings and team time.

The ideal candidate is a highly professional and collaborative fundraiser who excels in a remote work environment. Driven by a passion for preserving our natural landscapes and amplifying youth voices globally, the candidate will bring a versatile background across donor segments (individual, corporate, foundation, and special events), exceptional grant-writing skills, and strong proficiency in Salesforce, iWave, and DonorSearch.

As the IPCC notes, ‘Impacts of climate change are likely to be felt most acutely not only by the poor, but also by certain segments of the population, such as the elderly, the very young, the powerless, indigenous peoples, and recent immigrants, particularly if they are linguistically isolated’. TCI is dedicated to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we work in, fostering a culture of equity and belonging where every voice, regardless of background or language, can drive change.

Key Responsibilities

• Fundraising Strategy & Donor Relations (40%)
  • Collaborate with the Director of Development to implement the annual fundraising plan and achieve revenue goals through the execution of strategies for donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship across all giving levels
  • Grant writing and management: Research, write, and submit foundation and corporate grant proposals; manage grant reporting and compliance

• Development Operations & Database Management (30%)
  • Maintain development donor & prospect records in Salesforce
  • Develop and maintain Salesforce fields, objects, and custom reports to support fundraising needs
  • Build and manage accurate lists for digital campaigns and mailings
  • Monitor and reconcile gifts across all platforms (Donorbox, Meta, PayPal, Benevity, etc.)
  • Generate and share Salesforce reports on fundraising performance with the team
  • Build and manage fundraising campaign tracking in Donorbox and Salesforce
  • Create and manage Salesforce automations and integrations with external systems

• Prospect Research & Donor Engagement (20%)
  • Conduct wealth screening (iWave) and prospect research to prioritize donor outreach
  • Support donor events (in-person and virtual) from planning through post-event analysis
  • Coordinate communications campaigns for fundraising, advocacy, and events in partnership with the marketing team
  • Update and manage TCI presence and compliance in donor-facing databases, namely Guidestar and Benevity
  • Field incoming questions from donors or prospective donors

• Gift Processing, Reporting & Stewardship (10%)
  • Process and reconcile all gifts from multiple channels; ensure accurate, timely recording in Salesforce
  • Produce tax receipts and donor acknowledgement communications
  • Provide regular fundraising reports to leadership and the board finance committee

Key Success Metrics

• 100% of donor data accurately reflected in Salesforce
• Maintenance and optimization of a donor funnel
• Successful grant proposal win rate 50%
• All gifts acknowledged within 48-72 hours
• Timely submission of all grant reports and proposals

Desired Qualifications and Skills

• A bachelor’s degree is required
• 3-5 years of fundraising or sales experience
• Demonstrated excellence in organizational, time management, analytical, and communication skills (including written and digital communications)
• Experience managing relationships with diverse stakeholders, including individual, corporate, and foundation donors, community partners, board members, and internal staff
• Experience using Salesforce and Individual wealth search tools (such as iWave)
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Excellent writing skills. This includes the ability to write for different audiences and versatility across multiple platforms (i.e., newsletter or foundation proposal)
• Passion for climate action and the mission of TCI
• Desire to be part of an entrepreneurial team

Application instructions

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