Development Manager (Remote)

Position description

Legado is a women-led, global nonprofit that works alongside Indigenous and local communities in the world’s most ecologically important landscapes. We support communities to design and implement solutions of their choosing, benefiting people and landscapes alike—an outcome we call Thriving Futures.

We are a social change nonprofit driven to create a paradigm shift toward holistic climate justice, or what we call 360° Community-Led Change. Please visit our website to learn more.

Position Overview

Legado is seeking a Development Manager to drive the implementation of our fundraising strategy at a time of growth and momentum. We have a loyal base of donors and a proven model that is generating increasing interest from institutional partners and funders as well as individual philanthropy. The Development Manager will play a critical role in building our funding base to match our strategic ambitions—supporting our team to pursue and manage donor relationships with excellence and integrity.

Reporting to the CEO, the Development Manager will lead day-to-day execution of Legado’s development strategy, manage systems and donor communications, and support cross-team collaboration around concept notes, proposals, and donor reporting. This is a highly collaborative role that works across programs, partnerships, finance, and communications to create clear, compelling cases for support and ensure strong donor stewardship.

The ideal candidate will bring 6-8 years of experience in fundraising for international development organizations, have a track record of managing donor relationships and proposal development, and be comfortable working with a distributed, global team. We are especially seeking someone who has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, and who is energized by building systems and partnerships for scale.

Key Responsibilities: 

Note the Development Manager will work closely with the full Legado Team. In particular, as a member of the Development team, they will manage the Development Coordinator, coordinate with the Communications Lead, and collaborate with the CEO and Executive Vice President (EVP). Their responsibilities will include:

1. Proposal Development and Reporting

• Lead or support the development of narrative proposals and concept notes for institutional and individual donors.Collaborate with program, finance, impact and communications colleagues to gather input for compelling, accurate submissions.
• Draft and coordinate narrative reports for institutional funders, aligning data and stories with donor expectations.
• Ensure timely development and delivery of financial, impact, and narrative reporting in partnership with relevant colleagues.
• Maintain calendars, timelines, and internal processes to manage multiple proposal/reporting deadlines across donors and teams.

2. Donor Stewardship and Prospecting

• Coordinate and implement Legado’s annual fundraising plan across institutional and individual donor pipelines.
• Research and evaluate new institutional and philanthropic prospects; support tailored cultivation strategies.
• Manage donor relationships across the lifecycle: from research and outreach to stewardship and renewal.
• Draft and edit donor-facing communications including updates, touchpoints, and event invitations.
• Prepare for and participate in donor-facing meetings and events, including researching guest lists, planning meetings, and managing follow-up.
• Support coordination of town halls, field visits, and technical funder trips—including content planning and logistics.

3. Development Systems and Administration

• Lead quarterly planning processes for the development team and contribute to organizational planning efforts.
• Oversee the following work conducted by the Development Coordinator:
• Management and maintenance of donor records using Legado’s CRM (Bloomerang), ensuring timely and accurate data entry.
• Tracking of donor pipeline and reporting on fundraising progress using dashboards and other internal tools.
• Overseeing of development administration, including donor gift processing, record keeping, and tracking interactions.

4. Support to CEO and Senior Leadership Team

• Prepare briefing materials, background research, and talking points for the CEO, EVP, and other leaders ahead of donor meetings and conferences.
• Support scheduling and coordination of donor engagement led by the CEO and senior leadership team.
• Track action items and next steps from donor meetings and ensure internal follow-up.
• Support CEO participation in individual donor networking and institutional funder cultivation.
• Serve as a collaborative thought partner to senior leadership in aligning fundraising opportunities with organizational strategy.

Qualifications

We are seeking a skilled development professional who thrives in a collaborative, high-performing, and values-driven environment.

Required Experience and Attributes:

• 6-8 years of experience in fundraising, with a focus on international development, climate, or conservation organizations.
• Direct experience managing donor pipelines and proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to write compelling donor materials and coordinate cross-functional input.
• Experience working in or with partners in Africa, Asia, or Latin America; direct experience living and working in one or more of these regions strongly preferred.
• Strong project management skills with an ability to juggle multiple deadlines whilst staying detail-oriented.
• Collaborative, proactive, and organized—able to work across teams and time zones with humility and humor.
• Commitment to Legado’s mission, values, and belief in the power of locally led change.

Additional Details

Location: Remote Must have availability for at least 5 working hours overlapping with US Eastern Time work hours.

Compensation: $50,000–$80,000 depending on experience and cost of living adjusted.

Work Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week. Flexible scheduling. Depending on location, early or late meetings are necessary to accommodate other time zones.

Travel: Expected to travel approximately 5-15% of the time.

Benefits (US-based employee benefits shared below for context, actual benefits will depend on employee or contractor status)

• Competitive medical coverage
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance
• Health and Dependent Care FSA
• 401(k) with up to 4% employer contribution
• 30 days paid leave annually (increases with seniority)

Application instructions

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