Description

Reports To: CEO
Location: Dallas–Fort Worth, with some hybrid/remote work flexibility. 
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
Start Date: April 2026

About The Organization

The Educator Collective is seeking a Development Manager to play a key role in growing and sustaining our fundraising efforts. This role will support the execution of our development strategy by managing donor relationships, advancing fundraising initiatives, and owning the systems and operations that drive philanthropic revenue.

Position Overview

The Development Manager will work closely with the CEO to build meaningful relationships with donors and partners, communicate our impact, and ensure strong execution of all development activities. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on role that requires strong attention to detail and ownership of day-to-day execution across all development activities, combining relationship management with operational leadership.

This is an ideal role for a relationship-oriented fundraiser who is excited to grow into greater ownership of the development function over time. As the organization grows, this role offers the opportunity to take on increased responsibility for fundraising strategy and donor relationships, with the potential to evolve into a more senior leadership position and help shape the future of the organization’s development efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Relationship Management

• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors and prospects
• Support donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts
• Lead and support donor meetings, including preparation and follow-up
• Track and manage donor engagement in CRM with clear next steps

Fundraising Strategy Execution

• Support execution of the annual development plan
• Partner with the CEO to advance major donor relationships
• Help identify and qualify new donor prospects
• Contribute to strategies that increase donor retention and giving levels
• Support preparation for board fundraising committee meetings and engage the board in advancing broader fundraising strategy, including materials, updates, and follow-up actions.

Grants & Foundation Management

• Serve as the internal lead for grant processes, timelines and coordination
• Manage relationships and communication with foundation partners (as appropriate)
• Coordinate with and support the external grant writer to ensure alignment on timelines, priorities and organizational messaging
• Gather and provide program data, inputs, and context to inform strong proposals and reports
• Review and refine grant submissions to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and consistency in messaging
• Track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and renewal opportunities to support timely, high-quality submissions
  
  

Campaigns & Donor Communications

• Support fundraising campaigns (e.g., annual fund, events, special initiatives)
• Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop donor-facing materials
• Draft donor updates, impact communications, and stewardship materials
• Ensure timely and personalized donor acknowledgement and follow-up

Development Operations & Pipeline Management

• Own day-to-day management of the donor CRM (data integrity, updates, reporting)
• Track all donor activity, proposals, and next steps across the pipeline
• Maintain a comprehensive development calendar (campaigns, deadlines, reporting)
• Prepare regular reports on fundraising performance and pipeline health
   

Development Administration & Execution

• Prepare donor briefing materials for leadership
• Coordinate scheduling and logistics for donor meetings and engagements
• Support execution of fundraising events (from a donor engagement perspective)
• Ensure all development activities are well-organized and executed with attention to detail
• At The Educator Collective, we’re building an organization that values both impact and sustainability. We are intentional about creating an environment where leaders can do meaningful work while feeling supported, trusted, and able to grow.

Benefits

At The Educator Collective, we’re building an organization that values both impact and sustainability. We are intentional about creating an environment where leaders can do meaningful work while feeling supported, trusted, and able to grow.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary aligned with experience and market benchmarks
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance options
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous paid time off, including holidays and seasonal office closures
• Flexible work environment with hybrid/remote options to support balance and autonomy
• Professional development support aligned with individual growth and organizational priorities
• Salary range is $65-80K, based on experience. 

Requirements

Qualifications

• 4–7 years of experience in nonprofit development or fundraising
• Experience managing donor relationships and/or a donor portfolio
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience supporting or leading fundraising campaign
• Experience with grant processes (writing, coordination, or management)
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities
• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, Bloomerang)
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in education or nonprofit sector
• Experience with grant writing or foundation relationships, particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex
• Experience working in a small or growing organization
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with detailed execution

Key Competencies

• Relationship-oriented and externally facing
• Strong communicator (written and verbal)
• Proactive and self-directed
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Mission-driven with a commitment to educational equity