Development Manager

About College Track

College Track is a comprehensive college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college. From ninth grade through college graduation, our 10-year program removes the academic, financial, and social-emotionalbarriers that prevent low-income and first-generation students from earning their college degree. In 1997, we started with 25 students in East Palo Alto, and today, we have 12 centers located in underserved communities across California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C. Metro Area with more than 3,000 students on the path to upward social mobility. To learn more, please visit www.collegetrack.org.

Our Impact

College Track students graduate from college at a rate that is more than double the national average for low-income and first-generation students. Six months out of college, 79% of College Track alumni are employed. For those 30 and over, 92% report earnings greater than their parents with wages on par with the national average. By helping our students maximize the value of their four-year college degree, which includes minimizing student loan debt, securing internships, and limiting the need to work while in college--we prepare them to succeed in the 21st century economy.

Our Values

At College Track, our values drive the way we do our work, and we look for individuals who share our passion. We blend an entrepreneurial spirit with our nonprofit roots, cultivating a dynamic culture where everyone's contributions are valued and encouraged.

• COMMITMENT: We have an unwavering belief in our students.
• PASSION: We are dedicated to changing our nation’s college completion story.
• JOY: We create environments rich with smiles and laughter.
• AUTHENTICITY: We believe relationships matter.
• EXCELLENCE: Our students deserve nothing but the best. 

Position Overview

Reporting to the Development Director and working in close collaboration with the Regional Executive Director, the Development Manager will support efforts to develop and deepen relationships with the committed partners who make College Track’s work in the region possible. The Development Manager will be a key player in implementing an effective fundraising plan that achieves significant growth and long-term sustainability for College Track in the D.C. Metro Area. A new position in the region, the Development Manager will be an integral member of the D.C. Metro Area regional team. The Development Manager will share responsibility to raise the funds to support College Track’s centers in the region, the construction of those centers, and regional office costs. The Development Manager will manage forecasting, assist with writing and editing funding proposals and reports, help organize events and campaigns, perform research to identify individual, foundation, and corporate prospects, coordinate donor stewardship activities, draft thank you and outreach emails for the Development Director and Regional Executive Director, distribute invoices to collect pledges, assist with Salesforce data, and coordinate site visits with donors.

Primary Responsibilities Include

• Assist with managing an effective fundraising platform that supports significant growth and long-term sustainability in the region
• Help develop and implement regional fundraising strategies
• Manage forecasting and monitor key fundraising deliverables and performance measures, providing the Development Director and Regional Executive Director with regular updates
• Identify potential individual, foundation and corporate partners and their connections to College Track
• Coordinate donor stewardship activities
• Assist in managing D.C. Metro Area fundraising events, including local receptions and cultivation dinners. Work with College Track team and event host on invite list, communication strategies, event program and all other details
• Coordinate inspiring site visits and opportunities for prospective donors to engage with College Track’s work
• Manage gift acknowledgements, invoices, and meeting preparation
• Assist with writing and editing funding proposals, ensuring applications meet donor guidelines
• Assist with managing capital campaign
• Prepare briefing materials in advance of partner meetings and site visits
• Manage Salesforce data entry and gift processing

Skills & Experience Required

First and foremost, the Development Manager must be passionate about College Track’s mission to equip students facing systemic barriers to earn a bachelor’s degree in pursuit of a life of opportunity, choice and power. Additionally, candidates must possess the following qualifications:

• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in a nonprofit, school, or other entrepreneurial, high-performing organization
• Bachelor's degree or higher
• Excellent communication skills with demonstrable ability to write effectively, speak persuasively and listen attentively
• Strategic thinking and analytical skills
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills which enable rapport-building with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong project management skills and attention to detail
• A history of achieving results and willingness to do "whatever it takes" to reach goals
• Demonstrated experience with Salesforce or similar, sophisticated database and leveraging it as a primary tool in managing communication and driving strategic and tactical planning
• A highly-motivated self-starter and constant learner who is interested in being a proactive, positive member of the team
• High level of self-awareness, humility, and emotional intelligence
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with minimal supervision
• Proven record of stakeholder cultivation and management
• Experience fundraising, event planning and grant proposal and report writing highly preferred