Development Manager

General Information:

Position: Development Manager

Location: Santa Cruz La Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala (on-site preferred, but open to a hybrid structure)

Hours: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday.

Job Posting Date: August, 2025

Contract Type: Indefinite

Trial Period: 3 Months

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Amigos de Santa Cruz has been working in the seven remote communities of Santa Cruz La Laguna, on and above the shores of Lake Atitlan in the Central Highlands of Guatemala since 1998. Our mission is to improve the lives of the indigenous people of Santa Cruz La Laguna and surrounding villages through support for education and sustainable economic empowerment. Amigos focuses on this one small corner of the world to help break the generational cycle of poverty. We are a small organization that has a history of accomplishments, and an excellent relationship of respect and trust among the communities that we work with. Read more here: www.amigosdesantacruz.org

This is a particularly exciting time to be joining the Amigos team as we embark on a new endeavor with the potential to make a big impact on access to quality of education in Santa Cruz. The Development Manager will be key to bringing this new endeavor to fruition!

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Development Manager will play a key role in developing and implementing Amigos’ strategic fundraising priorities and communications plan, as well as helping to identify and capture program impact that supports fundraising efforts.

The ideal candidate will be self-starting, able to manage multiple projects with flexibility, and excited to grow with the organization. They will have a background in fundraising, development and communications for non-profits, and experience in impact analysis is also a big plus. The position reports directly to the Executive Director, oversees the Communications Associate, and works closely with local staff leadership and program staff.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Revenue Development

• Develop and lead the organization’s annual fundraising plan and schedule of yearly fundraising activities with the goal of increasing donor retention, deepening donor engagement and meeting or exceeding annual revenue goals.
• Reconcile monthly fund development revenue records with the finance department.

Grant Management

• Manage a robust grant tracking system, support drafting compelling grant applications and reporting.
• Coordinate strategy and messaging for regular communications to donors, including monthly updates and semi-annual online fundraisers, among others; interpret logical frameworks and MEL data to develop compelling materials that demonstrate impact to institutional donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors.

Donor Relations

• Support the Executive Director to identify, engage and steward prospective, new, and existing donors as well as develop and manage giving programs including corporate matching, monthly donors and legacy donors, among others.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Leadership Team to translate impact data into meaningful, evidenced-based storytelling.
• Provide supervision and guidance to the Communications Associate in areas including graphic design, newsletter and annual report content development, management of the organization’s website and social media, and other areas as needed.
• Provide presentations and tours of buildings and programs to visitors and donors.

Capital Campaign Management

We are currently almost two-thirds of our way toward a $1.6 million capital campaign goal to support the building of a primary school.

• Develop and implement comprehensive campaign strategies and plans to achieve established fundraising goals and milestones.
• Actively manage the portfolio of campaign donors, cultivating existing donors and identifying prospects including individuals, corporations and foundations. Provide regular updates to stakeholders on campaign status, and ensure the timely acknowledgement of campaign gifts.
• Create compelling proposals and other campaign materials, including digital content, newsletters, and reports, based on our case for support.
• Manage campaign operations, ensuring timelines, benchmarks, and deliverables are met with precision and tracking progress through an established donor database.
• Support campaign-related events and cultivation activities.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to leverage their networks and support their cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-capacity prospects.

Institutional Mentorship & Innovation:

• Design and implement mentorship programs to identify and develop fundraising talent in the local community, providing comprehensive training on donor relations, grant writing, and resource mobilization strategies.
• Analyze and donor management and fundraising workflows to identify opportunities for improved efficiency in prospect research, grant application processes, and donor stewardship cycles.
• Implement automation solutions using tools and platforms like Asana, Zapier, Make, or N8N to streamline donor communications, proposal tracking, and fundraising campaign management.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Commitment to the mission and vision of Amigos de Santa Cruz and the power of education to end the cycle of poverty in rural Guatemala.
• University degree in International Development, Communications or a relevant field.
• Minimum 3-4 years’ experience working with non-profits and community-based programs, including experience in fundraising, communications and grant writing. Experience in impact evaluation is a plus.
• Experience living and working in Guatemala is a plus.
• Motivated self-starter with experience collecting and synthesizing information to develop compelling stories and cases for support.
• Ability to use initiative and judgment to analyze and interpret data as evidence of program impact.
• Detail oriented, strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written) to interact in both Spanish and English with a wide range of actors including local staff, program participants, visitors, donors and board members.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, familiarity with donor relations software such as Constant Contact, Little Green Light, MailChimp, Stripe, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to create dynamic written and visual content for a variety of audiences; attention to detail in design and copy.
• Self-directed, takes initiative and high attention to detail.
• Team player with intercultural experience and sensitivity, sense of humor, and flexibility to take on different tasks and projects as needed.
• Willingness to work in remote communities where travel can be difficult.

SALARY & BENEFITS

Salary is based on Guatemalan professional standards, including paid vacation, holidays, and flextime. This position offers significant opportunities for professional development and growth, travel, and great personal satisfaction.

Before applying, please visit our website at www.amigosdesantacruz.org and familiarize yourself with the organization. To apply, please send your cover letter, résumé, salary expectation and references to Jessie Cohn, Executive Director, at empleos@amigosdesantacruz.org with the subject heading ‘Development Manager.’ The cover letter should 1) Be specific to this position and 2) Highlight work and educational experiences that qualify you for the position. Your resume should emphasize professional roles that demonstrate your skills related to the position.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED AND INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED ON A ROLLING BASIS UPON RECEIPT.