Development Operations Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Development Operations Manager

Reporting Office: New York City

Department: External Relations

Job Classification: Fulltime; Exempt

Supervisor: Senior Director of Development

Union Classification: Union

Accountable To: Vice President of External Relations, Grants Manager, Development Manager

Last Updated: 3/20/2026

Purpose of the Job

The Development Operations Manager is responsible for strengthening the systems, processes, and infrastructure that supports fundraising at Human Rights First. This role ensures that fundraisers and leadership have reliable, accessible data and tools to drive donor engagement and revenue. Working independently and in close collaboration with Development, Finance, and the Executive Team, the Manager optimizes core platforms, primarily Virtuous CRM, while building streamlined, user-friendly systems. The Manager leads day-to-day fundraising operations, including gift processing, reporting, and data integrity, and supports the planning and logistics of the organization’s annual gala. As a single-contributor role, the Manager owns work end-to-end and plays a key role in advancing a high-performing, data-informed development function.

This is a remote first position; however, the employee will be expected to be onsite for meetings, events, and other organizational needs as required.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Development Operations & Data Management

• Manage day-to-day fundraising operations, including gift processing, pledge tracking, donor acknowledgements, and constituent record updates in Virtuous CRM.
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity across all systems and maintain organized Development files and materials.
• Produce regular reports on fundraising activity and cash flow, and partner with Finance on reconciliation of income, pledges, and campaign revenue.

Systems & Process Optimization

• Oversee and optimize the use of core platforms (primarily Virtuous CRM) to improve data access, usability, and workflow efficiency.
• Design and implement streamlined, centralized processes and tools to support fundraising operations.
• Conduct regular audits of systems and shared resources to ensure information is current, accurate, and relevant.
• Evaluate and apply emerging technologies, including internal/enterprise AI tools, to enhance operational effectiveness.

Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead end-to-end management of operational improvement projects, from identifying needs through implementation and refinement.
• Collaborate with Development, Finance, IT, and other stakeholders to align systems, processes, and reporting.

Events & Annual Gala Support

• Support the planning and execution of fundraising events, including the annual gala.
• Coordinate event logistics such as vendors, venues, timelines, budgets, registration, and communications.
• Partner with Finance on budget tracking, expense management, and post-event reconciliation, and with Communications on event materials.
• Provide on-site and technical support, including equipment setup, testing, and breakdown.
• Ensure a high-quality experience for donors and guests across in-person and virtual events.

Administrative Support

• Provide general administrative support to the Development team, including scheduling, meeting coordination, note-taking, and tracking action items.
• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support departmental and organizational priorities.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Competencies (DEIA)

Human Rights First acknowledges the existence of systemic and structural biases and believes it is necessary to be strategic and intentional in pursuing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in all aspects of governance, operations, and programming. As an employee, you are expected to:

• Support adoption of best practices to create a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible work experience for colleagues and external partners.
• Strive to consider the people, places, and cultures that might be missing from your work and look for opportunities to increase inclusivity in all the work you do.
• Support the mission of Human Rights First in all interactions with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Dedicate efforts to enriching DEIA consciousness throughout our office-wide interactions.
• Foster a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by promoting adherence to the standards delineated in the Culture of Respect and Teamwork statement in the Employee Handbook.

Required Knowledge, Skill, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and at least five (5) years of relevant experience in development operations, including CRM management, data integrity, reporting, and cross-functional project coordination; experience supporting fundraising events and gala logistics preferred.
• Exceptional writing ability.
• Highly organized, superior attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Strong time management skills.
• Ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve common goals.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, especially Excel and Word, as well as Web-based research.
• Proficiency in Zoom or similar webinar and meeting platform.
• Experience with database management; Classy, GoFundMe Pro, and Virtuous preferred.
• Excellent and timely interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Capacity to take initiative, be proactive, prioritize duties, and work independently while functioning as a member of a team.
• Creative, energetic thinker, willing to collaborate as a team member on diverse efforts.
• Dedication to Human Rights First’s mission.