Development Manager

RCSG DEVELOPMENT MANAGER— JOB DESCRIPTION

ABOUT RCSG

Returning Citizens Support Group (RCSG) is a Newark, NJ 501(c)(3) that helps people coming home from incarceration rebuild stable, self-directed lives. We work on a "For Us, By Us" model: people who have lived the reentry journey design and lead the work.

RCSG has a new strategic plan, a growing board, and a capital campaign underway for a wraparound services hub. We are now hiring our first Development Manager to build the fundraising function that will carry that plan forward.

POSITION AT A GLANCE

• Title: Development Manager
• Reports to: Executive Director, Deputy Director, Operations Director
• Status: Full-time, over-time exempt
• Location: Newark, NJ — in person, with some hybrid flexibility 
• Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday, with some evenings and weekends for donor meetings and events 
• Salary: $60,000–$70,000 per year, based on experience
• Supervises: No direct reports at launch; builds and leads the development team as revenue grows
• Target start: January 2027

THE ROLE

The Development Manager will build upon RCSG's fundraising department and lead it. This is a builder's role: you will set the strategy, put the systems in place, raise the money, and grow the team that follows you.

You will partner closely with the Executive, Deputy, and Operations Directors, and the Board of Directors. Together you will diversify RCSG's revenue, launch the capital campaign for our wraparound services hub, and tell the story of reentry in a way that honors the people we serve.

In your first 12 months, you will:

• Deliver a written three-year development plan with revenue targets by source
• Stand up a donor database, gift-processing workflow, and monthly fundraising dashboard
• Build a qualified pipeline of foundation, corporate, government, and individual prospects
• Launch an annual individual-giving program, including at least one appeal and one cultivation event
• Lead campaign readiness work with the board: case for support, gift table, and feasibility next steps

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and planning

• Design and execute a multi-year development plan tied to RCSG's strategic plan
• Set annual revenue goals by source and build the fundraising budget and calendar
• Report progress monthly to executive leadership and quarterly to the board

Institutional giving

• Partner with the Operations Director in managing the full grants cycle with foundations, corporations, and government funders: research, cultivation, proposals, reporting, and renewals
• Track funder requirements, deadlines, and deliverables so nothing slips
• Build relationships with program officers, not just applications

Individual giving and major gifts

• Carry a personal portfolio of major-donor prospects and close five- and six-figure gifts
• Launch annual appeals, monthly giving, and donor events
• Create a stewardship program that keeps donors informed, thanked, and engaged

Capital campaign

• Lead staff work for the wraparound services hub campaign, alongside the board and any campaign counsel
• Develop the case for support, gift table, prospect list, and campaign timeline
• Staff the campaign committee and prepare board members and executive leadership for asks

Board and leadership partnership

• Staff the board Development Committee and support the board's Give or Get policy
• Equip board members, co-founders, and staff to cultivate and solicit with confidence

Systems and stewardship

• In partnership with the Operations Director, maintain RCSG's current donor database (CRM) on Monday.com, possibly create new, more efficient database, and keep data clean and current
• Ensure gift processing, acknowledgments, and finance reconciliation runs smoothly, in partnership with the Operations Director
• Ensure donor privacy and ethical fundraising practice

Storytelling

• Produce proposals, impact reports, and donor materials
• Share participant stories only with consent, in their own words, and with dignity

Team building

• Hire, train, and supervise future development staff as the department grows

QUALIFICATIONS

We care more about what you have built and raised than about degrees. If you meet most of these, please apply.

REQUIRED

• Minimum education: bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience
• 5+ years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience, including at least 2 years as the lead fundraiser or managing a donor portfolio
• A track record of securing five-figure and larger gifts and grants from a mix of sources
• Experience building fundraising systems and processes, ideally from scratch
• Strong writing and storytelling skills; comfort with a donor database (CRM)
• Deep respect for people who have been incarcerated and belief in their leadership

PREFERRED

• Capital or comprehensive campaign experience
• Knowledge in criminal justice, reentry, or community-based organizations in NJ 
• Existing relationships with New Jersey foundations and corporate funders
• Government grants experience
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) certification

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $70,000 per year, based on experience. Pay is not tied to a percentage of funds raised.

Benefits include:

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
• Unlimited paid time off (“PTO”) each calendar year for full-time employees

HOW TO APPLY

1. Complete this form: https://wkf.ms/48x9jjz
2. Via email, send a follow-up message letting us know you have submitted the form listed above. Include your resume and a cover letter with "Development Manager application" in the subject line. In your cover letter, tell us about a fundraising program you built and what it raised.

Contact (include all on follow-up email message): 

• Edwin Ortiz, Executive Director, eortiz@rcsgnj.org
• Carmelo Ortiz, Deputy Director, cortiz@rcsgnj.org
• Becca Mohr, Operations Director, rmohr@rcsgnj.org

Application deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; priority is given to those received by January 1, 2027

FAIR CHANCE & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

RCSG is a fair-chance and equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, criminal record, or any other protected status.

Benefits include:

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
• Unlimited paid time off (“PTO”) each calendar year for full-time employees

English proficiency required, bilingual a plus