Senior Development Manager

About the Organization

Pajama Program, soon to be Beyond Bedtime, is a national nonprofit that helps children discover and experience the superpower of sleep, so they can wake up ready to thrive. For nearly 25 years, we’ve provided new pajamas, storybooks, and sleep health education to children facing adversity—reaching more than 6 million children across the U.S.

Through partnerships with shelters, schools, and community programs, we deliver resources that promote equitable access to healthy sleep, a critical but often overlooked foundation for learning, behavior, and well-being. Our rebrand to Beyond Bedtime reflects the deeper mission behind our work: supporting every child’s right to rest, comfort, and the opportunity to dream big.

Position Overview

The Senior Development Manager reports directly to the Executive Director and plays a key role in advancing our mission. This person will help grow and steward our community of supporters, especially corporate partners and event sponsors, while ensuring our fundraising operations run smoothly and strategically.

This is a hands-on role with clear responsibilities and plenty of room for growth. The ideal candidate is organized, reliable, a strong communicator, and genuinely connected to the mission. We’re a small but collaborative team, and we’re looking for someone who can own their work, juggle multiple priorities, and help drive our fundraising efforts forward.

What We’re Looking For

We’re a small, close-knit team that believes in doing meaningful work, and doing it well. As we enter a major chapter in our growth, we’re looking for a teammate who is mission-driven, reliable, and ready to make a real impact.

The ideal candidate is:

• Personally connected to our mission and able to articulate why this work matters to them. Not just in theory, but in practice.
• Motivated and self-directed, with the ability to take initiative and follow through without requiring heavy oversight. We work collaboratively, but each person is expected to own their work.
• A relationship builder who can confidently engage with corporate partners, help grow our revenue through group volunteer events and sponsorships, and strengthen our community of supporters. When it comes to donor stewardship, this person will go the extra mile with a personal touch, thanking each donor thoughtfully, regardless of gift size, and ensuring they feel genuinely valued.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage timelines, track donor activity, and keep multiple moving pieces on track.
• Ready to manage a donor portfolio, under the guidance of the Executive Director. The ideal candidate will need to demonstrate results over time, but we’ll be in it together.
• Excited to fully own our annual spring fundraiser, which in 2026 will be our 25th Anniversary event. This person must be able to juggle many moving parts: vendors, sponsors, guests, communications, deadlines, and more.

This is a growth opportunity: the right candidate will have a clear path toward a more senior role if they demonstrate leadership, accountability, and results. We’re looking for someone who’s excited to be part of a mission that matters, and willing to roll up their sleeves to help us reach what’s next.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Engagement (30%)

• Serve as the primary point of contact for CSR representatives, managing scheduling, communication, and follow-up for engaging corporate volunteer experiences such as our Bedtime Ready for Kids (BRK) program and Pajama Folding Parties.
• Prospect and pitch new corporate partners, prepare briefing materials for meetings, and help expand corporate giving and volunteer engagement, while nurturing and growing an existing NYC pipeline.
• Support the part-time Atlanta-based team in identifying and growing corporate opportunities in that region.
• Coordinate with the Program and Operations teams to ensure seamless execution of corporate volunteer events.

Event Management (20%)

• Fully own planning and execution of all donor-facing events, especially our 25th Anniversary Spring Fundraiser in May, which is a major organizational milestone.
• Oversee the 25th Anniversary Committee, a group of volunteers and ambassadors who support event fundraising, planning, and outreach during our milestone year. This includes facilitating monthly committee calls, tracking outreach and engagement, supporting peer-to-peer fundraising efforts, and keeping the group motivated and connected to our mission.
• Oversee event communications, guest tracking, and day-of execution in partnership with staff, vendors, and venue contacts.
• Maintain event management platforms and track key elements such as budgets, sponsorships, guest lists, and auction and raffle items.
• Develop and implement engagement strategies before, during, and after events to maximize donor involvement and giving.

Individual Giving (20%)

• Manage general donor giving level portfolio, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors in the $250-$1,000 annual range; including oversight of and responsibility for recurring giving program, “The Loop”.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director in managing mid-level and select major donor relationships, with a clear understanding and consistent application of Moves Management strategies. Support Executive Director with stewardship and closing of six-figure gifts.
• Track donor engagement and progress toward fundraising goals; regularly evaluate and adjust strategies in partnership with leadership and Operations team.
• Collaborate with Operations and external marketing agency to plan and execute fundraising campaigns (e.g., Giving Tuesday, Year-End), including responsibilities such as segmenting donor lists and managing and implementing email campaigns.
• Stay informed on donor trends and current events to identify new prospects and engagement opportunities.

Fundraising Administration (20%)

• Support day-to-day development operations, including monitoring shared inboxes (e.g., development, social, volunteer) and responding to/routing inquiries.
• Maintain accurate donor records and assist with ongoing data entry, reporting, and list management.
• Help set up and manage online fundraising campaigns and giving platforms, such as FundraiseUp.
• Ensure timely and accurate tracking and acknowledgment of gifts.

Marketing & Communication Support (10%)

• Support the development of fundraising content such as appeals, newsletters, and donor updates.
• Develop a strong understanding of the organization’s educational philosophy and program offerings. Collaborate with the Program team to gather testimonials and stories from the field to share with varied external audiences.
• Capture stories and media (photos, quotes, etc.) during events and corporate sessions to support mission storytelling.
• Coordinate with our external MarCom agency to ensure alignment on messaging.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) and 3-5 years nonprofit development work experience
• Proven experience planning and managing events
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Strong critical thinking and analytic abilities
• Highly organized and proactive, able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, small-team environment
• Experience with donor databases (Salesforce preferred) and online fundraising platforms
• Strong writing, editing, and donor communication skills
• A commitment to and enthusiasm for the organization’s mission
• Availability for occasional evenings or early mornings during events or volunteer events

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $70,000 - $80,000
• Generous time off: Floating Holidays, Vacation, Sick, Summer Fridays, + other Soft Closes
• Hybrid work accommodations: expectation to be in NYC office 1-2 times per week
• Medical insurance provided, 403(b) plan, and other benefits

To Apply

Please upload your resume and cover letter, or send both files to jobs@pajamaprogram.org with the job title in the subject line.