Development Consultant (Foundation Relations, Development Strategy, Fundraising Generalist, Institutional Giving) - Part Time

CIMA Consulting is a firm in Charlottesville, VA, providing clients with strategic insight and support through institutional fundraising (grant writing) and a range of other deliverables. Our team works on behalf of nonprofit organizations across the country, furthering their organizational capacity via fundraising, business development, and organizational design. Candidates with varying levels of experience are encouraged to apply and will be considered equally.

About the Consultant Role

We are currently hiring a part-time consultant to contribute immediately to one or two client engagements, in close collaboration with other CIMA consultants. Responsibilities include:

• Supporting the direction of one or two client engagements. This includes:
  • Providing top-tier project management across multiple deliverables and client fundraising priorities, becoming a trusted strategic partner for our clients’ senior staff.
  • Writing compelling narratives for letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, and other collateral; working with clients to understand their organization, their position within the sector ecosystem, their impact and desired voice.
  • Identifying funding opportunities through online research, phone calls, and email follow-up.
  • Ensuring CIMA meets goals and client expectations through careful internal tracking of progress, application deadlines, revenue targets, and reporting requirements.
  • Partnering with one or more CIMA team members for each client engagement to ensure that we continually exceed our clients’ expectations.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Proven success in a client-facing project or account management role, and/or a track record of relationship building and accountability.
• At least three years’ of experience in institutional fundraising, individual giving, grant writing, and/or other development functions.
• A bachelor's degree or other equivalent experience in persuasive writing.
• A demonstrated appreciation for or commitment to the nonprofit sector.
• Proven ability to organize and synthesize large amounts of information into compelling written collateral on deadline.
• Experience using standard office software/platforms (Excel, Drive, Notion, etc.).
• Skill in organizing and drawing conclusions from data (preferred but not required).

Qualities we consider essential for CIMA team members:

• Extremely organized and self-motivated, able to prioritize multiple deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal skills (communication and relationship building)
• Willing to collaborate, take direction and ask thoughtful questions, then work independently to complete tasks
• Keen writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, intellectual environment, with the feel of a start-up; willingness to listen, collaborate, and seize opportunities for growth
• Flexibility, dedication, and the ability to laugh at one’s self (and others, but only in a nice way)
• An understanding and appreciation of DEI principles

Depending on experience and qualifications, candidates may be hired at an Associate level.

This position is part-time with the potential for transition to full-time pending client needs and fit at CIMA. Our team is primarily based in Charlottesville and surrounding areas, but we have a hybrid, flexible-work schedule. While our preference is for team members to be based in Charlottesville, qualified candidates wishing to work remotely will be considered.

Position Details:

Working Title: Development Consultant

Position Details: Part-time

Salary Range: $31.25-$40.87/hr

Benefits: 401-k, Flexible PTO, Profit Share, WFH/PD Stipend

Exemption Status: Exempt

Hybrid Work Available: Yes. Preference for candidates in or around central VA.

Resumes without cover letters will not be considered. We ask that your cover letter reflects your own voice and not be generated by AI tools like ChatGPT. We value authenticity and personal insight in your application.

If we sound like the right place for you, we want to hear from you. There is no “perfect” candidate. Everyone brings something different to the team and those differences make us better.

Our goal is to be a company that is representative of the people that we and our nonprofit clients serve. We encourage all interested applicants to apply, including but not limited to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and individuals with disabilities. CIMA does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or military status.

CIMA is committed to providing equitable, competitive compensation to its employees. As a for-profit consulting firm, CIMA seeks to provide salaries that are in line with compensation at other comparable for-profit social impact organizations.

Note: Resumes without cover letters will not be considered.

Benefits: 401-k, Flexible PTO, Profit Share, WFH/PD Stipend

Exemption Status: Exempt