Senior Development Manager

About TAP

Founded in 2012, The Acceleration Project (TAP) is a nonprofit that empowers under-resourced small business owners with high-impact, customized strategic, financial, operational, and marketing support, all provided at no cost to the businesses we serve. We have worked with more than 12,000+ small business owners across 48 states, delivering over 64,000 hours of pro bono consulting and generating a validated 10:1 social return on investment.

TAP is a growing organization with a lean, high-performing team and an expanding national funding portfolio. We are building out our development engine to match our programmatic ambitions. This role is central to that investment.

About the Role

TAP is seeking a strategic, results-driven Senior Development Manager to lead and drive the growth of our national fundraising program.

Reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), the Senior Development Manager will take meaningful ownership of identifying, cultivating, and securing foundation, corporate, institutional, and major donor funding. This is a hands-on, execution-oriented role with direct accountability for a portfolio of funders and real opportunity to shape TAP's fundraising strategy. TAP is actively building its development function, and this role is designed to grow with it. The right candidate is an experienced fundraiser and compelling writer, genuinely motivated by TAP's mission, with a clear path to senior leadership as the team and portfolio scale.

This is a full-time, remote-first position. Candidates must be based in the United States. Proximity to the New York City metro area is strongly preferred, as in-person funder meetings and relationship cultivation are a meaningful part of this role. Occasional travel for donor meetings, conferences, and team events is expected.

What You'll Gain

• Strategic ownership and real influence: You will have direct accountability for a meaningful funder portfolio and a genuine seat at the table in shaping TAP's fundraising strategy, not a support role, but a leadership one.
• A platform for senior impact: TAP is actively building its development function, and this role is designed to grow with it. As the team and portfolio scale, there is a clear path to more senior roles and increasing organizational influence.
• Access and visibility at the highest levels: You will work directly with the CRO and TAP's senior leadership, and build relationships across a national network of foundation program officers, corporate philanthropists, and major donors.
• Work that matters: Every grant you help secure funds free, expert-level business advisory services for under-resourced small businesses who have no other access to this kind of support.

Key Responsibilities

Funder Relationships & Stewardship

• Manage an assigned portfolio of active and prospective funders with accountability for relationship quality, proposal timelines, and renewal strategy with opportunity to expand the portfolio through independent relationship-building over time.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit major individual donors in coordination with senior leadership, with a particular focus on building a pipeline of prospects capable of five- and six-figure gifts.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts, ensuring funders receive timely communications, accurate reporting, and a high-quality stewardship experience through proactive outreach and meaningful relationship touchpoints.
• Identify opportunities to deepen existing funder relationships, increase grant amounts, and expand into new program areas and propose new funding strategies to senior leadership.
• Prepare briefing materials, meeting agendas, and follow-up correspondence for funder meetings and calls; lead coordination of site visits, convenings, and recognition activities.
• Identify opportunities to showcase TAP's impact in ways that advance funder relationships and attract new prospects, in collaboration with the Marketing team.

Grant Writing, Research & Reporting

• Independently research, write, and submit letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and funder reports across a portfolio of foundation, corporate, and institutional funders — with senior leadership available to open doors and provide strategic guidance, and increasing autonomy as skills and relationships grow.
• Research and identify new foundation, corporate, and institutional funding prospects aligned to TAP's national programs and priorities; analyze funder guidelines, priorities, and giving history to assess fit and inform proposal strategy.
• Maintain and update a national prospect pipeline and grant calendar, tracking deadlines, eligibility, and status for active and prospective funders.
• Manage grant reporting deadlines, ensuring all deliverables are submitted accurately and on time in collaboration with the TAP team.
• Maintain a library of core narrative language, boilerplate content, and impact data that can be adapted across proposals in collaboration with Marketing.
• Monitor philanthropic trends and emerging opportunities in economic development, small business support, and financial inclusion.

Development Operations

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Salesforce, including prospect status, grant history, and reporting deadlines.
• Track and report on revenue progress for assigned accounts; contribute to team-wide pipeline monitoring and reporting for leadership, and proactively flag risks or opportunities in the pipeline.

Qualifications

• 4–6 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, or grant writing, with demonstrated success managing funder relationships and writing winning proposals independently.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to translate program information into compelling, funder-ready narratives.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Confident and self-directed, with the initiative to manage accounts and move work forward without close supervision.
• Comfort working independently in a remote environment with a small, fast-moving team.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or comparable CRM preferred; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace required.
• Experience in community development, small business support, or economic equity strongly preferred.
• Passion for TAP's mission and commitment to expanding opportunity for under-resourced entrepreneurs.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience.
• Generous PTO + 10 paid holidays + 2 floating holidays + office closure between Christmas and New Year's.
• Health and dental insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Professional development support and mentorship from experienced nonprofit leaders.

How to Apply

Submit your resume and a cover letter to

careers@theaccelerationproject.org with the subject line: Senior Development Manager.

In your cover letter, please respond to:

• Why are you interested in development and fundraising as a career, and what specifically draws you to TAP's mission?
• Tell us about your interest and experience in research and writing grants or other professional writing.

TAP is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, inclusion, and expanding opportunities for historically under-resourced communities. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

• Salary: $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience.
• Generous PTO + 10 paid holidays + 2 floating holidays + office closure between Christmas and New Year's.
• Health and dental insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Professional development support and mentorship from experienced nonprofit leaders.

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