Grants & Advancement Operations Manager

ABOUT US

UpStart accelerates growth, nurtures ideas, and advances new experiences for the Jewish community by connecting impact-driven entrepreneurs to expertise, community, and capital.

UpStart was founded over fifteen years ago with a sole focus: to accelerate the success of social entrepreneurs fueling a renaissance in Jewish life. Since then, we have invested in hundreds of ventures and their leaders while cultivating an ecosystem of institutional leaders and funders committed to Jewish community change. We are excited to be actively implementing a new Strategic Plan to put social entrepreneurs at the center of everything we do.

INCLUSIVE HIRING COMMITMENT

UpStart is powered by Jewish wisdom, ethics, and values. We believe these elements of Judaism help shape diverse, inclusive, equitable and vibrant communities. As such, we aspire to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that models a future that is more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just. Statistics show that women and structurally marginalized and/or underrepresented groups of people need to see themselves in almost 100% of the requirements in a job posting to apply. We welcome you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, as no one applicant ever does.

UpStart strongly encourages applications from individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and people who come from low-income or working-class backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, all individuals are encouraged to apply without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, genetic information, medical condition, veteran status, or any other class protected under federal, state, or local laws.

POSITION SUMMARY

UpStart seeks a Grants & Advancement Operations Manager to play a key role in the development function of UpStart, including grant oversight, development operations, and coordinating strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This role will report to the Senior Director, Major Gifts & Board Relations and work cross-functionally with other internal departments. This role is expected to travel approximately 2-3 times a year for team retreats, donor events, and funder meetings as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Writing & Management

• Play a key role in our grant-writing processes, including:
  • Lead all grant writing and reporting processes: researching, compiling, writing, editing, and finalizing narratives for grant LOIs, reports, and proposals.
  • Support reporting processes for grant submissions
  • Managing and tracking grant deadlines, ensuring all tasks are completed on time.
• Manage and track all steps of the grants process, including research, inquiry, application, stewardship, and reporting.
• Lead internal grant application, award, renewal, and reporting processes with team members.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with foundation professionals through a variety of touchpoints.
• Serve as “owner” of communication with Program Managers to maintain accurate, up-to-date information about grants.
• Identify opportunities to improve Salesforce data integrity, customization, and usability for the Advancement team.
• Add, edit, and maintain accurate electronic grant files in Google Shared Drive and Salesforce.
• Maintain agency accounts, including grant websites and grant portals
• Write and edit grant materials with clarity and precision; develop template language for use in proposals, reports, and communications.
• Research foundation and donor prospects, systems, and virtual fundraising trends.

Donor Development, Engagement, Events & Stewardship

• Support development of materials and research for donor meetings, Board meetings, and UPAC (Upstart Philanthropy Advisory Council).
• Participate in Revenue Committee and UPAC meetings; contribute to donor strategy and follow-up.
• Manage donor marketing and communications data, including stewardship deadlines and related work plans.
• Design and implement process improvements using AI and automation tools to streamline development operations.
• Coordinate and support events such as parlor meetings in collaboration with Central Operations—handling logistics, collateral, and planning.
• Create and manage event work plans, track deadlines, and hold team members accountable.
• Develop and maintain communication materials, testimonials, and collateral for campaigns and donor engagement.
• Provide stewardship support in collaboration with colleagues overseeing funder relationships.
• Generate new leads and actively prospect for new foundation funding opportunities (beyond standard research).
• Manage institutional and individual prospect lists for outreach, communications, and collateral use.

Cross-Departmental Coordination & Internal Operations

• Serve as “owner” of various cross-departmental fundraising projects, coordinating all parties involved across programs, operations, and communications.
• Collaborate with the Central Operations Team to ensure evaluation metrics are embedded in grants and used for impact reporting.
• Provide technical/internal communications support for the development team, including regular updates and biweekly team meeting reporting slides.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of UCIE (Upstart Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship) to ensure development materials and communications reflect our broader engagement strategy.
• Offer additional operational and development support as needed across the team.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• 3-5 years of professional experience with proven experience in fundraising, grant-writing, development operations, and project management.
• Strong project management and writing skills across fast-paced, complex workflows, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
• Proven experience with grant writing, including drafting and editing compelling proposals.
• Experience with foundation prospecting, able to identify, research, and qualify new funding opportunities beyond online databases.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills across formats; maintaining high standards for clarity, tone, and detail.
• Comfort and fluency with CRM systems and fundraising tech (e.g., Salesforce, Fundraise Up, Impala, Wealth Engine, Trello).
• Ability to operate with composure and clarity in a high-velocity environment with shifting priorities.
• Ability to create and maintain clear internal documentation and communication across platforms.
• Commitment to leading with a lens of community and belonging.
• Proactive, self-starting, and thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Flexible, deadline-driven, and quick to learn new tools and processes.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a service-oriented and collaborative attitude.
• Adept at managing up—can communicate effectively with senior leadership to monitor progress, deadlines, and support their work and cultivation efforts.
• Highly professional, diplomatic, and discreet when handling sensitive information.
• Adaptability and agility in the face of change, both organizational and technological.
• Passion for UpStart’s mission and the work of UpStart’s network.
• Commitment to upholding UpStart’s values and Guiding Principles Regarding Client and Program Partnerships.

HOW TO APPLY

Click here to submit your resume and a thoughtful, one-page cover letter to our hiring team.

UpStart is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, UpStart will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided accommodations. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Sydney Hirsch at sydneyh@upstartlab.org for assistance.

WHAT TO EXPECT

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. For questions or concerns about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, please contact Whitney Weathers, Managing Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice, at whitneyw@upstartlab.org.

Here’s an overview of our hiring process*:

• Step 1: Apply with your resume and cover letter!
• Step 2: Phone screen with an UpStart recruiter.
• Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.
• Step 4: A video interview with a panel of UpStart employees.
• Step 5: We’ll check your references to learn about your past experience.
• Step 6: Get an offer letter, sign it, and start your professional journey with UpStart!
• Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.

To ensure equitable compensation, UpStart uses labor market benchmarking as the basis for establishing the salaries of employees across all roles at the organization. Biennial labor market benchmarking is conducted by an independent third-party partner retained to review available data and analyze the rates of pay being offered by organizations similar to UpStart located in the Bay Area, CA. Aligned with this practice, and in support of upholding internal equity, we don’t negotiate salaries. The starting annual salary for this role is $70,000.

In addition to a competitive salary, UpStart currently offers the following benefits:

• A comprehensive benefits package, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave with no waiting period.
• 100% employer-funded Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for medical-related travel, up to $1,950 per year.
• FSA and Commuter Benefits accounts.
• Employer-sponsored 401K with employer match.
• Flexible discretionary paid time off.
• Annual $1,500 professional development stipend.
• One-time $300 office setup stipend and provided Mac.
• Monthly $50 cell phone stipend.
• 3:00pm local close-of-business on Fridays.
• Days off for all work-prohibitive Jewish holidays, in addition to secular US holidays.
• A one-month (30 days) paid sabbatical per every five years of employment.
• Occasional travel for meetings, conferences, and other business-related activities.
• A great workplace culture! Check out our culture deck here.