Development Manager

The Conway School of Landscape Design (the Conway School), a selective graduate school awarding a Master of Science in Ecological Design, has an immediate opening for a Development Manager. 

The Conway School, an independent, not-for-profit institution, accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, is run using a collaborative decision-making process that engages all employees. (See Conway’s Collaborative Decision-Making Model.) We are looking for people who share the school’s mission—to explore, develop, practice, and teach design of the land that is ecologically and socially sustainable—and its commitment to justice, equity, whole-systems thinking, and collaboration. If you care deeply about climate change, social-environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, and community quality of life, and want a workplace that is built on collegiality and mutual respect, please consider applying.

Summary of Job Responsibilities: As detailed below, the Development Manager oversees and builds on major fundraising efforts for the Conway School: two annual fund efforts per year, selective foundation grants, the Community Projects Fund, and planned giving. The manager will also design and undertake a campaign for the new financial aid endowment. This individual supervises the work of the development team, staffs the board development committee, and advises the Conway Institute.

In a small organization like the Conway School, the Development Manager will have close working relationships with other administrative staff, faculty, and trustees, as well as many external contacts such as donors and alums, foundations, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies. All the responsibilities listed may be either direct or in an oversight role. The manager will also be responsible for revising the 5-Year Development Plan (as an appendix to Conway’s Strategic Plan 2027), and effectively supporting the work of colleagues.

Location: On site in a converted 1900-era brick coach house in Northampton, MA preferred; remote or hybrid considered. Occasional local and regional travel may be required.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

• Annual Fund. Oversee acquiring $110,000 per year in unrestricted gifts. 
• Campaigns. Organize and execute special campaigns (in particular, helping close out the Campaign for Conway’s Future – capital and financial aid).
• Community Projects Fund. Seek individuals, businesses, and foundations to finance the CPF, which supports school projects in under-served/under-resourced communities.
• Earmark. Help execute the process for obtaining a line in the state budget.
• Major Donors. Support Stewards to cultivate current and new major donors.
• Foundations and Businesses. Maintain ongoing relationships with existing foundation and business partners. Seek out and apply to highly likely new prospects. 
• Planned Giving. Work with donors to include Conway in their estate planning.
• Projects. Support project recruitment team for needed grant proposals.
• Conway Institute. Support development of for-fee workshops.
• Development Committee. Support the combined Development/CCF Committee.
• Outreach and Networking. Support the process of building and strengthening relations with institutions, organizations, and individuals.

Essential Qualifications & Skills

• Three years (minimum) of senior level fund-raising and management experience in academic or non-governmental organizational settings.
• Successful fundraising experience generating major gifts and foundation grants to support academic programs, project recruitment, and financial aid.
• Superior presentation skills, including creative and engaging written and oral expression.
• Engaging and enthusiastic personality; humor and flexibility.
• Dedication to collaborative decision making, with ability to forge consensus.
• Tech savvy, with proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite (Gmail/Google Docs). Strong preference for experience with donor database software, CRM/HubSpot, Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, and WordPress.
• Must be willing to travel as needed (and when safe) to represent the school.

Professional Development: The Development Manager is expected to maintain professional and technical knowledge through, for example, attending workshops and reading professional publications, and to participate in training programs as needed.

EEOC Statement: The Conway School is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital or veteran status in the administration of educational, admissions, employment, or loan policies, or in any other school-administered program. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged.

The Conway School is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion for our students and employees and in our project work with communities. At Conway, we maintain a work and educational environment where each individual is respected. In the classroom we critically explore the role of race and equity in design and planning practice, identifying opportunities to support the agency of underserved communities.