Development Manager

About LEAD Edu

LEAD Edu is building a global network of ethical, empathetic and entrepreneurial leaders driving positive change. We establish, support, and grow transformative programs that deliver high-quality education, soft-skill development through sport, and community engagement to support underserved, high-potential boys and girls on their pathways to leadership. To achieve our mission and vision, LEAD Edu manages three programs:

1. LEAD Hubs are independent, locally-led organizations that provide academic classes, elite sports training, and life skills development to high-potential youth ages 8-18. Our two current Hubs – LEAD Monrovia Football Academy (Liberia) and LEAD Morocco – serve over 250 student-athletes. LEAD Edu provides grants and technical support to enhance the impact and sustainability of LEAD Hubs.
2. LEAD Global Youth Network supports LEAD Hub graduates through partnerships with preparatory schools, universities, businesses, and nonprofits worldwide. This growing ecosystem creates ongoing leadership development opportunities and real-world experience for alumni.
3. LEAD Learning identifies and scales high-impact interventions from LEAD Hubs to develop leadership potential in children globally.

The LEAD network currently consists of three independent organizations that collaborate closely: LEAD Monrovia Football Academy (LEAD MFA) in Liberia, LEAD Morocco, and LEAD Edu, a US-based NGO.

The Opportunity

LEAD Edu is seeking a driven and detail-oriented Development Manager to strengthen our philanthropic infrastructure and strategy. We are looking for a disciplined, detail-oriented professional to build and own the systems, relationships, and communications infrastructure that sustain and grow our annual philanthropic revenue.

The Development Manager will work closely with the Executive Director and Board to prospect and qualify new donors, own and optimize our CRM and annual fund strategy, and produce compelling donor communications. This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives on building and running the engine – designing the systems, conducting research, executing the strategy, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks so that the Executive Director and Board can focus on relationship-building and asks.

This is a remote position, but U.S. East Coast is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Prospecting & Pipeline

• Build and qualify LEAD Edu's individual donor prospect list, including new donor identification, wealth screening, and sector trend research to surface aligned funders
• Prepare briefing documents, donor profiles, and talking points to equip the Executive Director and Board Chair for cultivation conversations and asks
• Coordinate and track follow-through on fundraising commitments and follow-up with aligned and qualified prospects in-collaboration with the Executive Director and Board of Directors
• Monitor trends in philanthropic giving, education funding, and sport-for-development to inform prospect strategy and positioning
• Contribute to LEAD Edu’s strategy for securing new revenue sources

Relationship Infrastructure & Annual Fund

• Own LEAD Edu's CRM end-to-end, including design, maintenance, updating, moves management, and revenue dashboards with an ability to creatively leverage AI to build systems and efficiencies
• Design and execute annual fund strategy, including recurring giving, year-end appeals, upgrade campaigns, and lapsed donor recovery
• Develop and maintain a fundraising calendar and progress dashboard; produce regular development reports for the Executive Director and board
• Manage ongoing stewardship of current donors, including acknowledgments, touchpoint sequence, impact updates, and personal follow-up
• Plan and execute intimate donor cultivation events, including salons, convenings, and occasional impact trips to LEAD Hubs; manage logistics, guest coordination, and follow-up independently
• Support institutional and foundation grant efforts as a contributing team member as opportunities arise with the understanding that grant development is a shared organizational responsibility

Donor Communications & Campaign Content

• Contribute to and oversee a communications strategy that bolsters and supports organization-wide fundraising initiatives
• Ensure a coherent and effective narrative for all donor-facing collateral: newsletters, one-pagers, pitch decks, briefings, concept notes, and solicitation letters in partnership with the Marketing and Communications Associate
• Produce annual and mid-year impact reports for donors, partners, and the public with the support of the Marketing and Communications Associate
• Lead promotions for fundraising events and campaigns in partnership with the Marketing and Communications Associate
• Develop campaign-specific materials including case for support documents, gift summaries, and major campaign collateral in partnership with the Marketing and Communications Associate

Compensation

$75,000 – $90,000, commensurate with experience

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of nonprofit development experience with demonstrated exposure to individual donor cultivation
• Demonstrated track record of contributing to measurable fundraising outcomes, including donor retention, re-engagement, or annual fund growth
• Demonstrated experience building or owning a donor CRM and development systems
• Strong written communication skills; experience contributing to grant proposals or donor communications
• Proven ability to create structure and execute independently in an entrepreneurial environment
• Strong interpersonal and storytelling skills

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years with clearly demonstrated individual donor management - you’ve owned a prospect list, moved donors through cultivation, and made or supported asks
• Ability to utilize AI to streamline development functions and conduct donor prospecting and research
• Ability to succinctly and creatively articulate a case for support to a wide range of audience
• Background in or strong connection to international education and/or sport-for-development sectors
• Experience working directly with a board chair or executive leadership

To Apply

To apply, please submit the following to info@leadedu.org with the subject line "Position Name - Your Full Name":

• A one-page resume in PDF
• A statement of interest (maximum 300 words) in a separate PDF explaining why you are a good fit for this position

We provide full-time employees generous paid leave; stipends for health insurance, co-working spaces, and professional development; and retirement contributions.