Fund Development Manager

Position Title: Fund Development Manager

Job Type: Full-time, At-Will, Exempt

Location: Woodland, CA (hybrid/regional travel)

Reports to: Executive Director

Salary Range (DOE): $85,300 to $96,900 per year

About YCF

The Yolo Community Foundation (YCF) inspires and supports giving and provides philanthropic leadership in Yolo County. This fast-growing organization administers donor-advised funds and other philanthropic vehicles, makes grants to local nonprofits, fosters volunteerism, and provides donor education. YCF currently has more than 100 philanthropic funds valued at over $15 million and is a partner of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Visit www.yolocf.org to learn more about our programs and impact.

YCF is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We believe that we are best able to carry out our mission when our staff, volunteers, and other key stakeholders offer a wide range of experiences and perspectives and are representative of our Yolo County community.

Position Summary

YCF seeks an experienced Fund Development Manager to lead and grow its fund development function, including building a robust major donor program. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for community, the Fund Development Manager will oversee the implementation of YCF’s fund development strategy and leverage a moves management system to cultivate and solicit a portfolio of major donors and prospects. This role is ideal for someone with previous fundraising experience who is looking for a leadership opportunity, has a proven track record of strengthening revenue streams and building funder relationships from the ground up, and is driven by metrics and results.

In addition to major gifts, the Fund Development Manager will help strengthen corporate partnerships and implement the annual fund, which includes two successful annual giving campaigns (Big Day of Giving and year-end). A high level of autonomy is expected, as is the ability to collaborate with a close-knit, fun, motivated, and mission-driven team. This position reports to the Executive Director. This is a full-time hybrid position with a flexible schedule; it requires occasional evenings and weekends for YCF-related events and a willingness and ability to travel locally as needed.

Position Details

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Set and achieve annual revenue goals that align with the organization’s overall strategy.
• Maintain a working portfolio of individual major gift prospects and current donors ($10,000+) to meet annual fundraising goal.
• Develop customized individual donor strategies that effectively renew and upgrade donor gifts.
• Lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and recognition efforts for major donor relationships. Prepare internal collaborators as needed—such as the Executive Director, Program Manager, and Board of Directors—to support fundraising activity for major donors.
• Conduct personalized visits with major donors and prospects, facilitating cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
• Prepare written proposals, gift agreements, funder pitches, and other materials needed to define, secure and document major gifts.
• In collaboration with colleagues, volunteers, and/or vendors, develop and implement annual appeal strategies to upgrade mid-level annual donors into major gifts.
• Collaborate with all team members to enhance relationships and create greater fundraising and outreach possibilities.
• Serve as internal expert in development as we strengthen and grow our fundraising capacity and programming.
• Track all fundraising activity in DonorPerfect (CRM) and leverage data to inform fundraising activity and donor strategies.
• Establish data keeping processes and procedures that ensure continuity across all YCF databases and prioritize consistent processes to recognize, steward, and cultivate donors.
• Oversee gift and donor data entry into DonorPerfect.
• Measure and analyze results of fundraising initiatives to ensure goals are accomplished and campaigns are optimized; provide Executive Director and Board with regular forecasting reports, including pending and successful solicitation efforts and actual to-budget revenue goals.
• Report major gifts fundraising progress to the executive director and board leadership.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and ethical standards regarding fundraising and financial management.
• In partnership with the Executive Director, support YCF’s case development efforts and provide guidance for compelling messaging rooted in human-centric impact.

The ideal candidate will possess the following experience, skills, and personal attributes:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising; minimum 2 years of experience in fundraising for five and six-figure gifts.
• Experience independently managing a portfolio of major donors giving at the five and six-figure gift level.
• Proven track record of meeting and exceeding fundraising goals.
• Demonstrated ability to guide donors through the moves management process (identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship) and proven success of upgrading donors to the next level of giving. Experience working with high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, and philanthropic advisors.
• Proven track-record of effective communication and impact storytelling. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling donor materials and personalized outreach that inspires action.
• Understanding of gift agreements, endowment giving, planned gifts, and other key major gift processes; understanding of charitable gift annuities preferred.
• Strong experience with CRM use and management. (Experience using DonorPerfect is a plus).
• Self-directed, collaborative, and highly organized, with an eye for both strategy and detail.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to interact effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including board members, senior leadership, and government officials.
• Knowledge of and relationships within the Yolo County community is preferred.

Location, Work Hours, and Other Requirements:

• This is a full-time, at-will, exempt position.
• The Fund Development manager will be expected to work in person from YCF’s Woodland, California office at least 1-2 full 8-hour days per week on a schedule developed in partnership with the Executive Director. The expectation is that the Fund Development Manager will be available/accessible during regular Monday through Friday business hours, but will have significant flexibility regarding when and where work is completed, other than for scheduled meetings/events and the agreed upon in-office time.
• The Fund Development Manager will be expected to attend frequent meetings and events throughout Yolo County and the Metro Sacramento Region.
• This position requires some evening and weekend hours.
• This position requires significant regional travel by car, and possibly occasional travel by plane, including overnight travel. A valid driver's license and vehicle insurance is required.
• A background check is required.

Physical and Environmental Conditions/Requirements:

This is generally a standard office position. This position requires the use of typical office equipment, including a computer/laptop, printer, scanner, and telephone. This position requires the ability to tolerate an environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions, to perceive printed and electronic materials, to communicate with others in person, over the telephone, and in writing, including with staff, management, donors, business representatives, and the general public, and to access, enter, and retrieve data from a computer and/or written materials. This position includes sedentary office work and moving between work areas as required, as well as regional travel by car. The position may require you to bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information, and to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 15 pounds.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $85,300 to $96,900 annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits include but are not limited to:

• 15 days (120 hours) of paid vacation accrual per year
• 12 paid holidays per year
• 40 hours of paid sick leave per year
• Group health insurance
• Retirement savings plan
• 16 hours paid time off annually to volunteer for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or an accredited educational institution

To Apply

Please send a resume and cover letter to careers@yolocf.org. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and will be accepted until the role is filled.

Note: In recruiting and selecting employees, YCF is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity by seeking talented and competent persons who are suited for a specific position by reason of training, education, experience, character, personality, intelligence and general ability. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply. YCF does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and religious grooming), pregnancy, perceived pregnancy, breastfeeding, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sex stereotype, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, military status, veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, enrollment in a public assistance program, use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, ordinances or regulations. YCF’s policy of non-discrimination applies to recruiting, hiring, working conditions, benefits, training programs, promotions, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

The salary range for this position is $85,300 to $96,900 annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits include but are not limited to:

• 15 days (120 hours) of paid vacation accrual per year
• 12 paid holidays per year
• 40 hours of paid sick leave per year
• Group health insurance
• Retirement savings plan
• 16 hours paid time off annually to volunteer for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or an accredited educational institution