25/02/2026 BFIS Development Manager BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Barcelona

Ccfundacions; Barcelona; Hybrid; EUR 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An international school in Barcelona seeks a Development Manager to support fundraising efforts. You will manage donor relations, implement fundraising programs, and engage with the school's community, including parents, alumni, and friends. The role involves conducting donor activities, coordinating fundraising appeals, and developing communication materials. Ideal candidates will have 3-5 years of relevant experience and excellent communication skills. Spanish language proficiency is desirable. This is a full-time position with a focus on supporting long-term philanthropic goals.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising or related fields.
• Experience with supporter cultivation and relationship management.
• Track record of meeting fundraising targets.

Responsibilities

• Support fundraising efforts by managing donor relationships.
• Develop and track fundraising performance indicators.
• Coordinate event-based fundraising appeals.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Presentation skills

Experience with CRM databases

IT Proficiency

Organizational skills

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Salesforce

Job description

The Benjamin Franklin International School in Barcelona is in the midst of an exciting period of development and growth. Our flagship project – the Center for Creativity and Innovation – is currently under construction, made possible through careful management of school finances and a growing BFIS culture of community activity and long‑term philanthropy.
It is in this context that we are seeking to appoint a Development Manager as the first of a new team whose responsibility it will be to bring our school community together in a shared commitment to BFIS and its advancement.
The role holder will be joining a successful in‑progress campaign and will be critical to its completion, as well as the longer term embedding of philanthropy in the culture of the school.

Job Purpose
To support BFIS’s fundraising efforts by managing donor relationships, implementing fundraising programs, and engaging the school’s international community of parents, alumni, and friends. The Development Manager will work closely with the Communications Department to execute fundraising strategies and build sustainable philanthropic support for the school’s mission and priorities.

Reporting Line: Head of School.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts & Donor Relations

• Conduct donor identification, qualification, cultivation, ask, and stewardship activities
• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects (5 and 6‑figure+ potential), to be met with by school leaders
• Schedule face‑to‑face meetings with existing donors and new prospective supporters (calls and emails)
• Prepare briefing materials, proposals, and presentations for prospective supporters and stewardship meetings
• Support the Director and Head of School with major gift solicitations
• Follow up on prospective supporter proposals, by phone, to answer questions and encourage decisions
• Arrange and manage information and cultivation events, in conjunction with BFIS Communications team
• Ensure timely communication and meaningful donor stewardship and recognition activities
• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records in Donor Perfect, working with the Finance and Admissions teams, as needed
• Develop and track fundraising performance indicators, such as donor retention, participation rates, and campaign milestones, and prepare annual summary reports for the Advancement Committee.

Post‑Campaign Activities

In accordance with campaign timelines, and post campaign:

• Coordinate event‑based, email, digital and other broad‑based fundraising appeals, to ensure inclusion of the entire BFIS community. Beyond the campaign, these will become part of annual fundraising for BFIS greatest needs
• Work with BFIS volunteers to support peer‑to‑peer fundraising initiatives
• Monitor campaign progress and provide regular progress reports to Advancement Committee
• Manage and amend, as needed, gift acknowledgment processes, and donor communications
• Research and prepare trust and foundation grant applications, where relevant

Engagement

• Develop fundraising communications and content for internal and external communication materials and platforms
• Support the implementation of alumni (students and parents) engagement strategies
• Coordinate alumni events in Barcelona and elsewhere as necessary
• Create opportunities for alumni involvement (mentoring, career talks, etc.)
• Maintain alumni database and support data gathering efforts
• Identify and qualify alumni prospects for philanthropic engagement

Administration

• Assist with prospective supporter and donor visits to campus
• Support development budget tracking and expense reporting
• Ensure GDPR compliance in all development activities
• Ensure compliance with Spanish fundraising and tax regulations related to charitable giving
• Develop and maintain donor and donation databases.
• Generate informational reports on donations and perform bank reconciliations for donations.
• Responsible for collecting donor documentation in compliance with the Transparency Law.
• Coordinate with all relevant teams on development content

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Experience

• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, development, or related fields (alumni relations, high‑level client relations, business development)
• Experience with supporter cultivation and relationship management
• Track record of meeting fundraising or similar targets
• Experience working with volunteers and senior stakeholders

Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse constituents
• Presentation skills for individual and group settings
• Experience with CRM databases (Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar)
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• IT Proficiency
• Understanding of fundraising best practices and donor cycle
• Knowledge of GDPR and data protection requirements in Spain

Personal Qualities

• Commitment to education and the BFIS mission
• Culturally sensitive with ability to work effectively in international, diverse environment
• Self‑motivated with strong work ethic
• Team player who collaborates effectively
• Professional demeanor and discretion with confidential information
• Positive, enthusiastic approach to face‑to‑face donor engagement
• Resilient and comfortable with fundraising rejection
• Flexible regarding evening/weekend event attendance

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

• Spanish language proficiency (conversational or fluent)
• Demonstrated experience securing gifts from individuals ($10,000‑$100,000+ level)
• Experience in international school, independent school, or higher education setting
• Additional language skills (Catalan, French, German, etc.)
• Knowledge of Barcelona business/expatriate community
• Professional fundraising training or certification (IoF, CASE, etc.)
• Experience with prospect research tools and techniques
• Digital fundraising or social media experience
• Understanding of Spanish/European philanthropy environment
• Experience building early‑stage development programs

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• Director of Development and Communications (direct supervisor in near future)
• Head of School and Senior Leadership Team
• Board Advancement Committee
• Parent community
• Faculty and staff
• Students (as appropriate for alumni connections)

External

• Donors and prospective supporters (predominantly individuals)
• Volunteers and committee members
• Alumni community (global)
• Professional fundraising networks