Development Manager

St. Louis Aquarium; Missouri; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The St. Louis Aquarium Foundation is seeking a Development Manager to work with the Executive Director to plan, direct, and coordinate all development activities.

This role includes annual appeals, donor solicitations, sponsorships, events, and donor communications to advance fundraising goals. The Development Manager will lead solicitation and stewardship strategies, manage fundraising events including the annual gala, and collaborate with the team on grants and donor reporting, while nurturing

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, business, communications, or related field.
• Minimum three years of fundraising experience with proven ability to achieve fundraising goals.
• Experience building donor pipelines, major gifts, and sponsorships.

Responsibilities

• Support the mission of St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.
• Create and implement annual development plan and strategy with the Executive Director.
• Manage development efforts to raise funds with yearly increases.
• Design and deliver donor appeals targeting membership levels and gifts.
• Create fundraising events including the annual gala.
• Communicate activities and results to Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Cultivate and steward new and existing donors through visits, correspondence, events, and acknowledgments.
• Maintain development databases with the Development Coordinator.
• Collaborate on donor communications including annual report and donor impact reports.
• Assist with grant writing and gathering information for funding applications and reporting deadlines.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Major gifts fundraising

Donor communications

Event planning

Donor stewardship

Education

Bachelor degree in nonprofit management

Job description

# Development ManagerSt Louis Aquarium at Union Station Foundation - St Louis, MO 63103## Description**Organization Background:**The St. Louis Aquarium Foundation is the nonprofit partner to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station. Our mission is to engage the community through providing access and education programs and serving as the region’s recognized voice for water stewardship. We are passionate about providing access to the Aquarium for all, sharing strategies for reducing plastic waste and taking care of the mighty Mississippi River. **Position Summary:**The St. Louis Aquarium Foundation is seeking an enthusiastic, upbeat, conservation enthusiast to join our team as Development Manager. In partnership with the Executive Director, the Development Manager plans, directs, and coordinates the implementation of all development activities, including but not limited to annual appeals, direct gift solicitations, sponsorships and event management.**Essential Duties & Responsibilities:*** Support the mission of St. Louis Aquarium Foundation.* In partnership with the Executive Director, create and implement annual development plan and strategy. Manage the Foundation’s development efforts to raise funds with yearly increases.* Develop and execute solicitation and stewardship strategies for donors and sponsors.* Design and deliver appeals targeting donor level memberships, introductory gifts, annual gifts, pledges, recurring gifts, and re-activation gifts.* Create and manage fundraising events including the annual gala.* Create email and social media directed to donors and prospects that communicate case for support and impact of gifts.* Communicate to Executive Director and Board of Directors activities and results.* Cultivate and steward new and existing donors through in-person visits, personalized correspondence, special events and timely acknowledgments.* Working with the Development Coordinator, maintain the development database.* Collaborate with Executive Director on donor communications, including annual appeal, annual report, newsletters, and donor impact reports.* Work as part of the grant writing team and assist regularly with gathering information needed to secure funding and meet grant application and reporting deadlines.* Perform other related duties as assigned.## Qualifications**Qualifications:*** Direct experience as a frontline fundraiser securing major gifts, cultivating individual donors and increasing support from existing donors.* High energy, positive, “can-do” attitude, sincere affinity for the mission, flexibility, teamwork and attention to detail; high degree of initiative.* Has a style and approach to tasks that both inspires confidence and supports effective leadership.* Forms effective relationships with donors, board members and staff.* Strong verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively.* Demonstrated ability to think strategically and thorough understanding of strategic development best practices.* Demonstrated ability to prospect, cultivate and manage new funding sources.* Strong partnership-building and event planning skills.* Excellent computer skills and knowledge of database management, preferably fundraising management software.* Willing to work some weekends and evenings when fundraising events occur.* Strong organizational and time management skills* Ability to work independently while also working as a member of the Aquarium and Aquarium Foundation teams**Education & Experience Requirements:*** Bachelor degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field, or equivalent experience.* Minimum three years of fundraising experience with proven ability to achieve fundraising goals