Development Manager

Birch Community Services, Inc.; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Birch Community Services in Portland, OR (In Person) seeks a Development Manager to grow fundraising, manage grants, and build donor partnerships that advance our mission.

You will lead annual fundraising strategy, collaborate with the Executive Director and Board, and supervise a Donor Specialist while expanding community engagement.

Ideal candidate has nonprofit development experience, strong writing, and comfort with data and CRM tools to drive impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, marketing, or related field.
• Minimum three years of nonprofit development experience.
• Experience with fundraising, donor relations, grants, and stewardship.
• Experience developing grant proposals and donor communications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage projects independently while collaborating with a team.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and donor management systems.
• Ability to learn Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.
• Strong judgment, confidentiality, and ethical standards.

Responsibilities

• Own annual fundraising strategy, campaigns, donor appeals, and fundraising events.
• Cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and community partners.
• Assist with major donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising conversations.
• Owns all capital campaign initiatives alongside the Executive Director, Board, and consultants.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor engagement and long-term giving.
• Develop grant proposals, applications, and stewardship reports in partnership with the Grant Writer Consultant.
• Research potential funding opportunities.
• Track grant outcomes and communicate organizational impact.
• Maintain accurate donor records in DonorPerfect.
• Supervise the part-time Donor Specialist and support donor reporting processes.
• Generate fundraising, donor, and impact reports.
• Partner with the Marketing & Communications Specialist on donor communications, newsletters, social media, and outreach efforts.
• Help tell compelling stories that demonstrate BCS impact.
• Participate in cross-functional efforts to strengthen relationships with donors, volunteers, participants, and community partners.
• Support the Executive Director with strategic priorities, scheduling, reports, presentations, and communications.
• Prepare materials for leadership meetings and Board presentations.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Represent BCS at donor meetings, community events, and partner meetings as needed.

Skills

Relationship-building

Fundraising

Donor engagement

Grant management

Strategic planning

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, marketing, or related field

Tools

Google Workspace

Donor management systems

Salesforce

Job description

Birch Community Services

Portland, OR (In Person)

Full-Time | $70,000 annually

Build Relationships. Inspire Generosity. Create Community Impact.

Are you a relationship-builder who believes fundraising is about more than raising money? Do you enjoy connecting people to a mission, building donor partnerships, and creating meaningful community impact?

Birch Community Services (BCS) is seeking a Development Manager to help grow and strengthen our fundraising efforts through donor engagement, grant management, fundraising strategy, and community partnerships.

This role works closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, consultants, staff, donors, and community partners to advance the mission of BCS. The ideal candidate is a proactive, strategic, and compassionate professional who can lead with both heart and accountability while helping build a strong development program.

About Birch Community Services

Birch Community Services empowers families to overcome financial hardship through education, food resources, life skills, and supportive community relationships.

Our team is passionate about creating lasting change by serving others with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Key Responsibilities

Development & Fundraising

• Own annual fundraising strategy, campaigns, donor appeals, and fundraising events.
• Cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and community partners.
• Assist with major donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising conversations.
• Owns all capital campaign initiatives alongside the Executive Director, Board, and consultants.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor engagement and long-term giving.

Grants & Donor Management

• Develop grant proposals, applications, and stewardship reports in partnership with the Grant Writer Consultant.
• Research potential funding opportunities.
• Track grant outcomes and communicate organizational impact.
• Maintain accurate donor records in DonorPerfect.
• Supervise the part-time Donor Specialist and support donor reporting processes.
• Generate fundraising, donor, and impact reports.

Marketing & Community Engagement

• Partner with the Marketing & Communications Specialist on donor communications, newsletters, social media, and outreach efforts.
• Help tell compelling stories that demonstrate BCS impact.
• Participate in cross-functional efforts to strengthen relationships with donors, volunteers, participants, and community partners.

Executive Director & Leadership Support

• Support the Executive Director with strategic priorities, scheduling, reports, presentations, and communications.
• Prepare materials for leadership meetings and Board presentations.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Represent BCS at donor meetings, community events, and partner meetings as needed.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate is:

• Passionate about nonprofit work and community impact.
• Skilled at building authentic relationships and trust.
• Comfortable with donor conversations and fundraising asks.
• Organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities.
• A strong writer and communicator.
• Strategic, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused.
• Collaborative, humble, and committed to continuous growth.
• Comfortable using technology and AI tools to improve efficiency.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, marketing, or related field.
• Minimum three years of nonprofit development experience.
• Experience with fundraising, donor relations, grants, and stewardship.
• Experience developing grant proposals and donor communications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage projects independently while collaborating with a team.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and donor management systems.
• Ability to learn and navigate Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.
• Strong judgment, confidentiality, and ethical standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Capital campaign experience.
• Experience working with nonprofit Boards of Directors.
• Experience with major gifts or advancement strategies.
• CFRE certification or interest in professional fundraising development.

Our Culture & Values

At Birch Community Services, culture is at the center of everything we do. We are looking for someone who embraces our values:

Relationship-Focused – We create belonging through supportive and authentic relationships.

Respectful – We lead with honesty, humility, and grace.

Trustworthy – We serve with reliability and integrity.

Teachable – We embrace learning, feedback, and growth.

Grateful – We appreciate the opportunity to serve others.

Safe – We create environments built on responsibility and care.

Solution-Oriented – We collaborate to overcome challenges.

Celebratory – We recognize progress and shared success.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to:

• Works on site in an office environment with extended computer use.
• Attend donor meetings, networking events, and community activities.
• Occasionally work outside regular business hours for events.
• Stand, walk, and assist with event setup.
• Lift and transport materials up to 25 pounds.
• Occasionally work in a warehouse environment while following safety protocols.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Join Birch Community Services

If you are a mission-driven development professional who loves building relationships, inspiring generosity, and creating meaningful change, we would love to hear from you.

At BCS, your work directly contributes to stronger families and a stronger community.

Birch Community Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.