Development Operations Manager

Breathe Project; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Friendship Circle in Pittsburgh is seeking a Development Operations Manager to oversee fundraising systems, donor stewardship, grants, and sponsorships, ensuring deadlines are met and every donor has an exceptional experience.

You will work closely with the Executive Director and Development & Community Engagement Manager to build efficient processes, manage calendars, maintain CRM data, and coordinate campaigns that expand impact and donor engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, donor relations, or a related field.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using donor databases or CRM systems.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize deadlines, and work independently.
• Attention to detail and proactive problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development operations, fundraising calendars, and departmental timelines.
• Maintain donor records and CRM data with accuracy.
• Track donor cultivation activities and move management.
• Prepare briefing documents and donor histories for meetings.
• Coordinate fundraising projects and ensure timely deliverables.
• Develop processes to improve efficiency of the development department.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments and stewardship communications.
• Assist with grant opportunities, writing, budgeting, and reporting.
• Manage corporate sponsorships and event fundraising activities.

Skills

Fundraising

Project management

Communication

Organizational skills

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Donor databases

Fundraising software

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Position Summary

The Development Operations Manager is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations of the Development Department by managing fundraising systems, donor stewardship, grants, sponsorships, and development projects. Working closely with the Executive Director and Development & Community Engagement Manager, this role ensures fundraising initiatives stay organized, deadlines are met, and every donor receives an exceptional experience.

Key Responsibilities

Development Operations

• Manage the annual development calendar, fundraising priorities, and departmental timelines.
• Maintain accurate donor records and database integrity within the organization's CRM.
• Track donor cultivation strategies, follow-up activities, and next steps.
• Prepare donor meeting materials, giving histories, research, and briefing documents.
• Coordinate fundraising projects and ensure deadlines and deliverables remain on schedule.
• Develop systems and processes that improve the efficiency of the development department.

Donor Stewardship

• Coordinate donor acknowledgments, thank-you letters, and stewardship communications.
• Help ensure donors receive meaningful updates demonstrating the impact of their support.
• Assist in developing donor reports, impact pieces, newsletters, and stewardship materials.
• Identify opportunities to deepen donor engagement and strengthen long-term relationships.
• Support moves management and donor cultivation activities.

Grant Management

• Research prospective grant opportunities.
• Assist with grant writing, applications, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and compliance.
• Collaborate with program staff to gather outcomes, stories, and data for grant proposals and reports.

Project Management

• Coordinate fundraising campaigns and special development initiatives.
• Manage development-related projects across departments.
• Collect stories, testimonials, photos, program data, and outcomes to support fundraising efforts.
• Ensure projects move efficiently from planning through completion.

Corporate Sponsorships and Event Fundraising

• Manage the corporate sponsorship pipeline and tracking process.
• Cultivate and steward corporate sponsors throughout the year.
• Support sponsorship efforts for Friends All Around and Walk4Friendship.
• Develop and manage the Friends All Around Tribute Book.
• Write sponsorship proposals, solicitation materials, and supporting documents.
• Coordinate sponsor communications, recognition, acknowledgments, and stewardship.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, donor relations, or a related field.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using donor databases or CRM systems.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize competing deadlines, and work independently.
• Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
• A collaborative mindset with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace; experience with fundraising software is preferred.

Success in this role means:

• Development projects are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Donor information is organized, current, and actionable.
• Every donor receives timely, thoughtful stewardship.
• Grant and sponsorship deadlines are consistently met.
• The Executive Director and Development leadership have the tools, information, and operational support needed to cultivate meaningful philanthropic relationships.

Our Philosophy

At Friendship Circle, we believe our donors are investors in our mission. Like any investor, they deserve to understand the impact of their generosity and feel genuinely connected to the lives they help change.

The Development Operations Manager plays a critical role in delivering that experience. Through thoughtful stewardship, organized systems, and proactive project management, this position helps ensure no opportunity is missed, no donor feels forgotten, and every relationship continues to grow.