Manager of Development Operations

Charles River Watershed Association; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule (3 days in office

Health insurance

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is seeking a proactive Manager of Development Operations to own fundraising infrastructure, including DonorPerfect database, gift processing, and reporting. This role reports to the Senior Manager of Philanthropy and requires an in-office presence 3 days a week in Boston, MA with hybrid schedule.

You will optimize data hygiene, build donor pipelines, collaborate with Finance, and provide staff training on systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2–4 years of professional experience in development operations, database administration, or advancement services.
• Demonstrated success in building operational infrastructure, data workflows, and pipeline analytics.
• Advanced experience with DonorPerfect or similar CRM/fundraising database systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee database administration (DonorPerfect) and establish data hygiene and gift-tracking standards.
• Manage end-to-end gift processing and donor acknowledgments, and create impact reports for mid- and major-level donors.
• Partner with Senior Finance Manager on monthly gift reconciliations, data accuracy, and annual audit preparation.
• Fulfill internal/external data requests and maintain KPI dashboards for the Development team and Board.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

DonorPerfect

Salesforce

Raiser's Edge

Google Workspace

Excel

Job description

Reports to: Senior Manager of Philanthropy

Location: Hybrid (Boston, MA) — In-office presence required 3 days a week

About CRWA

Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is an internationally recognized nonprofitworking at the intersection of climate resilience, environmental justice, and clean wateradvocacy. Based in Boston, MA, CRWA's mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the healthof the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law.

Position Overview

CRWA is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented, systems-minded Manager of Development Operations to take ownership of our fundraising infrastructure. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Philanthropy, this role serves as the primary administrator for our donor database, gift processing, and development reporting, ensuring clean data, seamless workflows, and reliable operational support for our growing team.

Key Responsibilities

Database Administration & Advancement Services

• Oversee database administration (DonorPerfect), establishing strict gift tracking standards, relationship tracking protocols, and routine data hygiene to guarantee database integrity.
• Manage end-to-end gift processing and timely donor acknowledgments, creating custom impact reports for mid- and major-level donors while maintaining a swift, reliable stewardship timeline.
• Partner with the Senior Finance Manager on monthly gift reconciliations, data accuracy, and annual audit preparation.

Reporting, Analytics & Strategic Support

• Fulfill internal/external data requests and maintain key performance indicator (KPI) dashboards for the Development team and Board to track campaign progress and donor retention. (Advanced experience with DonorPerfect preferred).
• Conduct prospect research and support moves management workflows to expand the mid- and major-donor pipeline.
• Provide operational and list segmentation support for grant tracking, annual appeals, impact reports, and corporate sponsorship pipelines.

Team & Organizational Support

• Provide guidance, documentation, and training to staff on database functionality and best practices.
• Support general development tasks and projects as needed.
• Actively contribute to CRWA’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in data practices and team collaboration.

Qualifications

At CRWA, we recognize that candidates may excel in this role even if they don’t have every attribute listed below. If you are passionate about clean water and climate resilience and possess the core technical capabilities below, we strongly encourage you to apply.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2-4 years of professional experience in development operations, database administration, or advancement services. (Nonprofit experience preferred)
• Demonstrated success in building operational infrastructure, data workflows, and pipeline analytics that enable fundraising teams to achieve revenue goals.
• Advanced technical expertise and administrative experience with DonorPerfect or a comparable CRM/fundraising database system (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge) is required.
• High proficiency in data manipulation and reporting tools (Google Workspace/Excel).
• Demonstrated understanding of financial reconciliation, donor privacy, and IRS regulations regarding charitable giving.
• Strong organizational skills, exceptional attention to detail, and track record of driving operational efficiency.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to CRWA’s mission.
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

CRWA strives to attract and retain staff from a wide range of backgrounds, expertise, andperspectives and to foster a culture of belonging in which all feel valued and respected. If you need accommodation(s) to make the interview process more accessible, please let us know by emailing [e-mail].

CRWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status,protected veteran status, disability, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, medicalconditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, and breastfeeding), genetic information, or otherbases protected by law.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. CRWA is unable to sponsoror take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

FY27 Development team unrestricted Goal: $2.7M

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time position based in Boston. Starting salary for this position is $70,000 - $75,000 annually. CRWA-sponsored benefits include generous paid time off, employer contributions to health insurance premiums and retirement plan, paid family and medical leave, Employee Assistance Program, transit stipend, and professional development opportunities. CRWA’s office operates on a hybrid remote/in-person schedule (3 days per week in the Boston office); we are unable to consider fully remote candidates for this role.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

CRWA is committed to the ongoing work of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our organization and in our external relationships.

Internally, CRWA seeks to embed these principles in staff hiring, professional development, and retention practices as well as in Board recruitment, onboarding, and governance. CRWA strives to attract and retain staff and Board members from a wide range of backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives and to foster a culture of belonging in which all feel valued and respected.

Externally, we are engaged in outreach and relationship development to connect with a broader set of constituents in the watershed, including people and communities that have historically been marginalized. CRWA acknowledges the historic disinvestment and past harm in some watershed communities and is committed to advocating for equitable investments in climate resilience and river health.CRWA condemns racism, sexism, bigotry, and discrimination in any form.

About Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA)

CRWA is an internationally-recognized environmental advocacy nonprofit based in Boston, MA. Our mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law. We develop science-based strategies to increase resilience, protect public health, and promote environmental equity as we confront a changing climate.