Senior Development Manager

theirc; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

International Rescue Committee (IRC) in San Diego is seeking a Senior Development Manager to lead fundraising, donor relations, and communications for the San Diego office. You will oversee grants, special events, in-kind donations, and volunteer programs while reporting to senior leadership on resource stewardship and impact.

The role includes supervising the Volunteer Coordinator and interns, coordinating with headquarters, and driving the office's development plan to support IRC's mission in

Qualifications

• Proven fundraising experience with private and public funders.
• Strong donor stewardship and grant proposal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communications for diverse audiences.
• Experience leading volunteers and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead private fundraising goals and donor development plans.
• Develop and oversee grant proposals and reporting.
• Manage communications, media coordination, and events.
• Supervise Volunteer Coordinator and interns/volunteers.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on strategy and stewardship.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Grant writing

Communications

Volunteer management

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Event planning

Salesforce

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Job Overview:

The Senior Development Manager leads resource development, communications, and volunteer management for IRC's San Diego office, spanning its San Diego and El Cajon locations. This role owns donor and funder cultivation and stewardship, grants development, special events, in-kind donations, volunteer program oversight, traditional and social media, advocacy, and community engagement, along with the reporting and analytics that track progress across each function. The Development Manager directly supervises the Volunteer Coordinator and the interns and volunteers who support the unit and, as a member of IRC San Diego's senior management team, shares accountability with four other senior leaders for the office's strategy, operations, and stewardship of resources.

Major Responsibilities:

Resource Development

• Set the office's annual private fundraising goals - including funds and in-kind donations of approximately $1 million per year - in partnership with the Executive Director and Finance Director, with the expectation that goals increase year over year;
• Build and lead an annual development plan covering restricted and unrestricted funds that supports organizational priorities and aligns with IRC San Diego's strategic action plan, in collaboration with the Deputy Director; review and revise the plan at least three times a year to align with the office's budget cycle;
• Develop an annual, tactical Development Action Plan covering special events, online giving campaigns, grant proposals, targeted fundraising appeals, and donor asks coordinated with IRC Headquarters major gift officers;
• Serve as the office's focal point for IRC's Integrated Fundraising Model, coordinating with Headquarters fundraising teams on individual donors, regional corporations, and regional foundations, including local events, program updates, and funding priorities;
• Partner with Headquarters fundraising teams on cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation of corporate, foundation, and major donor relationships with regional or national scope;
• Conduct prospect research and lead cultivation and stewardship of local foundation, corporate, and philanthropic relationships;
• Set strategy and goals for annual special events; supervise event planning and execution and lead sponsorship solicitation;
• Ensure timely, accurate donor activity records in Salesforce and the timely generation of donor acknowledgements;
• Lead the development and submission of grant proposals and funding applications identified in the development plan or requested by the Executive Director;
• Oversee solicitation, intake, and distribution of in-kind donations, ensuring compliance with established tracking, recognition, and internal/external policy requirements, including IRC and IRS rules on charitable donations;
• Establish and maintain tracking mechanisms for monitoring spend-down, reporting, and donor acknowledgement requirements on restricted funds (e.g., Fund Tracker Reporting).

Communications

• Ensure professional, timely responses to donor and external inquiries;
• Develop and lead an annual communications/marketing plan (email, social, and traditional media) supporting organizational and fundraising priorities;
• Coordinate with Headquarters Communications and the Executive Director on media requests;
• Prepare and support staff and/or clients for interviews, speaking engagements, and advocacy opportunities;
• Ensure compliance with media and social media policy and alignment with IRC brand guidelines and writing style across all public-facing materials;
• Ensure external written communications are accurate, professionally written, donor-centric, and consistent with IRC brand standards;
• Produce IRC San Diego's annual Impact Report;
• Respond to speaking engagement requests, representing the office as needed, and prepare other assigned speakers with talking points in advance;
• Support the Executive Director in representing the office at meetings, forums, and engagements with local elected officials;
• Conduct outreach, networking, and public presentations to recruit and educate prospective donors, volunteers, and constituents;
• Maintain current