Development Manager

Job Title: Development Manager

Position: Full-time, 40 hours weekly, occasional evening & weekend hours

Classification: Non- Exempt

Department: Development & Communications Department

Reports to: Director of Development and Communications

Location: 505 N East Ave, Waukesha / partially Remote

Job Description:

Mission: We provide safety, shelter and support to empower all impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and trafficking.

summary/ Objective: The Development Manager is responsible for planning, managing, and executing the organization’s internal and external fundraising and community events, leading external communications efforts, and managing the annual fund. This role is key to strengthening donor relationships, enhancing community visibility, and supporting the organization’s overall development strategy. The ideal candidate is a consummate professional with strong project management skills, proven experience in a similar role, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and creativity.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

Fundraising & Events

• Plan, organize, and execute all internal and external fundraising events from concept to completion. This includes our largest fundraising event, the EmPower Luncheon, held in April. It has an average attendance of 500 individuals and a fundraising goal of $250,000. You will be responsible for soliciting sponsorships and auction items, being the point person with the venue and all other vendors, creating and executing the marketing plan for the event, and running the day-of logistics.

• Throughout the year, you will collaborate with staff, volunteers, and donors to build on existing relationships, form new ones, and advance the profile of the organization amongst these groups in our community through tabling events, internal client-focused events, and other external fundraising opportunities that arise.

• You will work closely with the Development Director and Development Assistant in planning and executing multiple annual fund requests throughout the year. You will use your knowledge of mail, email, and other platforms to promote and solicit gifts from the community.

Communications & Marketing

• Develop and manage external communications, including newsletters, donor emails, social media content, flyers, marketing collateral, and the organization’s annual report.

• Support branding initiatives and marketing campaigns to raise the organization’s visibility while ensuring consistent messaging and branding across all communication platforms.

• Create compelling stories and content to engage supporters, donors, and the broader community.

Project Management

• Manage multiple development projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality results.

• Maintain project timelines, coordinate with internal teams, and ensure accountability.

• Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with program staff to align fundraising and communication strategies with program goals.

• Monitor budgets and expenses related to events and communications projects.

Donor & Community Engagement

• Support donor stewardship through clear, timely, and personalized communications.

• Build relationships with community partners, vendors, and sponsors.

*Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills:

• Strong project management and organizational skills with proven ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in digital communication tools (social media platforms, email marketing software, Canva/Adobe, etc.)
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with staff, vendors, donors, and volunteers.
• Flexible, resourceful, and solutions-oriented professional
• Strong organizational and excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Understands fundraising and development principles and is willing to think creatively about expanding the agency’s fundraising efforts.
• Has previous events management experience, specifically with significant fundraising events.
• Can plan and execute annual fund appeals from inception to the items reaching the mail.
• Can manage a marketing calendar encompassing email, social media, and print.
• Ability to think critically, using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, nonprofit management, marketing, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in development, fundraising, event planning, or nonprofit communications.
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge, including RE NXT, preferred.

Language Skills:

• Ability to read, write and comprehend English.
• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Requires a valid Wisconsin Driver’s license and proof of insurance.

Physical demands and Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This is largely a sedentary role.
• The ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Movement between various buildings.
• Works predominantly indoors but may travel between different buildings.
• Ability to ambulate up and downstairs.
• This position may work from home several days per week.

Work-related travel is occasionally required. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

ADA: This employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

AAP/EEO: The Women’s center is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

This Job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

Digital Fingerprints/Criminal Background Check for TWC Applicants

What information will be requested at the time of the fingerprinting reservation?

1. Full legal name
2. Full current address
3. Date of birth
4. Gender
5. Social Security number
6. Height
7. Weight
8. Hair color
9. Eye color
10. Ethnicity
11. Place of birth
12. Citizenship

Primary ID (photograph and signature, non-expired)

• Government-issued driver’s license
• Learner’s permit (plastic card only with photo and signature)
• National/State/County identification card
• Passport
• Military ID
• Military ID for spouses and dependents
• Alien registration card (Green card, permanent resident visa)

Secondary ID (signature, non-expired)

• Social Security card