The Manager of Development is an experienced fundraiser responsible for grant management and development operations. This position will report to the Director of Development, liaise with the Impact and Technology teams, and interact regularly with the Executive Director. This is a new role that will support the continued growth of the organization. Start Small’s budget is around $5 million, with the majority of funding coming from foundation grants and corporate proposals.

As an ideal candidate for this role, you are a compelling storyteller and an effective grant and proposal writer. You are a self-starter, organized, efficient, and kind, with close attention to deadlines and details. You bring experience working with foundations, managing the grant life cycle, and growing relationships. You will develop creative solutions, adapt to an evolving and growing organization, and work as a collaborative team member with colleagues in a remote-first, hybrid working environment. Furthermore, we are seeking a candidate who can demonstrate an ability and commitment to bring equity and inclusion into all aspects of their work and contribute to Start Small’s ongoing journey to be an organization that strives to break down internal and external systemic barriers to success, growth, development, and advancement.

Working Conditions:

Start Small works in a remote-first, hybrid environment. Our staff work from home with occasional, self-determined (up to 2-4 times per month) co-working days in NY City. We encourage in-person connections, but do not require it. As we evolve our model, there may be a need to attend some in-person events and meetings in the Tri-State area. We also encourage attendance at our staff retreats (up to 2 per year.) This is primarily a sedentary job that may involve some movement to carry out your job duties, including traveling to meet with staff, conducting meetings, whiteboard sessions, etc. This role is a full-time, exempt position.

Key Responsibilities:

Foundation Grants (70%)

Serve as the lead writer for all grant proposals and reports, assemble attachments including budgets, funder lists, board lists, etc. according to funders’ specifications.
Research new/lapsed funders that align with Start Small’s organizational objectives and strategic plan.
Maintain comprehensive grant records in the shared drive and accurate, real-time tracking in our fundraising CRM (Salesforce).
Serve as the primary team member responsible for implementing and maintaining the robust grants calendar to ensure timely submissions.
Liaise with team members across the organization as needed and in a timely manner to ensure all grant materials are accurate and aligned with organizational values and priorities.

Development Operations (30%)

Lead gift processing and acknowledgement, ensuring donors receive timely tax receipts and funding is reconciled regularly between our fundraising and accounting systems.
Maintain, and build as needed, development infrastructure and operations for all types of charitable giving, with support of the Director of Development and Technology team.
Including but not limited to donation pages, board give/get reports, automating systems for moves management, etc.
Support additional development projects and activities as needed.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. We'll honor your lived and professional experience as key aspects of your candidacy for the role and prioritize applicants with experience dismantling the structural inequities that disproportionately impact entrepreneurs with historically marginalized identities. We are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

Bachelor’s degree and/or experience commensurate with education.
3+ years of development experience, preferably focused on foundations and corporations.
A commitment to equity, including a dedicated interest in helping entrepreneurs who face systemic barriers and are often excluded from resources that support business success.
Interest in applying equity-driven fundraising principles and emerging models, such as Community Centered Fundraising principles, ethical storytelling, and other experiences, is a plus
Demonstrated success in cultivating and sustaining partnerships and relationships among diverse stakeholders
Excellent interpersonal skills to interact, virtual and in-person, effectively with colleagues and partners
Experience prospecting and researching potential funding opportunities
Excellent writing and proofreading skills with high-level, consistent attention to detail
Experience creating effective communications with partners and supporters
Self-motivated and organized independent worker who functions effectively in a virtual work environment while being an enthusiastic, collaborative team member committed to shared success
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt flexibly within a growing organization
Ability to use technology with solid skills using collaborative tools (I.e., Slack, Google, Trello, etc.). Experience with Grant research tools (e.g., Foundation Center) is a plus
Experience with Salesforce or similar donor management software is a plus
A demonstrated understanding of the role of structural racism and other biases in our society and a strong commitment to address these impacts within the context of this role.

Start Small Think Big provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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