Development Engagement Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Based in Portland, Maine, with a satellite office in Lewiston, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) is Maine’s only state-wide immigration legal aid organization. ILAP’s mission is to help low-income immigrants improve their legal status and to work for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants. ILAP’s work includes direct legal services for over 3,000 clients each year; education and outreach to immigrant communities and service providers; and systemic advocacy on local, state, and federal immigration law issues.

ILAP is committed to having a respectful, collaborative, and equitable work environment, with equal opportunity for all employees. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building an organization that is reflective of the communities that we serve and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental, and physical abilities. We believe that having a diverse and equitable organization strengthens our programming and services and advances our organizational values.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Donor Engagement Manager is a dedicated member of our Development Team who plays a central role in sustaining and deepening ILAP’s relationships with individual donors and business partners. Reporting to the Development Director, the Donor Engagement Manager is responsible for the stewardship, engagement, and cultivation of donors in ILAP’s individual giving program — from entry-level supporters to mid-level donors — as well as the growth and management of ILAP’s business giving program, the Resilience Circle. This role owns the day-to-day relationship work that moves donors forward, deepens their commitment to ILAP’s mission, and creates a meaningful experience of belonging within the India Street Society and its giving circles.

We take a collaborative and iterative approach to our development work and strive to create an environment of open communication and mutual support, where ideas, feedback, and responsibilities are shared freely. We believe fundraising should be grounded in race, equity, and social justice, and that bold action is needed to achieve justice and accountability in our immigration system. In alignment with these values, ILAP’s development efforts are rooted in a commitment to community-centric fundraising.

RESPONSIBILIITES

• Individual Donor Stewardship & Cultivation (25%)
• Manage an active portfolio of individual donors giving monthly and/or between $300 and $4,999 annually, serving as their primary relationship contact at ILAP.
• Develop and implement strategies to engage and retain first-time donors, building early relationships that support long-term commitment to ILAP’s mission.
• Develop and implement personalized stewardship strategies that reflect each donor’s interests, giving history, and connection to ILAP’s mission.
• Identify and execute upgrade pathways for donors showing capacity or interest to increase their support, with warm handoffs to the Development Director and Executive Director for donors approaching major gift levels.
• Monitor retention across ILAP’s entry-level donor base ($1–$299), identifying lapse risks and re-engagement opportunities.
• Conduct outreach through calls, emails, personal notes, and meetings to build genuine, lasting relationships with donors across the Advocates for Justice, Ambassadors of Justice, and Pillars of Justice giving circles.
• Maintain timely, accurate donor records and contact notes in ILAP’s CRM; build out donor pathways and create standardized action plans and processes to support consistent, informed relationship management across the team.

• Giving Circle Engagement & Events (25%)
• Serve as the primary staff lead for the India Street Society giving circles — Advocates for Justice, Ambassadors of Justice, and Pillars of Justice — managing recognition, communications, and engagement activities for each tier.
• Plan and coordinate giving circle gatherings, including intimate donor events, stewardship receptions, and connection opportunities that strengthen donors’ sense of belonging and investment in ILAP’s mission.
• Work in close coordination with the Communications and Development Manager to ensure giving circle communications are timely, values-aligned, and reflective of ILAP’s voice and brand.
• Support the Development Director in stewardship activities for Pillars of Justice and Legacy of Justice donors, including preparation of personalized updates and coordination of leadership engagement opportunities.
• Maintain and update giving circle recognition materials, web listings, acknowledgment language in coordination with the development team.

• Resilience Circle — Business Giving Program (25%)
• Serve as the primary staff lead for the ILAP Resilience Circle, ILAP’s values-aligned business giving program, managing all aspects of member engagement, prospecting, and growth.
• Research and identify prospective business donors; conduct active outreach to cultivate new Resilience Circle members, with a focus on values-aligned businesses across industries that depend on and support Maine’s immigrant workforce; and make direct asks in alignment with ILAP’s fundraising values and relationship-based approach.
• Build and manage relationships with current Resilience Circle members — Allies, Partners, and Leaders — ensuring each business receives meaningful recognition and engagement consistent with their tier.
• Plan and coordinate Resilience Circle engagement events, including the annual business roundtable and social gathering, in coordination with the Development Director, Communications and Development Manager.
• Prepare tailored outreach materials, proposals, and follow-up communications for prospective and current business partners.
• Track Resilience Circle membership, renewal timelines, recognition fulfillment, and engagement touchpoints in ILAP’s CRM.

• Team and capacity building (25%)
• Work with Development Team to integrate community-centric fundraising principles into our collective work.
• Manage database segmentation, pull lists, and run reports for fundraising and communications projects throughout the year; coordinate event registration, manage guest lists, and support check-in processes for donor-facing events.
• Learn and support key organizational systems and digital platforms used by the Development Team, building cross-functional knowledge that strengthens team capacity and continuity.
• Monitor and track press mentions of ILAP and immigration-related news, compiling relevant coverage to share with donors as part of ongoing stewardship and impact communication.
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of ILAP’s programs and impact, general developments in immigration law and policy, and philanthropic priorities and trends.
• Participate in ILAP staff, team, and supervisor check-in meetings, collaborating and sharing expertise with other staff and volunteers.
• Participate in organization-wide wellness activities, team building, and training, and actively contribute to ongoing equity work.
• Participate in periodic fundraising trainings to stay current with best practices and strengthen skills in strategic messaging, digital outreach, and media engagement.
• Perform such other tasks and assume such other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Development Director.

Requirements

• Bachelor's and advanced degree or certification/credential or training in fundraising, marketing, event management, community organizing, or a related field. Equivalent education and/or experience will be considered.
• 3–5+ years of direct experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, or a related field, with demonstrated success in building and managing donor relationships.
• Demonstrated passion for advancing immigrant rights and a history of personal and professional commitment to racial justice and equity. Expertise and understanding of the immigration system built through lived experience highly desirable.
• Experience managing individual donor portfolios and executing personalized stewardship strategies across multiple giving levels.
• Comfort with outreach to and relationship-building with businesses and community stakeholders, including making direct asks and representing an organization externally.
• Experience translating an organization’s mission and programs into compelling written and oral communications in English for donor and funder audiences.
• Comfort communicating complex topics simply and effectively to different audiences.
• Knowledge of and commitment to community-centric fundraising principles.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to understand, balance, and respond to feedback and priorities of colleagues, supporters, and partners.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Office 365 and donor database management. Comfort with email marketing software, social media platforms, and/or design software a plus.
• Track record of taking initiative, troubleshooting problems, and developing solutions through continuous improvement and skill building. Experience successfully planning and implementing competing tasks and projects.
• Excitement about creative thinking, brainstorming, and exploring new ideas.
• Gracious and understanding team member who works collaboratively and builds strong, collaborative relationships.
• Availability for periodic evening and weekend activities.
• Proficiency in ILAP’s relevant client languages a plus.
• ILAP conducts job-related background checks to ensure a safe and secure work environment in which staff, clients, resources, and assets are protected, while protecting the integrity and confidentiality of information gathered.

Benefits

For 2026, ILAP’s base salary for this position ranges from $70,040 - $78,280. Placement on our salary scale is based on multiple factors including job classification and years of relevant experience. Employees may also receive additional compensation based on language proficiency in one or more relevant client languages, supervision responsibilities, and membership on ILAP's Equity Committee.

ILAP offers a generous benefits package. Current benefits include:

• Fully paid individual health and dental insurance coverage and significant coverage for dependents’ health insurance;
• Vacation (20 days), Holidays (13.5), Sick Days (12), and Personal Days (4);
• Reduced Hours Fridays;
• Paid parental leave and a paid family and medical leave policy;
• Paid sabbatical after each 5 years of employment;
• Employer Retirement Contributions;
• Health Savings Plan;
• Law School Repayment Assistance;
• Employer paid premium for long term disability and life insurance;
• Individual and staff-wide professional development opportunities; and
• Alternative Work Arrangement (eligible after 90-day onboarding)