Girls on the Run Worcester County: Development Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description

Organizational Summary:
Girls on the Run Worcester County is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. We inspire participants to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. As a physical activity-based positive youth development program, our evidence-based curriculum is designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological and physical skills and behaviors to successfully navigate life experiences. 

Girls on the Run Worcester County believes that all girls and communities should have access to our programs. We commit to eliminate barriers to participation, to continue creating programming that engages all communities, to be intentional about staff and volunteer diversity and to promote a culture of inclusion across the organization.

Girls on the Run Worcester County serves more than 1,500 girls across Worcester County MA annually. To learn more about our program and impact, please visit:  

Position Summary:
The Girls on the Run Worcester County Development Manager is a strategic and relationship-focused fundraising professional responsible for strengthening and diversifying the organization’s contributed revenue. In partnership with the Executive Director and other organizational leaders, this position develops and implements fund development strategies across areas such as individual giving, corporate partnerships, grants, fundraising campaigns, and special events. The Development Manager cultivates meaningful relationships with donors and community partners, maintains effective fundraising systems and data, and helps build sustainable resources that advance the Girls on the Run mission and long-term organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Fund Development Strategy + Revenue Growth
- Activate and implement an annual fund development plan aligned with the organization’s strategic and financial goals.

- Manage and support a diversified portfolio of fundraising activities, which may include individual giving, corporate sponsorships, grants, annual campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising, and special events.

- Identify opportunities to expand contributed revenue, strengthen existing funding sources, and cultivate new donor audiences and community partnerships.

- Establish and monitor fundraising goals, timelines, budgets, and performance indicators, using data to evaluate progress and inform strategy.

- Collaborate with staff, board members, volunteers, and committees to advance organizational fundraising priorities.

Donor + Community Engagement
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual donors, corporate partners, sponsors, funders, and other community stakeholders.

- Develop thoughtful donor engagement, recognition, and retention strategies that deepen connection to the Girls on the Run mission.

- Identify prospective donors and create meaningful pathways for increased or continued investment in the organization.

- Engage program alumni, volunteers, families, and other mission-connected audiences in fundraising and stewardship opportunities.

- Represent Girls on the Run Council at community events, fundraising activities, meetings, and speaking engagements.

Grants + Fundraising Operations
- Manage the organization’s grant calendar, including researching funding opportunities, preparing proposals and applications, tracking deadlines, and coordinating required reports.

- Maintain accurate and organized donor, gift, grant, sponsorship, and engagement records within the organization’s fundraising database or CRM.

- Develop reports and analyze fundraising data to monitor revenue, donor retention, campaign performance, and progress toward development goals.

- Coordinate donor acknowledgements, sponsorship agreements, and fulfillment of donor and sponsor commitments.

- Maintain clear and organized fundraising files, procedures, and documentation to support effective development operations.

Campaigns, Events + Communications
- Lead or support the planning, execution, and evaluation of fundraising campaigns and special events.

- Coordinate event logistics, volunteers, committees, sponsors, vendors, communications, and post-event follow-up, as applicable.

- Develop fundraising appeals, sponsorship materials, donor communications, campaign content, and other development-related materials in collaboration with organizational staff.

- Support volunteers, peer-to-peer fundraisers, board members, and other ambassadors in effectively representing and fundraising for the organization.

- Ensure fundraising strategies and communications reflect the organization’s commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and authentic community engagement.

Every member of our staff community is expected to serve as a Girls on the Run role model, exhibiting our core values and working to forward the mission. We commit ourselves to actively developing and nurturing positive relationships across the organization - with staff, community members, participants, volunteers, donors, and board members. 
Qualities & Qualifications

- 3+ years of experience supporting or managing fundraising, development, or contributed revenue efforts in a nonprofit, community-impact, or related environment
- Demonstrated success supporting fundraising campaigns or generating revenue through one or more funding streams, such as individual giving, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, grants, or events
- Engaging and authentic relationship builder, with the ability to cultivate meaningful connections with donors, funders, volunteers, board members, and community partners
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills across a range of audiences and settings
- Strong organization, project management, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet critical deadlines
- Experience maintaining donor records and using fundraising databases, CRM systems, or other technology to support development operations and reporting
- Ability to use data and analytics to evaluate fundraising performance and inform strategy
- Experience with grant writing, sponsorship coordination, fundraising events, or donor communications a plus
- Collaborative and supportive team member who is also comfortable working independently and taking initiative
- Commitment to advancing inclusive and accessible fundraising practices that engage and reflect the communities served
- Experience in a youth-serving organization or in the K-12 programs space a plus! 

- Ability to work (evenings and/or weekends) as needed (approximately once or per quarter) 

Organizational Culture & Benefits

At Girls on the Run Worcester County, we pride ourselves on a culture that’s passionate, collaborative and mission-driven. We offer staff generous paid time off, a flexible work environment, professional development growth, retirement savings and health benefits.