Senior Engagement Manager

Role Description

As part of a mission-centric, locally delivered and nationally powered organization, the Manager, Transformational Donor Qualification plays a critical role in building and strengthening the pipeline for transformational philanthropy. This position is responsible for qualifying prospective Transformational Gift (1M+ capacity) donors, ensuring a disciplined, data-informed, and consistently replenished pipeline for Directors of Transformational Philanthropy.

Through proactive outreach and cross-functional collaboration, this role manages an assigned portfolio of prospective Transformational Gift donors, with a primary focus on qualification and next moves management. The Manager engages prospects through thoughtful outreach and early-stage stewardship to assess donor capacity, inclination, and readiness for deeper engagement. Based on these interactions, the role is responsible for determining and documenting clear outcomes within the prospecting object—advancing prospects as qualified and ready for handoff, disqualifying where appropriate, or assigning a “not now” status with defined timing and strategy for future re-engagement.

Partnering closely with Prospect Development, Data Insights, Territory teams, and Directors of Transformational Philanthropy, this role ensures consistent qualification standards, strong pipeline velocity, and seamless handoffs. Success in this role is measured by the quality, clarity, and movement of prospects through the pipeline, in addition to volume. Key responsibilities include:

• Meeting defined KPIs tied to qualification outcomes.
• Maintaining accurate CRM records.
• Providing actionable insights to inform portfolio strategy and long-term fundraising growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in fundraising, prospect development, donor research, or qualification, preferably within a nonprofit organization.
• Experience supporting major or transformational gift programs with a strong understanding of donor lifecycle, pipeline management, and qualification strategy.
• Proficiency in Salesforce or similar CRM systems, with strong data discipline and experience managing prospect pipelines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage prospects thoughtfully and build trust across internal stakeholders.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to translate data and interactions into clear qualification decisions and strategic recommendations.

Requirements

• Prospect Qualification & Pipeline Development
• Partner with VP and Directors of Transformational Philanthropy to implement and continuously refine a strategic qualification process for prospective Transformational donors.
• Manage an assigned portfolio of prospects and execute timely outreach (phone, email, virtual meetings) to initiate engagement and assess philanthropic alignment.
• Evaluate donor capacity, inclination, and engagement signals to determine clear outcomes: qualified for immediate handoff, disqualified, or “not now” with a defined re-engagement timeline.
• Maintain consistent next moves management within the prospecting object, ensuring each prospect has a clearly defined strategy and status at all times.
• Build and sustain a high-quality qualification pipeline that prioritizes both volume and readiness of prospects advancing to Directors of Transformational Philanthropy.
• Ensure timely, well-prepared handoff of qualified prospects, including briefing materials, engagement history, and recommended next steps.
• Meet and track against KPIs, including but not limited to: volume of completed qualifications, % of prospects advanced to qualified status, disqualification rate, “not now” re-engagement planning, and speed of movement through the pipeline.
• Data Management & Insights
• Maintain accurate, detailed, and real-time prospect records in CRM, including outreach activity, qualification status, next moves, and supporting rationale for decisions.
• Ensure data integrity within the prospecting object, supporting strong visibility into pipeline health and movement.
• Partner with Prospect Development and Data Insights teams to refine qualification criteria, scoring models, and reporting dashboards.
• Analyze trends across qualified, disqualified, and “not now” segments to inform future pipeline strategy and improve conversion rates over time.
• Prepare and share regular pipeline reports, highlighting velocity, outcomes, and areas of opportunity or refinement.
• Collaboration with Key Internal Partners
• Work closely with Directors of Transformational Philanthropy to align on prospect readiness, portfolio strategy, and feedback loops on quality of handoffs.
• Partner with Prospect Development, Stewardship, and Communications teams to ensure coordinated and informed engagement strategies.
• Support the evolution of workflows that strengthen pipeline clarity, next moves management, accountability, and team alignment.
• Maintain strong awareness of organizational priorities, campaign initiatives, and funding opportunities to appropriately assess and position prospects.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance and flexible spending accounts.
• 403b retirement plan along with generous paid time off.
• Federal paid holidays throughout the year.
• Wellness program and employee assistance program.