Head of Development & Fundraising

The Anacostia Watershed Society seeks a full-time Manager of Development , a key member of the AWS Development & Communications team that brings specialized knowledge of individual donor stewardship and fundraising campaign best practices, contributing ~$1M in revenue annually.

Working closely with the Director of Development & Communications, the Development Manager is responsible for managing and growing AWS’s individual giving program, including major gifts, workplace giving, donor‑advised funds (DAFs), donor stewardship, and fundraising operations. In this role, the Manager of Development will also provide supervision, guidance, and support to a part‑time fundraising operations and data support position and serves as a key partner in strengthening donor engagement across the organization, following a recent CRM implementation.

Managers are both drivers and collaborators across AWS, as this role requires solid project planning, donor stewardship, event management, and coordination among multiple internal stakeholders to meet or exceed campaign and donor experience targets. As organizational needs evolve, the Development Manager may have opportunities to gain exposure to additional areas of fundraising, including corporate partnerships, grants, campaign strategy, and broader development leadership responsibilities.

Over the past 35 years, AWS has grown from a small group of concerned individuals into an award‑winning, $3 million+ non‑profit with a staff of 20 that is deeply involved in a cause that affects many different Washington, D.C. area communities within the 176 square‑mile watershed.

This is an especially exciting time to join the Anacostia Watershed Society’s team of professionals as we embark on a new and ambitious strategic plan and prepare for the opening of our state‑of‑the‑art environmental education center at Washington, D.The Anacostia Watershed Center will be an enriching resource for the diverse communities who live along both sides of the Anacostia River and will house our award‑winning education programs for youth and adults of all ages in the District of Columbia, and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland.

Pursuing this broad mission, the Society takes on issues of nature resources conservation and management, environmental protection, sustainability, community health and welfare, and environmental justice. We collaborate with diverse stakeholders to advocate at all levels of government for policies that promote greater watershed protection and restoration investments. Our field programs work to restore habitat and wildlife and connect local communities to the watershed through volunteer activities, boat tours, and canoe and kayak adventures. Our education programs work with schools, students, and adults throughout Washington, D.C. and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, engaging them in the classroom and on the river and its banks, providing hands‑on experiences that contribute to current restoration projects and prepare the next generation of environmental stewards. In addition, the Anacostia Watershed Society serves as the voice for the river, educating, alerting, cajoling, and, when necessary, challenging government officials, business interests, thought leaders, and the public to go to greater lengths to protect the ecological health of the watershed, improve water quality, and mitigate the negative effects of habitat loss, pollution stormwater, and climate change.

Partner with AWS leadership on fundraising opportunities connected to the Anacostia Watershed Center and other strategic initiatives.

Maintain accurate donor and prospect records within EveryAction, AWS’s CRM.

Support CRM optimization, workflow development, and fundraising process improvements.

Support data integrity, quality control, and fundraising operations best practices.

Provide supervision, guidance, and support to a part‑time fundraising operations and data support position.

Development Communications Collaboration

Collaborate on donor communications, appeals, newsletters, stewardship content, and campaign messaging.

Help ensure donor‑focused communications align with fundraising priorities and stewardship goals.

Seasoned development professional with at least 3‑5+ years of progressively responsible experience with individual donor strategy and/or other non‑profit partnership development experience.

Comfort in outdoor recreation (on the water and in the field); and demonstrated knowledge, commitment, and passion for environmental sustainability.

Demonstrated ability to interrogate donor data, set data and reporting standards, and optimize use of CRM.

Ability to work with and provide excellent customer service internally and externally to people of all ages, especially experience working in a metropolitan area.

Demonstrated interest and/or passion for environmental justice.

Willing, motivated, and able to work a flexible schedule that includes some evenings and weekends, and travel to visit donors/prospects.

Bachelor’s degree and/or additional experience/education in non‑profit management or environmental/conservation field is a plus, but not a requirement.

Experience in project or event management, development operations, and working with staff and volunteers.

Command of the required technical skills and information relevant to fundraising/donor management, including: demonstrated experience in MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) required.

Our compensation package includes competitive base salary and benefits, such as a very generous 403b retirement plan match and a flexible leave program. AWS encourages and embraces diversity. We seek qualified applicants that reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve.

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