Development & Communications Manager

Role Type: Full-Time

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000 / year

Who We Are

At SAADA, we’re building an inclusive American story.

Over the past sixteen years, SAADA has curated the largest archive of South Asian American stories, spanning hundreds of years and millions of lifetimes. We bring these stories to life through vibrant events, exhibits, artistic partnerships, family programs, and educational resources designed to connect with audiences on every level.

We believe that South Asian Americans are an essential part of the American story. We believe that immigrants are central to the story of America’s past, present, and future. We believe that diversity is a strength and that strong archives are vital to community wellbeing. We believe that everyday stories matter, and that history is not a spectator sport.

We are a passionate and ambitious team, bringing a community-driven approach to the archival process. Joining SAADA is an opportunity to do meaningful work in building a more compassionate and caring world.

Are you excited by the prospect of growing your career with us? We invite you to join our team as our first Development & Communications Manager.

About the Role

SAADA is growing quickly, and we are seeking a new team member to help us take our work to the next level—a conscientious self-starter with exemplary communication and organizational skills, who thrives when managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, high-growth, collaborative organization.

The Development & Communications Manager will work closely with SAADA’s Executive Director—a seasoned fundraiser eager to mentor, train, and support this position—and collaborate extensively across the SAADA team. You will play a key role in supporting SAADA’s fundraising efforts and implementing and overseeing our communications activities.

This is a role that comes with high expectations and the ability to make a significant impact on SAADA’s future. If that is a challenge that excites you, then we encourage you to apply!

Your responsibilities will include:

Development

• Managing the operations and administration of SAADA’s fundraising efforts, supporting SAADA’s Executive Director in executing our organization’s overall fundraising strategy
• Implementing SAADA’s comprehensive annual giving plan, encompassing direct mail, digital, and personal donor communications
• Working with SAADA’s Executive Director to develop and execute a strategic donor cultivation and stewardship strategy, including:
  • Identifying and qualifying promising prospects through research
  • Building and segmenting donor lists for effective moves management and communication
  • Cultivating new donor prospects and nurturing existing relationships
  • Ensuring long-term donor engagement through personal touchpoints and events
• Monitoring SAADA’s institutional giving calendar and identifying new potential funding opportunities
• Supporting the planning and execution of donor appreciation events
• Ensuring that all gifts are properly processed, tracked, and acknowledged
• Creating quarterly and annual development reports to track progress towards goals, evaluating the effectiveness of fundraising initiatives, and informing future strategies

Communications

• Managing day-to-day operations of SAADA’s social media channels, email lists, and websites, including back-end content management and organization
• Serving as lead writer and editor on a range of communications projects and materials
• Collaborating with SAADA staff and external partners to develop engaging and informative content for SAADA’s various audiences
• Overseeing all dimensions of communications projects, including managing timelines, budgets, deliverables, milestones, and relationships with collaborators, so that elements of each project are on track to meet deadlines and fulfill goals
• Analyzing communication patterns and trends to develop creative marketing and communication strategies that expand SAADA’s reach and engage new audiences in SAADA’s work

Other Responsibilities

• Engaging in other projects assigned by SAADA’s Executive Director
• Pursuing professional development and learning opportunities that grow your abilities

Who You Are

The Development & Communications Manager will be a core member of the SAADA team. We are seeking a collegial, collaborative teammate with strong planning, organizational, communication, and writing skills.

This is an ideal opportunity for a talented self-starter who is eager to grow their career in a supportive environment that rewards ambition, initiative, and continuous learning. You are a builder at heart, and you bring that entrepreneurial spirit into everything you do—taking initiative and actively seeking to deepen current donor relationships and forge new ones.

You understand that SAADA’s long-term success lies in building deep, thoughtful relationships with our community. With excellent communication skills, reliability, and a positive, confident disposition, your excellent interpersonal skills allow you to develop and maintain long-term, productive relationships both internally and externally.

We recognize that an individual’s experience is gained through a wide and diverse range of personal, professional, and educational opportunities. When reviewing applications, we take a broad look at the combined experiences of each candidate.

These are the skills and experiences we will prioritize for this role:

• At least 3 years of fundraising experience in a professional non-profit setting or at least 5 years of communications experience, and a strong understanding of fundraising best practices
• Demonstrated success in contributing to an individual giving program and soliciting and securing gifts from donors
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Familiarity with database/CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce), website editors (e.g., Drupal, WordPress), email communication platforms (e.g., MailChimp), and design platforms (e.g., Canva, Photoshop)