Senior Development Manager (ASAP Contract, progressive policy think tank)

The Choice is managing the employment of an exciting, immediate contract opportunity for our client- a progressive policy think tank. This organization is active in forming coalitions and partnerships to fight back against executive orders and budget cuts from the new administration that are harming important programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, etc.

Due to a rapid increase in growth in coalitions and partnerships, the organization is seeking a contract Senior Development Manager to support them in a critical time with development research and strategy.

This position would be FT hours, Monday- Friday. The office has a required hybrid schedule- Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the office, as well as every 1st Thursday of the month. The office is located in DC and is walking distance to Metro. This is a long-term contract, at least through the end of this calendar year.

The ideal candidate will have/will be:

• Strong fundraising background, particularly with a policy organization
• Experience working across multiple revenue streams
• Immediately available

Job Duties will include:

Development Research (Prospect qualification & relationship mapping).

• Researching new potential Board members, including recommendations for connections new members would provide to new networks.
• Researching current leadership connections to prospective individual and foundation funders
• Researching connections of board members of current foundation funders (especially to high-net-worth individuals).
• Researching and qualifying new prospective foundation, individual, and other entity prospects for funding needs including: State regranting opportunities; Semi-restricted or project-focused revenue for policy departments; Funding for Action C4 funding; New project funding as needed (ex. governance project)

Development Strategy (Cultivation & external affairs)

• Explore vehicle for unrestricted revenue from corporations, B-corps, associations, unions, etc. (e.g., Council model used by other think tanks), including potential activities and member benefits, prospect list, and potential structure.
• Develop and execute outreach strategy to strengthen relationships between leadership and funder presidents/CEOs/Board Chairs.
• Identify strategic thought leadership opportunities with funders for leadership in articles, podcasts, events, etc.
• Develop cultivation strategy for prospective funders aligned to 2025 tax debate calendar, and external events, including: plan trips to key locations with prospective funders; strategy for organizational attendance and/or speak/present at funder-focused conferences; opportunities for donor cultivation events
• Task execution for Chief Development Officer: draft emails and outreach documents; after developing prospect list for discrete funding campaigns, align on prioritized outreach, then draft initial correspondence and short outreach material (if needed); secure meetings with new funders, participate in staff meetings with Chief Development Officer, and draft follow up materials; prepare materials, including research memos and background for Development Committee meetings; undertake other discrete development projects requested by the CDO