Development Manager

Jun 11

Governors Action Alliance (GovAct)
Remote or Hybrid in San Francisco Bay Area or Washington, D.C.

Anticipated Start Date: Summer/Fall 2026

Description

GovAct is at a critical growth moment, building the team, systems, and funding base needed to sustain and expand its support for Governors’ Offices across the country. Philanthropic partnership is central to that growth, and the development team is responsible for cultivating the relationships and resources that power the organization’s work.

Reporting to and supporting the Director of Development, GovAct is seeking a Development Manager to provide critical support for GovAct’s fundraising and development efforts, focusing on managing operations, supporting donor stewardship and cultivation, and preparing engaging materials for funders. The role will primarily support GovAct and provide occasional support as needed to GovAct’s alliances. The Manager will work closely with the Development Director and the CEO, gaining exposure to the full life cycle of fundraising, from prospect research and pipeline management to proposal development, stewardship, and reporting. Some travel is required to attend work-related meetings and convenings.

This is an opportunity to help build the development program of a young, fast-growing organization. The ideal candidate is systems-minded, detail-oriented, professional who enjoys creating order and structure, anticipates needs before they arise, and communicates with clarity and discretion. As GovAct grows, the Development Manager will have meaningful opportunities to take on greater responsibility and help shape how the organization engages its funders.

Responsibilities

Development Systems and Processes

Develop and maintain clear systems for tracking funder deadlines (e.g., applications, proposals, reports, other grant deadlines, etc.).
Support the day-to-day management and maintenance of development operations, systems, and processes including a CRM, portfolio management tracking, prospect research and targeting plans, revenue forecasting, and leadership engagement across GovAct and its alliances to ensure leadership is well equipped to meet fundraising goals.
Oversee research and implementation of a robust CRM that meets the organization's fundraising and development needs and maintain consistent and accurate records of development activities to track progress effectively.
Assist in building and implementing development best practices for funder engagement, funder research, and relationship mapping to support strategies that meet GovAct’s fundraising goals.
Support grant tracking and reporting across the funder portfolio, including monitoring deliverables, deadlines, and grant requirements, and assist with the development of budgets and financial information for proposals and reports in coordination with operations colleagues.
Help ensure development records, files, and processes remain organized, accurate, and aligned with the requirements of GovAct’s fiscal sponsor.

Funder Communications and Materials

Working in close coordination with GovAct’s Development Director to draft clear and persuasive content for a range of funder audiences and materials, including proposed emails, short primers, formal proposals, grant applications, and other content.
Help develop highly tailored funder communications across a variety of formats for GovAct’s funder audience, including reports, talking points, slides, acknowledgements, and correspondence.
Maintain and regularly update a library of core development materials, including boilerplate language, one-pagers, slide decks, and organizational fact sheets, so that leadership always has current and accurate content on hand.
Prepare briefing materials for the CEO and Development Director ahead of funder meetings, including background research, talking points, and recommended follow-up.
Coordinate input from program and alliance staff to ensure funder materials accurately reflect GovAct’s work, priorities, and impact.

Strategic Partnerships and Funder Engagement and Stewardship

Assist the CEO to support GovAct’s fundraising efforts in both operational and frontline capacities as needed to meet growth strategies.
Coordinate logistics and materials for in-person funder meetings, convenings, and events, collaborating closely with the CEO and Development Director.
Support executive communications with funders of the organization.
Maintain a stewardship calendar and track follow-up actions from funder meetings, convenings, and events to ensure timely and consistent engagement with current and prospective funders.
Help identify opportunities to deepen funder relationships, such as invitations to convenings, briefings, and other engagement touchpoints.

Requirements

We understand that no candidate is likely to embody every qualification below. We are looking for an experienced, strategic development professional who brings most of the following:

Experience

Minimum of 3-5 years of development operations and relationship management experience (development, fundraising, advancement, philanthropy, for-profit investor relations, or similar).

Must have

Previous experience conducting prospect research and familiarity with research tools and platforms; and
Understanding of relationship management processes, pipelines, and tracking mechanisms within a CRM environment.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor content for use by leadership with diverse funder audiences on quick timelines;
Comfort working independently in a remote environment, managing multiple workstreams and competing deadlines;
Exceptional project management skills with the ability to manage up and help leadership prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, high-intensity environment; and
bility to navigate an internally facing role while also managing external audiences as needed.

Knowledge

Working knowledge of effective development operations, systems, processes, and best practices to support the goals of an accelerated department;
Strong command of CRM systems, Microsoft SharePoint, Outlook, Word, Excel, and other tools.
Experience working with grant management platforms.
Familiarity with the full grant life cycle, including proposals, budgets, and reporting requirements.
Familiarity with the philanthropic landscape for nonprofit, advocacy, or policy organizations; experience with fiscally sponsored organizations is a plus.

Qualities

Demonstrated ability to operate with a high degree of urgency, self-motivation, focus on goals, and commitment to the highest quality work;
Skilled communicator and listener;
Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills;
Keen attention to detail and able to exercise discretion.
Education: Bachelor’s degree.

VALUES AND LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES

To effectively meet this critical growth moment, successful candidates will also bring relevant and diverse lived and professional experiences to the build of the organization and will align with key founding values of GovAct, including:

Belief in the power of government – and governors’ offices in particular – to advance bold, affirmative agendas that protect fundamental rights.
Strong, hands-on work ethic to support fast-paced startup growth and development of a sustainable organization.
Political acuity and sound judgment in handling sensitive information, gaining trust, and working effectively across governors’ offices and diverse partners.
Collaboration and communication skills to operate effectively across a complex and matrixed network of stakeholders and teams.
Resiliency, optimism, and solutions orientation to advance a joyful approach to the work, remain responsive rather than reactive, and support progress when meeting difficult challenges.
Commitment to building a diverse workforce and demonstrated ability to work effectively and build alignment across lines of difference.

TO APPLY

This search is being led by Katherine Jacobs and Jehivian Hernandez of GDSI Leadership. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume, via GDSI’s applicant portal. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis – candidates who apply before June 26 will be prioritized. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at hiring@govactalliance.org.

HIRING VALUES

At GovAct, we celebrate a culture of belonging and are committed to cultivating and nurturing a workplace of diversity, equity, and inclusion. GovAct encourages individuals to apply for this position who are of underrepresented backgrounds including, for example, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

GovAct offers a flexible work environment and an excellent benefits package, including unlimited paid time off, paid parental leave, comprehensive health coverage, wellness and professional development stipends, and a competitive 401(k) program.

Full-Time/Exempt
Remote or Hybrid in San Francisco Bay Area or Washington, D.C.
$90,000 - $125,000 annually based on experience

How to Apply for this Job

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About the Organization

The Governors Action Alliance (GovAct) is a nonpartisan nonprofit initiative that helps Governors work across state lines to champion fundamental freedoms and improve people’s lives. GovAct serves as a central platform for collaboration across Governors’ Offices – incubating, launching, and supporting alliances of Governors. These alliances share cutting-edge policy and legal approaches to some of the most challenging and critical national issues, including reproductive freedom, democracy, public safety, and public health. Currently, GovAct supports the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, Governors Safeguarding Democracy, the Governors Public Health Alliance, and other Governor-led initiatives and collaborations.

For each of these Alliances and initiatives, GovAct helps:

Build capacity and expertise by connecting experts across Governors' Offices and organizations, tailoring best practices, model policies, and legislation, and advancing other legal and policy innovations for Governors to advance bold policies;
Develop innovative ideas for collaboration by breaking out of silos and advancing creative initiatives;
Advance affirmative agendas that Governors can use to maximize their powers to protect fundamental freedoms and counteract federal overreach; and
Partner with other nonprofit organizations, think tanks, experts, and other stakeholders to advance shared goals.

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