At Summer Search, we believe in 'No Ceilings' and envision a world in which young people, regardless of circumstances, can chart their own destiny. In the United States, students from underserved communities – disproportionately BIPOC and first-generation – face systemic inequities in school, in the workforce, and in life. Nevertheless, these young people possess unique strengths, resilience, and limitless potential.
Since 1990, Summer Search has partnered with young people during their transition from adolescence into adulthood by connecting them to expansive opportunities, professional mentoring, and a community of support. Summer Searchers recognize their potential and build a toolkit to navigate and challenge systemic barriers, break new ground for their families and communities, and achieve economic equity and a life of purpose.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Donor Relations Manager is a key member of the Summer Search NYC development team and plays an essential role in advancing the Summer Search NYC’s fundraising goals through relationship-based philanthropy, thoughtful donor engagement, and strong execution.
Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Donor Relations Manager will serve as a critical partner to the Senior Director by translating fundraising strategy into action, maintaining strong donor engagement practices, and ensuring consistent progress toward revenue goals.
This role is ideal for a fundraiser who enjoys building authentic relationships, managing a portfolio, driving projects forward, and contributing to the systems and practices needed to build a high-performing development function. This hire will join a collaborative and mission-driven team of 18 Summer Search NYC staff.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
The Donor Relations Manager is a high impact role focused on managing a portfolio of individual donors and supporting the overall strategy and execution of the development function at Summer Search NYC. Specifically, the Donor Relations Manager will contribute in the following areas:
Portfolio Management: Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors and prospects with an annual goal of approximately $500k through thoughtful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects with a focus on increasing engagement and philanthropic investment.
- Build and maintain a qualified fundraising pipeline of approximately $500K.
- Develop and execute donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Partner with the Senior Director on major gift cultivation strategies and donor conversations.
- Maintain disciplined moves management practices, including tracking outreach, engagement, next steps, and relationship progress in the CRM.
Fundraising Strategies: Support the execution of fundraising strategies and initiatives that advance annual revenue goals.
- Support annual giving strategies designed to engage and retain individual donors.
- Support major gift efforts through prospect research, donor preparation, cultivation activities, and follow-up.
- Support the planning and execution of fundraising events, including the annual gala.
- Partner with the Senior Director to evaluate fundraising progress and adjust strategies as needed.
Board Engagement: Support efforts to activate Board and Associate Board members as ambassadors and fundraising partners.
- Support Associate Board engagement strategies, meetings, communications, and activities.
- Provide tools, resources, and information that enable volunteer leaders to participate effectively in fundraising.
- Partner with the Senior Director to strengthen volunteer engagement and relationship-building efforts.
Development Operations: Contribute to the systems and practices that enable a high-performing development function.
- Prepare reports, tracking documents, and updates to support fundraising decision-making.
- Support revenue tracking, pipeline reporting, and fundraising forecasting processes.
- Contribute to improving development systems, workflows, and team practices.
Cross-Collaboration: Serve as a collaborative member of the Summer Search NYC community.
- Partner with Program, Finance, Marketing, and other teams to support fundraising priorities.
- Develop strong understanding of Summer Search’s impact, programs, and student outcomes.
- Represent Summer Search NYC professionally with donors, volunteers, and community partners.
- Contribute to a culture of accountability, learning, collaboration, and shared ownership.
WHO YOU ARE
The Donor Relations Manager position calls for a strong relationship builder with a proactive approach to identifying opportunities and moving relationships forward. Specifically, this hire will bring:
- EXPERIENCE: At least four years of experience in a development/ fundraising role with demonstrated success in cultivating an stewarding individual donors, and preferably, experience holding a portfolio of individual donors. Experience supporting or managing fundraising campaigns or development initiatives. Familiarity with NYC philanthropic networks and/or experience in youth development or education organizations are a plus.
- RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT: You partner with prospects and donors by building lasting relationships to support the organizational mission and meet fundraising goals.
- PROJECT MANAGEMENT: You take initiative to create systems and structures to achieve goals and objectives. You succeed at managing multiple workstreams and motivating, coordinating, and directing others to stay on track.
- FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES: You approach fundraising through an analytical and data-driven lens and are hands-on in translating strategy into tangible activities and goals.
- DATA MANAGEMENT: You are adept at the process of acquiring, validating, and managing accurate information within a shared system. You leverage databases to track donor data and organize information within the Development function.
- TEAMWORK & COLLABORATION: You value many voices, are comfortable creating space for dialogue and handle interpersonal issues constructively. You inspire and foster commitment, connection, enthusiasm and trust and motivate others to achieve common goals.
- TECHNOLOGY SKILLS: Experience with a Development Moves Management system including creating reports and analyzing and tracking data is required. Experience with Raiser’s Edge NXT is a plus.
In addition, all Summer Search staff bring a commitment to our mission of unleashing students’ potential through mentoring and transformative experiences, as well as the ability to thrive in an environment that values excellence, gratitude, well-being, diversity, authenticity, and collaboration.
LOCATION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
This is a hybrid position with at least 2 days a week of the in the office in Manhattan and up to two days of remote work weekly. In addition, the DRM must be available for in-person donor meetings Monday through Friday as needed. The DRM must be able to travel as needed to meetings & events across the entire region, as well to staff/attend events outside of normal work hours, as needed.