Development Manager

IONA Senior Services•Washington, DC

12d•$65,000 - $70,000

About The Position

Iona Senior Services is seeking a creative, organized, and relationship-focused Development Manager to support fundraising strategy, donor engagement, special events, and public-facing communications. The role is central to planning and executing donor cultivation and fundraising events, managing strategic donor communications, and leading digital fundraising initiatives. The Development Manager works closely with the Chief Development Officer, Development & Communications team, and Volunteer Manager to engage current and prospective donors, increase Iona’s visibility, and strengthen the organization’s donor pipeline. This position combines fundraising, event management, communications, donor engagement, and project coordination in a mission-driven nonprofit environment. Responsibilities include managing development events and the annual DC Caregiver Conference; developing donor communications and digital fundraising campaigns; maintaining donor and event records in the CRM; and tracking fundraising and event metrics. The role may also supervise Development and Communications interns or part-time staff as needed and requires occasional evening and weekend event availability.

Requirements

3–5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, event planning, and donor communications.
Demonstrated success managing events from concept through execution.
Experience with conference planning and execution.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Excellent written, visual, and verbal communication skills.
Experience with donor management systems such as Virtuous or a similar CRM.
Familiarity with marketing and fundraising tools such as Canva, Hootsuite, RaiseDonors, or similar platforms.
Ability to develop engaging digital content and donor communications.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
Passion for Iona’s mission and values.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with donor committees, volunteers, and event sponsors.
Familiarity with accessibility and inclusion best practices in digital communications and events.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary manager for development-related events, including the Heart of Caring Fundraising Luncheon, Legacy Circle Tea, participant art exhibitions, donor gatherings, and other special events.
Lead planning and execution of Iona’s annual DC Caregiver Conference, including logistics, corporate sponsorships, and speaker coordination.
Partner with Development leadership to create event strategies that strengthen donor engagement, stewardship, and pipeline development.
Develop event materials, including invitations, programs, and run-of-show scripts.
Coach speakers and storytellers to deliver compelling, mission-driven testimonials.
Manage event logistics, including vendors, registration, audiovisual needs, venues, ticketing platforms, invitations, and event setup and breakdown.
Recruit and support table hosts, committee members, and volunteers.
Manage event budgets, vendor contracts, expenses, and financial tracking.
Represent the Development team at cross-functional meetings and public-facing events.
Manage Iona’s social media platforms and coordinate cross-platform campaigns.
Develop digital fundraising campaigns for initiatives such as the August Day of Giving, GivingTuesday, year-end campaigns, and other fundraising efforts.
Build and manage donation and campaign landing pages using platforms such as Virtuous, RaiseDonors, and OneCause.
Develop donor-focused communications, including impact stories, donor spotlights, and stewardship content.
Partner with the Communications Manager to align development communications with Iona’s overall brand and messaging.
Maintain accurate donor and event information in Iona’s CRM, currently Virtuous.
Track and analyze fundraising and event metrics to support planning and decision-making.
Supervise Development and Communications interns or part-time staff as needed.
Support donor stewardship, database activities, and cross-functional Development projects.
Be available for occasional evening and weekend events as needed.