Development Operations Manager

National Park Trust•Rockville, MD

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

National Park Trust is expanding its development team as it launches the initial phase of a $20 million campaign and grows sustainable private support. The Development Operations Manager will build reliable systems that help fundraisers understand their portfolios, honor donor intent, steward gifts, and make decisions using accurate information. This is a hands-on manager role that combines process improvement and analysis with detailed data and gift administration. The position administers the fundraising CRM and maintains accurate donor, gift, household, institutional, and campaign records. It oversees gift and pledge processing, acknowledgments, prospect research and moves management, reporting, and analysis. The manager documents procedures, trains colleagues, and works closely with Development, Finance, Donor Relations, Communications, leadership, and fundraisers to strengthen development operations as the organization and campaign activity grow. The role is based in Rockville, Maryland, with a hybrid work arrangement ranging from full-time in-office work to a blend of remote and in-office work according to the Park Trust’s needs. Some local and overnight travel is required. All staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and the candidate must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check. Reasonable accommodations will be considered as required by law.

Requirements

Experience administering a fundraising CRM and managing gift and pledge records, preferably in a nonprofit development office.
Strong Excel and data analysis skills, including the ability to build reports and translate findings into useful information for colleagues.
Experience with prospect research, portfolio tracking, database hygiene, and finance reconciliation, or demonstrated ability to develop these practices.
Sound judgment with confidential information, accuracy, persistence, and comfort performing detailed transactional work.
Ability to document and improve processes, train colleagues, manage competing deadlines, and collaborate with Development, Finance, and Communications.
Commitment to National Park Trust’s mission.
Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to reasonable accommodations provided for by applicable law.
Must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check.
Driver’s license and use of a car.
Ability to perform some physical exertion, including outdoor recreation activities, and lift items weighing 25–40 lbs.
Ability to undertake required local and overnight travel.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Neon CRM.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary administrator of Neon CRM, overseeing data standards, coding, cleanup, imports, permissions, documentation, and staff training.
Maintain accurate donor, gift, household, institutional, and campaign records; establish quality checks and resolve discrepancies with colleagues.
Create procedures for entering interactions, updating records, producing lists, and protecting confidential donor information.
Oversee and perform timely gift entry and processing, including donations received through third-party platforms, donor designations, restrictions, and campaign commitments.
Maintain multiyear pledge schedules, payment status, and documentation of donor intent; provide accurate balances and status information to fundraisers and leadership.
Produce receipts and acknowledgments, manage the acknowledgment workflow, and coordinate personalized language with Donor Relations, the Executive Director, and relationship managers.
Reconcile fundraising records with Finance and strengthen controls, exception handling, and handoffs between Neon and the financial system.
Conduct and coordinate prospect research, including capacity and affinity indicators, giving history, institutional information, and screening results; prepare profiles and briefing inputs for fundraisers.
Administer prospect assignments, portfolio records, stages, next steps, and contact activity in Neon; prompt staff to keep records current and make the pipeline visible.
Support the Senior Director of Development in identifying and prioritizing prospects for qualification, including candidates from annual and mid-level giving and prospects beyond the current donor file.
Produce revenue, pledge, pipeline, campaign, and activity reports and dashboards for development leadership and appropriate board review.
Analyze retention, renewals, upgrades, appeal response, event engagement, and portfolio movement to inform decisions, distinguishing commitments from cash received.
Provide clean lists and data support for approved mail, email, events, stewardship, and institutional giving workflows; coordinate audience criteria with Communications and Donor Relations.
Document repeatable development procedures, train colleagues, and improve workflows as staffing and campaign activity grow.
Partner with Finance on reconciliation, Donor Relations on acknowledgments, and fundraisers on prospect activity and reporting needs.
Assess data and system needs, set practical priorities with the Senior Director of Development, and support future onboarding of development staff.