Managing Director of Development

Childrens Guild•Baltimore, MD

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Managing Director of Development leads the full scope of The Children’s Guild’s fundraising and grants function and is accountable for contributed revenue goals across donor and funder segments. This senior leader owns fundraising and grants strategies, drives annual giving, oversees grant identification and stewardship, builds community partnerships, and supports special initiatives, campaigns, and events. The role directly supervises the Grants Writer and provides strategic direction across fundraising and grant functions. Beginning in FY2028, there is an opportunity to hire and build out a broader development team. The Managing Director works closely with the Vice President, Chief of Staff, CEO, executive leadership, Marketing, and program staff to align fundraising with organizational priorities and program outcomes. The position represents The Children’s Guild externally through donor, business, civic, and community relationships to advance the organization’s visibility and mission. This is a hybrid role with approximately 50% remote and 50% in-person expectations. Candidates must be located in or near Baltimore, Maryland, or Washington, DC. Regular in-person attendance is required at donor meetings, civic and community events, local industry meetups and education opportunities, foundation site visits, and donor tours of programs. Regional travel across Maryland and the DMV is required; travel outside the region is approximately 10–15%. A valid driver’s license and working vehicle are required, and mileage is reimbursable according to company policies.

Requirements

Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising and/or grants management.
At least 3 years in a supervisory or department leadership role.
Demonstrated success in fundraising leadership and donor cultivation.
Strong project management skills and strategic thinking.
Deep understanding of the Baltimore philanthropic and civic landscape.
Proficiency with CRM/database systems for donor tracking and reporting.
Ability to attend in-person events and meetings regularly in the Baltimore-DC-Virginia area.
Experience with capital campaigns and major gift fundraising strategies.
Experience cultivating and stewarding long-term philanthropic relationships.
Experience preparing for and hosting foundation and individual donor site visits.
Ability to build and manage foundation relationships, including post-award stewardship and multi-year funding opportunities.
Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and improve a grants program, including prospect research, proposal development oversight, grant writer supervision, compliance, reporting, and long-range funding strategy.
Extensive experience designing and executing fundraising events, annual appeals, and multichannel donor campaigns.
Ability to translate data insights into actionable strategies and tactics.
Excellent public speaking and strong written communication skills.
Valid driver’s license and access to a working vehicle.
Must be located in or near Baltimore, MD, or Washington, DC.
Regular in-person attendance and regional travel across Maryland and the DMV are required; travel outside the region is approximately 10–15%.

Nice To Haves

Associates degree or higher preferred.
Equivalent combinations of professional experience, certifications, and practical expertise are considered.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement short- and long-term fundraising strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
Set and achieve dollar, participation, and qualitative goals for the annual giving program.
Create a schedule of multichannel appeals, including email, mail, events, and face-to-face engagement.
Monitor and analyze fundraising data, adjust strategies based on performance, and lead annual planning and post-campaign assessment.
Build and manage a pipeline of corporate, individual, community, and foundation donors across giving levels.
Identify and cultivate major gift prospects in collaboration with executive leadership.
Oversee donor stewardship, recognition, reporting, and engagement touchpoints while maintaining ethical fundraising practices and donor confidentiality.
Represent The Children’s Guild at weekly community, civic, and networking functions to enhance visibility.
Develop partnerships with local businesses and community leaders and collaborate with program staff on community collaboration and giving opportunities.
Serve as senior leader of the Fundraising and Grants department, directly supervise the Grants Writer, and provide strategic direction across fundraising and grant functions.
Work with Marketing to develop donor communications and materials.
Own the grants strategy, including foundation prospect identification, grant calendar management, grant writer supervision, site visit preparation, and long-term funder relationship development.
Collaborate with program staff to ensure proposals reflect program outcomes and organizational priorities.
Collaborate with senior leadership, especially the Vice President, Chief of Staff, and CEO, to integrate fundraising into strategic initiatives.
Lead fundraising event execution and work with the development team to innovate donor experiences.
Beginning in FY2028, have the opportunity to hire and build out a broader development team.
Attend donor meetings, civic and community events, local industry meetups, foundation site visits, and donor tours; travel regionally across Maryland and the DMV and occasionally outside the region.