Manager, Fundraising at Commit Partnership – Dallas, Texas

The Philanthropic Investment (PI) Team plays an integral role in supporting the mission, vision, and impact of the Commit Partnership by cultivating, securing, and stewarding investors in the organization’s work. We work collaboratively across the organization and with external partners to secure an annual budget of at least $40M.

The Fundraising Manager will focus on securing a minimum of $6 million annually from local and national institutional funders, with a specific emphasis on one of the organization’s key programmatic areas: Early Childhood through Grade 12 (EC-12), Postsecondary Readiness, or Statewide Initiatives including Policy, Advocacy, and Policy Implementation. This role emphasizes lead generation, prospecting, and networking to cultivate relationships with new and existing investors.

The Portfolio Manager will work directly with programmatic teams to develop innovative strategies to connect with local and national funders, write compelling proposals, and serve as a key connector and content expert for their programmatic area. They will also ensure thoughtful co-created stewardship plans to foster deeper engagement and maximize contributions year over year.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Institutional Investments, this external-facing role plays a pivotal part in driving the sustainability and growth of their assigned programmatic area’s impact through collaboration, innovation, and relationship-building.

The salary range for this role is $78,000 - $94,000.

Please note that for external candidates, the expected salary range is approximately $78,000–$86,500.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Fundraising and Investor Engagement

1. Identify and generate leads for potential local funders through research, networking, and relationship-building efforts.
2. Cultivate and manage relationships with institutional funders to secure at least $8 million annually in philanthropic investments.
3. Develop and execute customized strategies to identify, solicit, and secure funding opportunities from local investors.
4. Write compelling and tailored proposals that align investor priorities with organizational goals and programmatic needs.
5. Act as a connector by leveraging personal and organizational networks to expand the organization’s reach and donor base.

Stewardship and Portfolio Management

1. Design and implement comprehensive stewardship plans for all investors within the assigned portfolio to ensure consistent engagement and relationship-building.
2. Ensure funders are kept informed of the impact of their investments through high-quality reports, personalized updates, and strategic touchpoints.
3. Proactively identify opportunities for funders to renew and increase their contributions year over year.

Organizational Systems and Processes

1. Utilize Salesforce for accurate data entry, dashboard insights, and reporting to track and analyze fundraising activities and outcomes.
2. Leverage Teamwork (project management software) to manage tasks, timelines, and cross-departmental collaboration.
3. Maintain efficient systems and processes to ensure seamless communication and transparency in fundraising operations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Content Expertise

1. Serve as a content expert for the assigned programmatic area (EC-12, Postsecondary, or Statewide Initiatives) to effectively communicate its goals and impact to funders.
2. Partner with internal teams, including program, data, and communications teams, to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities and create funder-facing materials.
3. Act as a liaison between funders and program leads to facilitate effective communication and alignment.
4. Support cross-departmental efforts to meet organizational fundraising goals and objectives.

Strategy, Innovation, and Networking

1. Contribute to the development and execution of innovative fundraising strategies tailored to local funders.
2. Stay informed on trends in local philanthropy to inform creative approaches and best practices.
3. Represent the organization at external events and networking opportunities to expand visibility and donor engagement.

Work Environment:

This is a Dallas-based position with a minimum requirement to be in person at the Commit Partnership offices on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and remote on Tuesdays and Fridays which requires a reliable internet connection.

Education and Experience Required (Minimum):

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in institutional fundraising, grant writing, or philanthropy, preferably within a mission-aligned organization.
• Proven track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts from institutional funders.

Preferred:

• Experience with Salesforce Nonprofit Marketing Cloud with the knowledge, understanding, and ability to execute moves management
• Experience working in an education-focused nonprofit or organization
• Experience as a classroom teacher

Language Skills:

• Ability to read and write in Standard American English.
• Ability to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate need.
• Ability to communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
• Ability to describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Job Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed must be representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensure, experience, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Commit Partnership is an Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to hire individuals with backgrounds similar to that of the stakeholders they serve. As an organization that embraces equity and inclusion, all employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.