Job Description

ROLE TITLE: Senior Managing Director, Development

POSITION REPORTS TO: Vice President, Field Fundraising

PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE Friday, May 29, 2026Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

LOCATION: Must be based on Ohio, ideally Greater Cincinnati

WHAT YOU’LL DO

All prospect & donor management roles on Field Fundraising teams are responsible for cultivating, soliciting, stewarding, and managing a portfolio of donors across Ohio who share our commitment to ensuring that all children have access to an equitable and excellent education. As a member of the Field Fundraising team, you will be a part of a team-based effort charged with developing and executing on a long-term vision and strategy to achieve our development goals for both public and private funding. In your role, you will partner with the Executive Director, regional advisory board members, and other front-line fundraisers to maximize giving in Ohio, playing a key role in new donor strategy and acquisition over the next 3-5 years.

Reporting to the Vice President, Field Fundraising, you will be charged with raising $4+ million from a complex portfolio of some of our highest-potential donors from various funding streams who have the capacity and/or typically give $50,000 or more annually. You will either be the primary solicitor or will work directly with the Executive Director to cultivate and solicit these donors. We are looking for a seasoned, senior level development professional who can autonomously develop the long-term strategy to acquire, cultivate, retain, and diversify our local funding bases and manage a team towards ambitious outcomes. As a subject-matter expert in fundraising and development, you will also manage other development staff members, providing guidance and problem solving support as well as building proactive and reactive learning opportunities in partnership with the VP, Field Fundraising.

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

• 20% - Build a comprehensive, multi-year vision and development plan for cultivating complex, high giving potential donors across the state of Ohio with the goal of maximizing public and private revenue to the organization as a whole. Drive new donor strategy and acquisition.

• 40% - Directly manage, cultivate, solicit, and steward, a portfolio of donors and prospects across a variety of funding streams. Build and maintain critical relationships in the public and private sphere to advance fundraising efforts.

• 20% - Work in close partnership with the local Executive Director to build the long-term strategy, develop and maintain a keen understanding of the political landscape and its relationship to public and private donors and funding opportunities, and build and maintain critical relationships in the public and private sphere necessary to advance fundraising efforts, including local advisory board members

• 10% - Manage a team of development staff members, holding accountability for their individual fundraising in addition to the goals for the portfolio you manage

• 5% - Consistently maintain donor, prospect, and fundraising activity information in our customer relationship management system and leverage this information in tracking progress, monitoring gaps, and adjusting strategy and approach

• 5% - Steward team and organizational initiatives in partnership with the Development team and regional Ohio team

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role (minimum qualifications):

• Relationship Building and Management

  • Exceptional relationship builder, particularly with external stakeholders

  • Orientation and desire to seek out and develop new relationships and partnerships

  • Experience cultivating executive level donors and partners

  • Influence others by uniquely tailoring approaches that appeal to the motivations and perspectives and executing sophisticated relationship management of a diverse group of donors

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, particularly when working with external audiences

• Fundraising and Development Strategy

  • Subject matter expert in advanced development practices and the art and science of fundraising

  • Comprehensive experience and success working with high-potential donors across a variety of streams (individual, corporate, foundation, public)

  • Adept at building multi-year development plans that maintain exceptional donor retention and build pathways to diversifying pipelines and securing new donors

  • Understands current trends in philanthropy at both a local and national level and leverages up-to-date information and/or best practices

• Portfolio Management

  • Ability to autonomously steward a complex portfolio of donors and prospects at and through all stages of the donor life cycle towards successful closing of gifts

  • Monitor progress across the portfolio to ensure continuous donor stewardship

  • When appropriate, serve as the primary relationship holder and/or primary solicitor for opportunities and donors

• Mentorship/Management of Fundraising Staff

  • Manage and mentor fundraising staff by giving feedback, coaching, and fundraising-related resources and learning experiences

Prior experience

• Required: At least 10+ years of related experience in highly complex development and fundraising context

• Required: Track record of meeting and exceeding ambitious goals as a donor portfolio manager

• Required: Bachelor’s Degree

• Preferred: Fundraising experience in Ohio

• Preferred: Knowledge of the philanthropic landscape in our priority Ohio communities: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton

Work Demands

• Occasional weekend or evening work hours required.

• Must be able to travel monthly within Ohio to engage with local donors

YOUR FUTURE TEAM

The Revenue and Development team at Teach For America inspires donors and champions to contribute to shaping the future of our country by investing in Teach For America’s work with students nationally and regionally. We aim to source investments that fuel our work and impact with a revenue growth trajectory to raise $300 million annually. This role will be an essential part of the Field Fundraising arm of the Revenue and Development team, maximizing the contributions of local donors across multiple regions of the country.

YOUR COMPENSATION

The applicable salary range for each U.S.-based role is based on where the employee works and is aligned to one of 3 tiers according to a cost of labor index in that geographic area. Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands The expected salary ranges for this role are set forth below. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Tier A (Ohio): $108,900 - $148,700

Tier B: $118,700 - $161,900

Tier C: $128,500 - $175,400

You can view which tier applies to where you plan to work (if you are based in a TFA regional office)here