Managing Director, Development

ROLE TITLE: Managing Director, Head of Development (Connecticut)

POSITION REPORTS TO: Vice President, Field Fundraising

PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 15, 2026. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

LOCATION: Based on local fundraising portfolio - must live in Hartford, New Haven, or Fairfield Counties as a requirement for role

WHAT YOU’LL DO

All prospect & donor management roles on Field Fundraising teams are responsible for cultivating, stewarding, and managing a portfolio of donors in our local communities 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 and the lead fundraiser for TFA’s Connecticut Region, 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 Connecticut Executive Director, regional advisory board members, and other front-line fundraisers to maximize giving, playing a key role in new donor strategy and acquisition over the next 3-5 years.

Reporting to the VP, Field Fundraising, you will be charged with setting the vision and strategies to raise $3 million or more from a portfolio of donors who have the capacity and/or typically give $10,000 or more annually.  You will work directly with the Executive Director to cultivate and steward your portfolio of donors, and in some circumstances, you may also be the primary solicitor.  We are looking for a specialist in fundraising and development who - in partnership with the Executive Director and the Vice President, Field Fundraising - can independently develop and execute the strategy to acquire, cultivate, retain, and diversify your portfolio of private donors.

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Private Donor Portfolio Management (40%) 

• Directly grow, cultivate, and steward a portfolio of private donors with a focus on relationship depth and revenue generation. 

• Deepen trust-based relationships with prospects and donors that drive increased giving overtime.

• Support and activate the ED in advancing top-tier donor relationships and closing major gifts. 

Executive Partnership & Advisory Board Leadership (25%)

• Serve as a trusted advisor and true thought leader to the Executive Director, helping  drive fundraising strategy, execution, and board engagement. 

• Manage up effectively - to align on strategy and ensure the ED is prepared, and positioned for high impact engagements.

• Support management of the Connecticut Advisory Board, including meeting preparation, member cultivation, and enabling board members in their fundraising efforts.

Portfolio Strategy & Revenue Leadership (15%)

• Set and drive a clear fundraising strategy in close collaboration with the Executive Director and VPFF to maximize revenue and portfolio performance. 

• Translate regional priorities into a focused donor strategy & plan. 

• Proactively guide priorities, bringing recommendations and clarity to the ED.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen pipeline, engagement, and overall portfolio health. 

Team Leadership & Accountability (15%)

• Manage and develop the development team, ensuring strong execution across the full portfolio 

• Provide clear direction, coaching and accountability for individual and team fundraising goals. 

Data & Portfolio Management (5%)

• Maintain accurate record in Salesforce

• Leverage systems and data to track progress, inform strategy, and adjust approach. 

YOUR EXPERIENCE

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

• Relationship Building and Management

  • Highly skilled relationship builder, particularly with external prospects and donors

  • Build and execute comprehensive relationship management plans across a portfolio of donors

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Fundraising and Development 

  • Specialize in best practices of development and fundraising 

  • Track record of successfully navigating complex philanthropic landscapes to reach revenue goals

  • Experience stewarding a diverse portfolio of donors/funders from various funding streams 

  • Leverage historical local development trends in order to set strategy and/or adjust course as necessary  

• Portfolio Management

  • Set vision and direction for a specific portfolio of local donors and independently execute on that strategy in service of maximizing revenue to Teach For America as an enterprise 

  • Monitor progress against the portfolio to ensure continuous donor stewardship

Prior experience

• Required:  At least 7+ years of related experience in development and fundraising context

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

• Required: Bachelor’s Degree

• Preferred:  Fundraising certification (i.e. CRFE/CRFM or the equivalent) and/or related Master’s Degree (e.g. MBA, M, Non-Profit Management) 

• Preferred: Experience cultivating and expanding new fundraising markets and revenue

• Preferred: Knowledge and experience in the Connecticut fundraising landscape

Work Demands

• Occasional weekend or evening work hours required.  

• Must be able to travel to engage with local donors, and travel for in person staff/other required regional meetings  

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. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. The expected salary ranges for this role are set forth below. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Tier A: $90,000 – $122,800

Tier B: $98,000 – $133,800

Tier C : 116,800 – 159,500 

You can view which tier applies to where you plan to work here.