Development Manager, Corporate & Individual Fundraising

Minimum hiring annual salary range: $70,397.00 – $76,029.00. To attain the maximum salary, the employee must meet all minimum qualifications plus five years of additional applicable work experience and/or degrees higher than the minimum qualification degree. A combination of related education, on-the-job work experience, certifications, and/or licenses may also be considered.

Benefits

• 100% employer-provided medical & dental coverage for employees (employee-only option)
• 85% employer-provided medical & dental coverage for employee’s spouse and/or family
• Voluntary vision insurance
• Minimum 15 days of annual leave and 12 days of sick leave accrual
• 17 paid holidays and 3 personal days each year
• Summer schedule: 4-day work week with Fridays off
• Employer-paid long-term disability and life insurance premiums
• Tuition waiver & reimbursement for employees
• Tuition waiver for dependents
• PERA retirement benefits (see www.copera.org for details)
• Additional supplemental benefits & retirement programs available
• Access to the PERC (Aims gym) for employee & one guest
• Free parking on all campuses

About the Role

The Foundation focuses on building long-term relationships with individuals, businesses, and industry leaders in Northern Colorado to support philanthropic goals and enhance student success. This role involves identifying philanthropic opportunities, emphasizing relational fundraising over transactional methods, and fostering sustainable partnerships through trust, understanding donor motivations, and engagement. Flexibility in work hours is necessary to accommodate various events.

Responsibilities

Donor Development, Proposals & Contract Creation (50%)

• Develop and implement strategic fundraising initiatives, including systems, annual campaigns, and program plans, to identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit current and prospective donors.
• Oversee direct mail campaigns, initiate cold calls, and engage prospective donors through in-person and virtual communication to secure donations for the Foundation.
• Manage a portfolio of over 50 individual and corporate donors. Build and maintain strong relationships by proactively following up to encourage continued or increased giving.
• Provide thoughtful and consistent stewardship to ensure donor satisfaction, recognition, and long-term engagement.
• Collaborate with the Foundation Executive Director to manage and develop gift opportunities while creating the annual budget.
• Assess the effectiveness of the annual fundraising program and offer recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Identify, scope, and prioritize donor acquisition prospects in Northern Colorado, focusing on direct donor engagement to develop tailored gift opportunities and agreements.
• Employ a transformational relationship-building approach aligned with regional strategic economic activities to target key industries and high-potential individuals.
• Proactively research and identify additional funding opportunities, including grants, sponsorships, and strategic partnerships.
• Partner with the Foundation team and college departments to foster collaborative gift opportunities that benefit multiple areas of impact.
• Provide regular reports and updates on fundraising activities, pipeline status, and project outcomes.

Corporate Partnership Development & Relationship Networking (25%)

• Identify, establish, and nurture relationships with local corporate partners to support education-to-employment pathways and foster philanthropic investment in the College’s mission.
• Partner with the Foundation Executive Director to develop and execute a comprehensive outreach and engagement plan targeting corporate partners.
• Research local corporations, particularly those employing Aims alumni, and leverage knowledge of economic development trends and regional networking opportunities.
• Create tailored engagement proposals through campus tours, internal collaboration, and attendance at sector partner meetings and events.
• Provide ongoing stewardship to corporate partners through invitations to Aims and Foundation events, potential sponsorship opportunities, campus tours, calling campaigns, and hosting on-campus events.
• Promote awareness via social media and newsletters.
• Engage in extensive internal and external networking, collaborate with college departments, attend Sector Partnership meetings, and stay informed on local economic development initiatives.
• Represent the Foundation’s interests and expertise in workforce development and financial student support at community events, conferences, committees, boards, and networking functions.

Foundation Administration Collaboration (10%)

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to develop and implement fundraising processes and procedures.
• Work closely with the Program Manager to ensure accurate data entry in the customer relationship management system and to generate reports.
• Partner with the Foundation team on outreach efforts, fundraising plans, strategies, goals, and assessments of all Foundation programs.
• Implement plans to support individual and corporate donor cultivation, ultimately fostering student success.
• Act as a backup for the Executive Director when necessary.

Strategy Development (10%)

• Gather fundraising market information, talent demand, and skill requirements, and translate data into meaningful information to create fundraising development strategies.
• Prioritize segments of the Northern Colorado economic landscape for development.
• Promote community education and awareness related to training, employment issues, and fundraising opportunities.
• Stay informed about industry trends and best practices in local economic development, educational, and employment needs to position Aims as the preferred community college.
• Work closely with the Foundation team, outreach partners, college colleagues, community liaisons, and the Foundation Executive Director to organize and execute outreach and fundraising strategies.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)

• Perform additional duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Business, Communications, or a related field, plus three years of experience in fundraising with a strong track record of securing annual, mid-level, and major gifts (including individual contributions of $25,000 or more and achieving annual fundraising totals of $300,000 or higher). An equivalent combination of education and/or work experience may be considered.
• Knowledge of fundraising regulations, ethics, and compliance standards (e.g., CASE guidelines, IRS charitable giving laws, AFP Code of Ethics, and Donor Bill of Rights).
• Experience with annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, capital campaigns, and grant writing.
• Understanding of marketing and communications strategies related to donor engagement.
• Experience with event planning and donor stewardship best practices.

Skills & Experience

• Track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.
• Experience with donor segmentation and personalized solicitation strategies.
• Experience analyzing and applying wealth analytics to guide individual donor conversations.
• Ability to analyze fundraising metrics and adapt strategies accordingly.
• Experience collaborating with boards, leadership teams, and/or volunteers, with a focus on fostering a supportive, team-oriented environment.
• Strong storytelling skills to articulate mission and impact to donors, with the ability to connect individual donor interests to broader initiatives.
• Demonstrated talent for engaging unfamiliar individuals with confidence and authenticity.
• Ability to present to groups and speak at public or donor-facing events.
• Proven ability to network effectively and represent the organization with professionalism and confidence at public events.
• Proven success in cultivating and soliciting support from a diverse donor base, including individuals, corporations, and foundations, through strategic relationship-building and targeted solicitation efforts.

Personal Attributes

• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Self-starter who can work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Passion for education and community development, in alignment with the mission of Aims Community College and Foundation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five years of extensive experience in fundraising, with a strong track record of securing annual, mid-level, and major gifts (including individual contributions of $75,000 or more and achieving annual fundraising totals of $750,000 or higher).
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system/database experience.
• Donor Acquisition Training or Certifications.
• Negotiation Training or Certifications.
• Customer Service Skills.
• CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) designation, or willingness to pursue certification.

Required Documents

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) designation (optional but desirable)