Senior Manager, Development

POSITION DESCRIPTION 

Senior Manager, Development

Reports to: Senior Director, Development

Organization Overview 

REFORM is committed to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture. The organization is working to replace America’s criminal justice system with a restorative approach that is fair, accountable, and invested in rehabilitation. Our goal is for people to reenter society with dignity, create meaningful pathways to work, and equip them with the tools to succeed, all while making families and communities safer and stronger. In 2024, building off its core mission, REFORM launched Work Matters, an initiative aimed at shifting employer perceptions and increasing direct employment opportunities for people living with a past conviction. 

REFORM was founded in the wake of the #FreeMeek movement. The Board includes award-winning recording artist Meek Mill; Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin; Arnold Ventures co-founder Laura Arnold; entrepreneur and business mogul Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter; Kraft Group CEO and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; Galaxy Digital CEO and founder Michael E. Novogratz; Vista Equity Partners founder, chairman, CEO Robert F. Smith; Brooklyn Nets co-owner, businesswoman, investor, and philanthropist Clara Wu Tsai; and CEO and President of Live Nation Entertainment Michael Rapino. Veteran criminal justice advocate Robert Rooks leads the organization as CEO.

Position Overview 

REFORM is seeking a mission- and results-driven senior manager with advanced writing and communication skills to join the development team and focus on institutional giving, including both foundation and corporate relations. This role will be reporting to the Senior Director of Development and working within a team of three responsible for the non-board portion of REFORM’s annual revenue. (Yearly current budget is $21 million, excluding the annual Casino Night fundraiser.)

The three-person team works closely together in a supportive, highly collaborative way by managing whatever tasks are needed to maintain the highest professional standards, including comprehensive donor and prospect relations, board support, funder communications, grants management, internal partnerships, and targeted revenue generation. 

Specific Role Responsibilities 

• In collaboration with CPO and Senior Director, Lead role in maintaining strong relationships with current institutional funders and identifying and cultivating potential prospects (foundations and corporations)
• Lead grants manager, communicator, and writer on development communications: foundation proposals, reports, memos, and other funder collateral 
• Work in partnership with Development and executive REFORM leadership on establishing annual non-board revenue and engagement goals for foundation giving and corporate outreach and creating a plan and timeline for achieving (Current 2024 team goals include $7.2 million in foundation funding and renewals, as well as engaging at least five new corporate partners/champions in the new Work Matters initiative)
• Work with foundations, donors, and board members (and their staffs) on an ongoing basis to evaluate upcoming writing deliverables and then develop timelines and schedules to manage the cadence of workflow processes, including data and information gathering from corresponding departments, securing budgets and ancillary materials, review of deliverables in advance of deadlines, and drafting, review, approval, and submission of proposals and reports.
• Closely liaise and collaborate with other departments and REFORM staff for information, access, and updates 
• Researching select priority individuals or institutions and developing profiles in advance of CEO, Board, or senior staff meetings, including potential Board prospects
• Actively engaging with the overall success of the Development team and taking on and managing whatever-related tasks or projects are needed to achieve annual goals or specific initiatives deemed priority by the Board or staff leadership
• Supporting Senior Director in general donor communications and database maintenance, as well as special initiatives such as the annual Casino Night fundraiser
• Contribute to the overall culture and success of REFORM, including serving on and volunteering for interdepartmental committees and projects.

Skills and Qualifications 

• 5-7 years of experience in a similar role 
• Exceptional writing and communications skills 
• Commitment to the mission 
• Proven track record as a fundraiser and grants manager in identifying prospective funders and securing grants of six figures or more
• Knowledge of the social justice system is very helpful but not required 
• A professional, proactive, and resourceful style with the ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative, and to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment 
• Creative, detail-oriented, self-motivated with a strong work ethic and personal integrity

● Advanced project management skills 

• Agility working in an entrepreneurial, hands-on environment that values results and outcomes and which also requires flexibility, creativity, and focus
• Commitment to the highest professional standards and quality of work

Salary range: $110,000-$130,000

At REFORM Alliance, we strive to move hearts and minds to create a more humane criminal justice system. This requires us to maintain a company culture that values employee individuality and community development. We are committed to fostering an environment that is inclusive, empowering and globally minded. We firmly believe that diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, cultural background, religion, disability and age produces ideas and perspectives that make our efforts stronger for people unjustly in the system and make our company a better place to work. Our leadership team is committed to embedding diversity and inclusion into everything we do and how we lead.