Development Manager

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

My Voice Music | East Portland, Oregon

Schedule: 1 FTE

Location: Hybrid, flexible remote work with in-person meetings at MVM's East Portland headquarters

Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, retirement, and flexible spending accounts; Responsible Time Off; paid holidays; and sick pay.

Start date: January 2027

About My Voice Music

My Voice Music (MVM) is a Portland-based nonprofit that supports youth ages 9-24 through mentorship and music. Founded in 2008, MVM serves 900-1,000 young people annually through trauma-informed, relationship-centered programming at our East Portland headquarters and through Satellite Programs embedded in mental health and community settings across the city. We are committed to financial accessibility (with over 70% of youth participating free or reduced cost) and to centering the voices of youth furthest from opportunity in everything we do.

We are entering an exciting new chapter: rooted in a permanent East Portland home, guided by a fresh strategic plan, and ready to grow the contributed revenue base that will allow us to deepen our impact for years to come.

About This Role

The Development Manager is a newly created position at MVM, reflecting our commitment to investing in the fundraising infrastructure our mission requires. This person will lead the design and implementation of MVM's major gifts program, building a new portfolio of individual donors while supporting the broader contributed income strategy of the organization.

The ideal candidate is a gifted storyteller and authentic relationship-builder who is genuinely moved by MVM's mission and excited to connect donors with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in young people's lives. The Development Manager reports directly to the Executive Director and will work closely with the Director of Community Relationships on donor cultivation, events, and community engagement. This person will also assume responsibility for some aspects of our grant writing, which is currently managed by a contractor.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts and Donor Cultivation

• Cultivate and grow a new portfolio of individual donors, with a focus on securing gifts at the $1,000-$50,000 level
• Build authentic, long-term relationships with donors, helping them accomplish their philanthropic goals through a meaningful connection to MVM's mission and youth creativity
• Develop and implement moves management plans for new and prospective donors
• Make direct, face-to-face solicitations and support the Executive Director, board members, and other staff with their own solicitation efforts through strategy development and donor communications
• Acknowledge and steward major donors through thoughtful public and private recognition

Research and Data Management

• Conduct prospect research to identify and prioritize new major gift opportunities
• Manage donor data in MVM's database (Bloomerang), maintaining accurate and up-to-date records for all donors and prospects in your portfolio
• Track campaign progress and donor moves in the database; provide regular campaign updates and numerical analysis to stakeholders including the Board of Directors
• Support broader development team efforts through research and reporting

Storytelling and Communication

• Develop compelling donor communications, including solicitation letters, impact reports, acknowledgment letters, and stewardship materials, that authentically reflect MVM's voice and youth impact
• Collaborate with MVM staff to gather and document youth stories that bring our mission to life for donors
• Represent MVM at community networking events independently and alongside the leadership staff and board members

Events and Campaigns

• Support MVM's annual fundraising events, including the annual gala, which is overseen by our Director of Community Relationships
• Assist with year-end giving campaigns and other fundraising initiatives
• Attend development team meetings and contribute to collaborative goal-setting and strategy

Grant Writing

• As appropriate, take on additional responsibility for smaller grants and grant reporting based on organizational capacity, needs, and the employee's experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3-5 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, or equivalent experience in mission-driven, relationship-centered sales; demonstrated ability to secure individual and major gifts and meet revenue objectives
• Familiarity with Bloomerang or similar donor databases and prospect research tools; Bloomerang proficiency desired but not required; training will be provided
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; you know how to tell a story that moves people to action
• Genuine warmth and sensitivity to helping ensure that donors feel valued and seen
• Organized, prepared, and detail-oriented without getting lost in the weeds; you follow through on commitments and manage your pipeline with care
• Resilient and determined; you don't take a "no" personally and you stay focused on the long game of relationship-building
• A genuine and authentic networker who enjoys meeting people, building community, and showing up consistently over time
• Lived experience in creative youth development, music, or the communities MVM serves is strongly preferred
• Deep alignment with MVM's core values, including trust, community, equity, and youth empowerment

Compensation and Benefits Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Full benefits details will be shared with candidates during the interview process. Full healthcare and dental, 1% 401k match, paid sick leave and responsible time off policy.

To apply, please email jobs@myvoicemusic.org with the following materials:

We're committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our qualifications described

Required Application Materials:

• Current CV or resume
• Cover letter
• A 5-10 minute video response addressing the following prompts:
• What does authentic relationship-building mean to you?
• How would you pitch My Voice Music to a prospective donor?

Before applying, please watch the following video to familiarize yourself with our work on our youtube page:

• Watch "What is My Voice Music?" (at the top of the page)
• In addition, please choose two youth stories to watch.

We encourage applicants to bring their own voice and perspective to all materials. We discourage the use of AI-generated content in your application, as we are looking to hear from you directly.

My Voice Music is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and others with lived experience relevant to our mission.