Position Title: Senior Development Manager
Location: 196 Quincy Street, Boston, MA
Employment Type: Full-Time, In-Person 
Salary Range: $95,000 – $110,000 annually
Reports To: Chief Impact Officer

We’re CommonWealth Kitchen, an award-winning Boston-based nonprofit and social enterprise on a mission to stir up a more just, sustainable, and delicious food economy — one rooted in racial, social, and economic equity.

From our lively commercial kitchen space in Dorchester, to our co-manufacturing capabilities for emerging entrepreneurs, we bring bold ideas to life through four powerhouse programs:

Shared-Use Kitchen: Home to 50+ diverse food startups — from food trucks and caterers to bakers and custom product creators, — our kitchen has been the launchpad for culinary dreams for 15 years and counting!

Business Training & Support: We go beyond the kitchen with hands-on education, coaching, market access and technical support to help food entrepreneurs sharpen their skills and grow with confidence.

Market & Procurement Advocacy: We open doors and remove obstacles, helping our businesses grow sales and shifting the region’s food system toward local, sustainable, and equitable purchasing.

Small-Batch Co-Manufacturing: We help artisan food makers scale up their products and work with local farms to turn surplus and underutilized crops into delicious, value-added goods.

At CWK, we’re all about hustle, heart, and community. If you’re passionate about food, equity, and building a better future, you’ll fit right in.

The Senior Development Manager Role 

In partnership with the Chief Impact Officer, the Senior Development Manager will play a key leadership role in supporting CWK’s fundraising and community engagement work, to ensure all efforts are coordinated, effective and responsive to support and raise $3.4M in philanthropic revenue in 2025.  

The Senior Development Manager will build on current systems (DonorPerfect) that support strong foundation relations, robust individual and corporate giving, accurate and timely data and reporting, and other philanthropic revenue initiatives such as in-kind donations, the annual appeal, and select fundraising events. The Senior Development Manager will partner with the Chief Impact Officer to craft compelling fundraising materials, grant proposals and reports and other thought pieces that convey CWK’s unique and effective approach. They will also support the work of the CIO in supporting major gifts work by utilizing the moves management cycle (tools and tracking) via DonorPerfect and in executing annual  events. 

The ideal candidate will demonstrate enthusiasm and a commitment to CWK’s mission and culture, and in supporting the CIO in  growing a culture of philanthropy within an entrepreneurial and earned revenue environment, while sharing CWK’s unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion. Creating processes, a comfort and willingness to train others on tools and technology should be second nature, along with excellent written and verbal communication skills, a love of data and attention to detail, an independent work ethic and excitement to learn and grow, exemplary project management experience, and enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, social enterprise. This is a hybrid position, requiring 4 days in the office with 1 day working remotely. Salary is commensurate with experience. 

Responsibilities 

Fundraising  

• • With the support and guidance of the Chief Impact Officer (CIO)  implement the annual fundraising work plan, including maintaining institutional support; prospect research (using Donor Search and other tools), maintaining organizational data and systems;improving and building on current operational processes, implementing new or expanded strategies for individual, corporate and institutional giving in alignment with current giving trends.

• • Serve as primary data manager for Donor Perfect, taking the lead on gift and pledge entry and reconciliation, create and update constituent records, work alongside the CIO to build reports and donor lists as needed. 

• • Work with the CIO to draft agendas for monthly reconciliation with the Finance Team, ensure that all gifts and pledges are correctly entered in DonorPerfect, upload relevant attachments to support the annual audit. Create and track metrics and reports on Development activity and results.

• • Manage monthly donor giving programs, including strategy, tracking, and deployment.

• • Working with the CIO, ensure that CWK’s written materials, whether traditional or digital, support fund development and inspire new investment.  

• • Support the planning and execution of an annual fundraising event, utilizing and showcasing member businesses, supporting sponsorship outreach and working alongside the CIO and volunteer leadership committee on meeting event goals. 

• • Assist with grant writing, reports, and other materials to convey CWK’s work. 

• • Serve as project manager for CWK’s Annual Report, coordinating all aspects -including design, content, financials, select member bios and photography (print and online). 

• • Support the CIO with CWK’s new individual giving programs and tracking (moves management, prospect research and supporting cultivation/stewardship strategies as determined by the CIO) to support annual fundraising goals. 

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

• • Participate as a member of CWK’s Management Team to meet organizational goals as they relate to fundraising strategy, policies and procedures. 

• • Collaborate with the CIO and Marketing/Communications Manager to devise annual  giving campaigns, draft supporting materials such as appeals, foundation proposals, corporate pitch decks and other preparatory materials for individuals who are being cultivated for philanthropic support by the Executive Director. 

• • Guide and support the work of external fundraising vendors and/or consultants, interns or volunteers as requested by the CIO.

• • At the request of the CIO, participate in meetings, organizational functions, partner/member events necessary to perform job responsibilities and/or to represent CWK. 

• • Schedule and create agendas for cross-team development meetings, prepare background materials for review on key grant or funding opportunities, circulate deadlines for team reporting, proposals and other special gift initiatives. 

• • Other related assignments at the direction of the Chief Impact Officer. 

Qualifications: 

● Deep commitment to CWK’s mission, vision and values embracing CWK’s focus on racial, social, and economic justice. 

● Previous experience in creating the systems and building the infrastructure to leverage  fundraising success and reach new donors and foundations. 

● Demonstrated experience with effective written and verbal communications, excellent attention to detail and competency around managing monthly donor correspondence (acknowledgement letters, annual appeals, other donor stewardship activities such as invitations/correspondence). 

● Past experience as a member of a diverse team, working across functions and  outside the fundraising silo, and thinking creatively and entrepreneurially. 

● A record of measurable results in organizing and implementing such activities as:  foundation relations, state and federal giving,  corporate support (philanthropy and volunteer coordination), individual donor cultivation, and special event support.

● Demonstrated cultural competency and a high “EQ” to work effectively with and quickly  gain the respect and support of diverse constituencies, including board and staff, donors,  diverse entrepreneurs, industry partners, foundation and civic leaders.