Senior Development Officer

Evidence Action

$98K — $110K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 6+ years of experience in fundraising, communications, or business development, with at least 3 years focused on direct fundraising and donor management.
  • Proven success in activating donors and securing 6-figure gifts or equivalent business development results.
  • Superior communication skills tailored for high-value donors and prospects.
  • Ability to manage complex projects from inception to completion.
  • Adept at using data for decision-making and willing to pivot based on results.
  • Proficient in CRM systems, with Salesforce experience being particularly valued.

Responsibilities

  • Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors to achieve annual revenue goals.
  • Serve as an advocate for Evidence Action's mission, enhancing donor engagement.
  • Conduct research to identify high-value donors and develop tailored solicitation strategies.
  • Prepare leadership for donor and prospect interactions for optimal engagement.
  • Create compelling donation materials including proposals and impact reports.
  • Maintain detailed records of donor relationships in Salesforce for accurate tracking.
  • Test innovative revenue-generating strategies and establish a donor community in the Bay Area.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive international health care coverage.
  • Options for Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.
  • Life and disability insurance coverage.
  • Retirement plans with employer matching.
  • Generous and flexible leave options for work-life balance.
  • Additional employee perks involving reimbursement opportunities.
Full Job Description
About the Growth Team

As a Senior Development Officer on our Growth team, you will drive our individual fundraising strategy and expand key revenue streams. This is a rare moment to join a high-impact organization at an inflection point. While much of the global health sector has retracted since 2025, Evidence Action has strengthened its position; receiving increased support in 2025, participating in a new collaborative fund structure to accelerate the growth of one of our most promising programs, and heading into 2027 anticipating tailwinds for cost-effective giving.

You will be directly responsible for identifying, cultivating, closing, and stewarding mid-level and major gifts; with a focus on building relationships in the tech community, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. You will have the opportunity to lead special projects to increase revenue, support leadership in their engagement with donors and prospects, and help shape the processes that strengthen our development efforts.

You will report to the Associate Director, Philanthropy, and may have supervisory responsibilities in the future depending on team needs. Our team is small and collaborative, with an iterative strategic approach that encourages radical ownership and big vision.
Responsibilities:

Donor cultivation and relationship management
  • Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors to Evidence Action in the five-, six- and seven-figure range by developing and executing individualized donor engagement strategies to retain and grow giving in the portfolio, achieving annual revenue goals
  • Be a passionate advocate and spokesperson for Evidence Action's mission and approach
  • Undertake wealth screening and research to identify high-value potential prospects and develop strategies to secure new giving
  • Prepare senior leaders for engagement with donors and prospects
  • Create compelling communications including proposals, impact reports, acknowledgments, presentations, and other materials
  • Maintain in-depth knowledge of Evidence Action's programs and fundraising priorities
  • Ensure complete and accurate records of donor engagement in Salesforce

Fundraising strategy and project management
  • Strategize and test new tactics to increase revenue from identified growth areas and new audiences-for example, collaborative pledges, intimate donor salons, and other special projects
  • Establish a robust community for donors in the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Analyze progress against fundraising targets, using results of analysis to recommend changes in engagement strategy
  • Adopt and experiment with AI-powered tools and emerging technologies

Requirements
  • You have 6+ years' experience with fundraising, communications, or business development; including 3 years of progressive experience with direct fundraising and donor relationship management responsibilities.
  • You have a track record of activating donors and closing 6-figure (minimum) gifts. We will also consider exceptional candidates with equivalent relationship-driven growth or business development experience.
  • You have experience communicating with high-value donors and prospects; you hold the highest standards of excellence for your written and verbal communication.
  • You excel at "getting things done" and can manage complex projects through their life cycles.
  • You can iterate in real time, employ data for decision-making, and innovate and pivot to find success.
  • You are willing to accommodate meetings with donors and globally located colleagues outside standard business hours.
  • You have experience with CRM systems, especially Salesforce.


Position Location

This position is remote with a strong preference for the San Francisco Bay Area. Travel (beyond the SF Bay Area) is expected up to 10% of the time for relevant donor meetings, conferences, and team gatherings.

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a U.S. employment visa at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. for roles based in the U.S.

Benefits

The expected role range for this US position is listed below. We consider multiple factors when determining the base salary for a role, including but not limited to: role scope, program budgets, internal equity, and a candidate's qualifications and/or prior experience.

Note: Pay and benefits will be commensurate with the role specifications, local statutory requirements, and the cost of labor in the markets where we operate.

The expected pay range for this full-time role is $98,700 - $110,000 per year.

For US-based roles, Evidence Action provides comprehensive benefits including international health care, HSA/FSA options, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement plans with a matching component, generous and flexible leave options, as well as other employee perks on a reimbursement basis. For more information, visit our careers page or ask our recruiting team!

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