Manager of Development Operations

Manager of Development Operations

Reports to:

Senior Manager of Philanthropy

Location:

Hybrid (Boston, MA) — In-office presence required 3 days a week

Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is an internationally recognized nonprofit working at the intersection of climate resilience, environmental justice, and clean water advocacy. Based in Boston, MA, CRWA's mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the health of the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law.

CRWA is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented, systems-minded Manager of Development Operations to take ownership of our fundraising infrastructure. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Philanthropy, this role serves as the primary administrator for our donor database, gift processing, and development reporting, ensuring clean data, seamless workflows, and reliable operational support for our growing team.

• Oversee database administration (Donor Perfect), establishing strict gift tracking standards, relationship tracking protocols, and routine data hygiene to guarantee database integrity.
• Manage end-to-end gift processing and timely donor acknowledgments, creating custom impact reports for mid-and major-level donors while maintaining a swift, reliable stewardship timeline.
• Partner with the Senior Finance Manager on monthly gift reconciliations, data accuracy, and annual audit preparation.

• Fulfill internal/external data requests and maintain key performance indicator (KPI) dashboards for the Development team and Board to track campaign progress and donor retention. (Advanced experience with Donor Perfect preferred).
• Conduct prospect research and support moves management workflows to expand the mid-and major-donor pipeline.
• Provide operational and list segmentation support for grant tracking, annual appeals, impact reports, and corporate sponsorship pipelines.

• Provide guidance, documentation, and training to staff on database functionality and best practices.
• Support general development tasks and projects as needed.
• Actively contribute to CRWA’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in data practices and team collaboration.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2-4 years of professional experience in development operations, database administration, or advancement services. (Nonprofit experience preferred)
• Demonstrated success in building operational infrastructure, data workflows, and pipeline analytics that enable fundraising teams to achieve revenue goals.
• Advanced technical expertise and administrative experience with Donor Perfect or a comparable CRM/fundraising database system (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge) is required.
• High proficiency in data manipulation and reporting tools (Google Workspace/Excel).
• Demonstrated understanding of financial reconciliation, donor privacy, and IRS regulations regarding charitable giving.
• Strong organizational skills, exceptional attention to detail, and track record of driving operational efficiency.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to CRWA’s mission.
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

CRWA strives to attract and retain staff from a wide range of backgrounds, expertise, and perspectives and to foster a culture of belonging in which all feel valued and respected. If you need accommodation(s) to make the interview process more accessible, please let us know by emailing hiring.

CRWA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth, and breastfeeding), genetic information, or other bases protected by law.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. CRWA is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an…