Development Manager

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is an equal opportunity employer and accepts employment applications and/or resumes for current open positions only.

Position: Development Manager

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Job :1419

# of Openings:1

The Development Manager plays a key role in advancing the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s mission by strengthening relationships with individual donors and corporate partners through thoughtful stewardship, engagement, and program management. This full‑time position is responsible for managing corporate sponsorship fulfillment and engagement while also leading donor club strategy and mid‑level donor development, including the Andrew Erkenbrecher Society. The role ensures that corporate partners and donors experience meaningful, mission‑driven engagement that fosters long‑term support and growth.

Working closely with the Director of Corporate Relations and the Director of Development & Donor Stewardship, this position supports the Zoo’s annual and campaign fundraising goals through strong relationship management, program execution, and strategic donor engagement.

• Partner with the Director of Development & Donor Stewardship to develop and implement strategies that grow annual giving, donor retention, and campaign‑related support.
• Serve as the primary staff lead for the Andrew Erkenbrecher Society (AES), overseeing communications, engagement, events, stewardship, and overall program performance.
• Lead the strategic evolution of donor clubs, including managing the transition and sun setting of the Keeper Circle program and implementing enhancements to strengthen and modernise AES.
• Develop and execute strategies to grow AES membership and revenue by at least 10% annually through acquisition, retention, and donor upgrades.
• Manage and grow mid‑level giving and donor participation programs—including donor clubs, campaign initiatives, and targeted fundraising efforts such as the Zoo’s brick paver program—to increase engagement, participation, and revenue.
• Manage a portfolio of mid‑level donors, cultivating relationships through personalised outreach, engagement opportunities, and targeted stewardship, and identify high‑potential donors for advancement to Leadership or Major Giving.
• Collaborate with the Donor Relations Manager and Director of Development & Donor Stewardship to leverage data and Blackbaud Analytics to identify, target, and acquire new Andrew Erkenbrecher Society (AES) members.
• Track and analyse donor engagement, giving trends, and program performance, using data to inform strategy, improve retention, and guide future growth.

• Manage the scheduling, tracking, and fulfillment of all corporate sponsorship benefits throughout the year.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for corporate partners regarding benefit utilisation and engagement opportunities.
• Proactively communicate with sponsors to ensure awareness and full utilisation of available benefits.
• Actively support corporate sponsor revenue goals for all key Zoo fundraising events including Zootanical, Zoofari, Zoo La La, Toast to the Wild, Cheetah Run, Hops & Holly and others as assigned.
• Manage an assigned portfolio of existing sponsor relationships at the $10,000 (annually) level and below. Responsible for all aspects of sponsor relationship including stewardship, communications, billing and renewal.
  • Also responsible for achieving annual targets for new sponsor generation as assigned.
• Coordinate sponsor experiences, including behind‑the‑scenes tours, onsite activations, VIP visits, ticket distribution, and recognition opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and organised records of sponsorship agreements, benefits, and fulfilment timelines.
• Manage invoicing for all corporate sponsors, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in coordination with internal teams.
• Assist in preparing sponsor engagement summaries, reports, and renewal materials.
• Identify and implement opportunities to enhance sponsor engagement through thoughtful, relationship‑focused touches and “surprise and delight” moments.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications,…