Development Specialist

Who We Are At the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC), we have a mission to diminish poverty and enable self-sufficiency for all Howard County individuals, families, and children in need. We take action towards this mission by focusing on five critical services: housing assistance, food assistance, energy assistance, weatherization assistance, and early childhood education. CAC impacts our local society by changing lives and helping create a pathway through and out of poverty or just providing a hand up when one is needed.

Who You Are At CAC, the Development Specialist plays a vital role in advancing CAC’s fundraising and community engagement strategies. This position supports the execution of the organization’s annual fund, capital campaigns, donor steward ships, and event initiatives. The Development Specialist works closely with the Director of Development and CAC stakeholders to grow philanthropic support and community awareness for CAC’s mission. The Development Specialist will collaborate with the Public Relations Coordinator to ensure consistent brand identity, professional communications, and alignment with organizational goals and values.

This position is best filled by an outgoing individual with excellent communication skills who can share CAC’s mission with others.

Responsibilities:

Donor Portfolio Management Manage a portfolio of 80-100 individual and/or corporate donors, with specific annual revenue and activity goals.

Conduct proactive outreach, meetings, and stewardship touchpoints (in-person, phone, email, events).Develop customized engagement strategies and proposals for portfolio donors.

Document all portfolio activity in the donor database (moves management).Fundraising & Donor Engagement Assist in implementing fundraising strategies, including annual fund, major gifts, capital campaign, and special initiatives.

Research, identify, and qualify prospective donors (individuals, corporations, and foundations).Draft donor correspondence, stewardship reports, and impact communications.

Maintain accurate donor records and track moves management activity in CRM database.

Partner with the Director of Development to identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit mid-level and major gift donors.

Support capital campaign prospecting and pipeline development.

Prepare donor briefings, proposals, and stewardship materials.

Coordinate and participate in donor site visits and Food Bank/Head Start tours.

Ensure timely acknowledgement, recognition, and follow-up with donors.

Events & Campaigns Provide logistical and communications support for fundraising and community events in tandem with the development team.

Assist with planning events in cooperation with CAC Leadership.

Coordinate with staff, vendors, and volunteers to ensure seamless execution.

Assist with sponsorship tracking and recognition.

Administration Maintain development databases and donor files with accuracy and confidentiality.

Generate reports and dashboards to monitor fundraising progress.

Support board committees and volunteer fundraising groups with materials and follow-up.

Other Duties as Assigned

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or related field; equivalent experience considered

Three or more years of fundraising or development experience, including direct donor contact.

Demonstrated success managing a donor portfolio or similar relationship management function.

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; ability to inspire and engage donors.

Strong writing, proposal development, and presentation skills.

Organized, goal-oriented, and experience working in a fast-paced environment.

Strong computer proficiency, especially with Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, Word,…