Senior Manager, Development

Senior Manager, Development

The Senior Manager, Development will play a leading role in growing and sustaining the Downtown Denver Partnership's revenue, with primary responsibility for membership and sponsorship development.

This position will own a portfolio of the organization's highest-value members and sponsors, serving as their primary relationship manager and developing strategies to deepen engagement, demonstrate value, and secure long-term renewals. The Senior Manager will also build and advance a pipeline of prospective members and sponsors, translating the Partnership's programs, reach, and impact into compelling opportunities for investment.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Civic Engagement & Development, this position will operate initially as a senior individual contributor and collaborate closely with the Senior Manager of Civic Engagement, the Civic Engagement & Development Coordinator, senior organizational leaders, and program teams.

The successful candidate will bring both a strong customer-service orientation and a demonstrated ability to generate revenue. They will be equally comfortable stewarding an established executive relationship, developing a customized proposal, managing a complex renewal process, opening the door to a new prospective partner, and helping shape broader revenue-development strategies such as grants and philanthropic partnerships.

• Own a portfolio of high-value members and sponsors, serving as their primary relationship manager throughout the year.
• Develop and execute account strategies that deepen engagement, demonstrate value, and support strong renewals.
• Lead renewals for major memberships, multi-program sponsor ships, and other complex partnerships.
• Partner with organizational leaders to prepare for and lead strategic member and sponsor meetings.
• Understand each account's priorities and identify opportunities to expand investment, participation, and executive engagement.
• Deliver responsive, thoughtful, and consistently high-quality communication and service throughout the year.

• Develop and execute strategies to recruit new members and secure new program and organizational sponsors.
• Build and actively manage a qualified pipeline of prospective members, sponsors, and strategic investors.
• Lead the full development cycle, from prospecting and discovery through proposal development, negotiation, and closing.
• Create customized opportunities that align prospective partners' goals with the Partnership's programs, audiences, and impact.
• Monitor market trends, cultivate new relationships, and represent the Partnership at business, civic, and community events.

• Partner with the Senior Director and organizational leadership to identify opportunities to expand and diversify revenue.
• Cultivate philanthropic, foundation, corporate, and other strategic funding relationships, including selected grant opportunities.
• Collaborate with program teams to develop compelling sponsorship opportunities aligned with organizational and partner goals.
• Coordinate with Finance, Marketing and Communications, and program teams to support contracting, invoicing, fulfillment, recognition, and reporting.
• Serve as a senior resource on account strategy, sponsorship development, and partner communication while contributing to a collaborative and accountable team culture.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in account management, business development, sales, fundraising, sponsorship, membership, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success retaining and growing high-value accounts while generating new revenue.
• Strong sales acumen coupled with exceptional relationship management and customer service skills.
• Proven ability to build trust with senior business and community leaders and translate their priorities into mutually beneficial opportunities.
• Ability to independently manage a complex portfolio, prioritize competing demands, and advance multiple opportunities simultaneously.
• Comfortable leading executive-level meetings, delivering presentations, developing proposals, and navigating negotiations.
• Experience contributing to broader revenue growth and diversification strategies, beyond individual transactions.
• Strategic and collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence outcomes, improve processes, and support colleagues without formal authority.
• Capacity and interest to grow into formal team or portfolio leadership responsibilities.
• Excellent communication skills and knowledge of the Denver business, government, civic, or nonprofit landscape, or a strong desire to quickly develop that knowledge.
• Interest in city building and economic development, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
• Proficiency with Salesforce (or a comparable CRM) and Microsoft 365.
• Experience in nonprofit…