Development Manager

Ethiopian Community in Seattle | Seattle, WA | Full-Time

Compensation: $75,000–$85,000 |

Reports to:

Executive Director

Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS) is a vibrant, community-rooted nonprofit dedicated to empowering immigrants from Ethiopia and East Africa and their families in the greater Seattle area.

With a dedicated staff of 10, ECS is currently managing a $1.5M annual budget with significant opportunity to expand our funding base through major gifts, institutional grants, and new partnerships.

We provide culturally responsive social services and long term programs on education, health, housing and small business support. As the organization grows, we are building out our development function to match our expanding impact and ambition.

This is a rare opportunity to shape and lead the development function at a mission-driven organization with deep community trust and strong growth momentum. You will work in close partnership with the Executive Director to own donor cultivation, grant writing, partnership development, and fundraising strategy—building systems, deepening relationships, and opening new revenue streams.

This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role for someone who thrives with autonomy, leads with relationships, and is energized by building.

• Research, write, and submit compelling grant proposals to foundation, corporate, and government funders across local, state, and federal levels.
• Manage the front‑end grant lifecycle including prospect research, proposal development, and funder relationship management; collaborate with program and grants coordination staff on award compliance and reporting.
• Maintain the grants calendar and track submission deadlines, reporting requirements, and compliance obligations across all active grants.
• Cultivate relationships with program officers at key foundations and government funders, opening doors and positioning ECS for future funding opportunities.
• Work with program staff to document outcomes and gather data that feeds into proposals, grant reports, and renewal applications.
• When grant volume demands it, coordinate with external grant writing support—providing context, data, and review to ensure strong proposals.

• Inherit and grow ECS’s existing donor base and membership, building authentic, long‑term relationships with current members and new prospects.
• Lead a proactive donor identification strategy—researching prospects, mapping community networks, and surfacing new giving opportunities.
• Transition the organization from an Excel‑based donor list to a CRM system, building the infrastructure for sustainable, data‑driven donor management.
• Design and execute a full individual giving program including annual fund campaigns, recurring giving, mid‑level and major donor outreach, and planned giving conversations.
• Create compelling donor communications—appeals, impact updates, stewardship touchpoints—that deepen connection to ECS’s mission.
• Develop and manage a moves management system to track donor relationships and ensure no prospect falls through the cracks.

• Identify, pursue, and steward corporate sponsorship opportunities with Seattle‑area businesses aligned with ECS’s mission.
• Develop a tiered partnership program that offers meaningful engagement opportunities for corporate partners at varying levels of investment.
• Build relationships with civic leaders, community organizations, and cross‑sector partners to expand ECS’s reach and influence
• Represent ECS at community events, coalition meetings, and networking opportunities to grow the organization’s presence and relationships.
• Negotiate and manage partnership agreements that generate financial support, in‑kind resources, employee volunteer engagement, and visibility.
• Plan and execute annual fundraising events in partnership with volunteer committees including annual galas, and fundraising campaigns.
• Engage community members as ambassadors and volunteer fundraisers to extend ECS’s reach and donor network.
• Explore earned income and social enterprise opportunities in…