Leadership Development Manager Jobs in Ridgewood, NJ

Title: Development Manager

Reports to: Head of Philanthropy

Direct Reports: None

Location: In person at exalt headquarters in New York City (with opportunity for a hybrid work schedule)

Schedule: 11am-7pm

ABOUT exalt

exalt is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming outcomes for court-involved youth ages 15-19 through an integrated model of education, paid internships, court advocacy, and alumni support. For two decades, exalt has demonstrated the power of effective educational engagement as a viable alternative to criminal justice involvement, equipping young people with the skills, experience, and confidence to become self-sufficient, productive members of society.

Serving over 1,000 young people annually, exalt is entering its next phase of strategic growth-expanding statewide to Syracuse, deepening its infrastructure, launching new programmatic initiatives, and positioning itself as a national thought leader in juvenile justice. This is an extraordinary moment to join an organization on the rise.

POSITION SUMMARY

exalt seeks a highly organized, strategic, and relationship-oriented Development Manager to support the growth and coordination of fundraising across individual, foundation, corporate, and government funding streams.

This role is ideal for someone who can manage details, drive follow-through, and think strategically about next steps-ensuring that funder relationships are consistently advanced. The Development Manager will play a central role in preparing leadership for high-impact engagement, coordinating follow-up across funders, and strengthening exalt's overall fundraising systems.

The Development Manager reports to the Head of Philanthropy and works closely with the CEO and other development team members.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Funder Engagement and Leadership Support

• Conduct research and prepare briefings for meetings with individual donors, foundations, corporate partners, and government funders.
• Partner with the CEO and Head of Philanthropy to plan, prioritize, and sequence funder engagement.
• Lead timely, strategic follow-up to meetings, including drafting communications, sharing materials, and outlining clear next steps.
• Track and help advance relationships across all funder types through consistent moves management.
  

Pipeline and Strategy Coordination

• Help build and maintain a comprehensive funding pipeline spanning individuals, foundations, corporations, and public funding.
• Identify cross-cutting opportunities (e.g., aligning individual donors with institutional priorities).
• Analyze engagement and funding trends to inform strategy and prioritization.
• Ensure alignment and coordination across fundraising efforts.
  

Development Operations and Systems

• Maintain accurate, real-time tracking of all funder activity in Salesforce.
• Develop reports and dashboards that support decision-making across funding streams.
• Use tools-including AI where appropriate-to support research, drafting, and workflow efficiency.
• Ensure strong organization, data integrity, and visibility into next steps and priorities.
  

Funder Communications

• Draft and manage acknowledgements, follow-up communications, and outreach across funder types.
• Support development of tailored materials for individual and institutional funders.
• Ensure all communications are timely, clear, and aligned with exalt's voice and priorities.
  

Events Support

• Support fundraising event planning and execution.
• Manage tracking, invitations, and follow-up to ensure engagement translates into next steps.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Experience and Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in nonprofit development or fundraising
• Experience or exposure to multiple funding streams (individual, foundation, corporate, or government) preferred
• Strong ability to prioritize, manage competing deadlines, and move work forward independently
• Experience supporting senior leadership engagement and/or donor strategy
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills
• Experience with Salesforce or another CRM system required
• Comfort using or learning AI tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking & Prioritization: Understands what matters most and sequences work accordingly.
• Execution & Follow-Through: Ensures consistent, high-quality completion of tasks and next steps.
• Relationship Awareness: Understands how different funders engage and make decisions.
• Systems & Data Fluency: Uses CRM and tools to drive clarity and action.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with leadership and across fundraising functions.
• Adaptability: Comfortable operating across multiple funding streams and priorities and at both the strategic and practical execution levels.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary range: $80,000 - $90,000
• Health insurance: medical, dental and vision
• Other insurance: life and long-term disability
• 401k matching plan: 50% matching of employee's contribution up to 5% of salary
• Generous paid time off

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Please submit cover letter and resume on exalt's career page: https://exaltyouth.bamboohr.com/careers

exalt is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We strongly encourage applications from people who are reflective of the diverse communities we serve.