Program Development Associate Jobs in Sterling, VA

In 2024, CDP awarded approximately $16 million through 78 grants to grantee partners worldwide, demonstrated thought leadership through webinars, blog posts, featured speaking engagements and other events, and served 20+ philanthropic partners through consulting efforts. 

• In 2020, CDP was a featured nonprofit for the14thAnnual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. 

• CDP has earnedCharity Navigator's Four-Star Charity ratingandCandid's Platinum Transparency seal. 

As an organization grounded in racial and intersectional equity, our team members are deeply committed to strengthening communities that are most vulnerable to disasters due to systemic inequities. We are guided by our values of integrity, boldness and innovation, humility, and empathy in all we do in pursuit of our mission. 

Bottom line: We aspire to walk the talk of anti-racism and to treat each other and our partners in ways that inspire trust, creativity, learning and care. 

Be a part of our fast-growing team that offers countless ways to help communities thrive. Join us! 

Responsibilities & duties 

The development associate supports the vice president of development, acting to ensure the development team's goals are met with precision and excellence. This is a high-impact role designed to keep the department's programs on track, on time, and prioritized in alignment with CDP's mission. 

The development associate will help bridge the gap between strategy and execution, tracking project management for all development initiatives, streamlining internal communications and collaborating with the vice president on priorities to ensure the department is focused on the highest-value activities. The ideal candidate is a master of organization, a diplomatic communicator and a strategic thinker who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. 

The successful candidate will display the following traits: 

• Anticipatory & proactive: You don't wait for instructions; you look ahead to the vice president's calendar and the department's work plan to identify needs before they become urgent. You seek solutions and bring options, not just problems, to the table. 

• Meticulously organized: You have a systems-first mindset. Whether it is managing complex project timelines in software or ensuring every data point in a board report is verified, your work is accurate and reliable. 

• Strategic simplifier: You can take high-level, visionary ideas from leadership and break them down into actionable, tracked tasks. 

• Deeply equity-aligned: You understand racial and intersectional equity intellectually, and you embody these values in how you communicate, approach donor communications and collaborate with a diverse, remote team. 

• Tech-fluent: You are a power user of CRM systems (ideally RENXT) and project management software, viewing these tools not as chores, but as essential levers for organizational transparency and growth. 

Primary responsibilities include: 

Strategic alignment & execution 

• Strategy implementation: Support the vice president with translating and tracking the long-term development strategy into actionable quarterly and annual work plans. 

• Prioritization: Act as a liaison to and support for the vice president, ensuring their time is focused on the most critical donor relationships and strategic initiatives, providing project management support as necessary. 

• Performance tracking: Develop and maintain dashboards to track progress toward fundraising goals, campaign milestones and departmental KPIs. 

• Board support: Assist the vice president and development team in preparing materials for board of directors meetings, ensuring data is accurate and narratives are compelling. 

Development processes 

• Process improvement: Identify bottlenecks in the development workflow and implement systems to increase the team's efficiency and output. 

• Meeting management: Support in the design, execution and follow up of development team meetings, ensuring agendas are focused, action items are captured and accountabilities are clear 

Communication & special projects 

• Executive communications: Draft high-level briefings and correspondence on behalf of the vice president for internal and external audiences. 

• Crisis communications/rapid response: In the event of a major disaster, support the coordination of the development team's fundraising efforts to ensure timely outreach and resource mobilization. 

Other duties as assigned 

• Serve on committees, panels and task forces at CDP as appropriate and as available. 

• Represent CDP positively and professionally in meetings and other external engagements. 

• Perform other duties and job-related tasks that may be assigned. 

This position reports to the vice president of development and works in service of the whole organization. 

Required qualifications and skills 

Preferred qualifications and skills  

• Experience with using a CRM, preferably RENXT software. 

Personal characteristics  

• Commitment to the values intrinsic to CDP's mission and strategy. 

• Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas. 

• High tolerance of ambiguity and appetite to tackle issues constructively. 

• A team player capable of cultivating productive relationships across teams.  

• Sense of humor.  

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don't meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and tell us how your experiences would equip you for the job. 

CDP provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

To Apply