🚀 Development Manager

Overview

The Luminos Fund, a fast-growing international nonprofit bringing education opportunities to the world’s most vulnerable children, seeks an experienced Development Manager to strengthen donor stewardship. The ideal candidate is an exemplary writer and communicator with proven skills in donor recognition strategy and events management. The Development Manager will collaborate with Luminos’ frontline fundraising staff to design and implement tailored stewardship strategies that enhance relationships with the organization’s community of supporters, focusing on foundations and high-net-worth individuals.

This full-time position is ideally based in one of Luminos’ office locations (e.g., Boston, London, Accra, etc.), but exceptional candidates located elsewhere within the GMT –5 to +3 time zones will be considered. The Development Manager reports to the Director of Development and collaborates with team members throughout the organization.

About The Luminos Fund

The Luminos Fund ( provides transformative education programs to thousands of out-of-school and vulnerable children each year, helping them catch up to grade level, reintegrate into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. Luminos partners with community-based organizations and is scaling up its accelerated learning program to ensure all children have access to joyful, foundational learning, especially those affected by crisis, poverty, or discrimination. To date, Luminos has helped over 377,407 children secure a second chance to learn. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and operates in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Liberia, and The Gambia.

Luminos is supported by a range of funding partners, including Cartier Philanthropy, the Gates Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, and UNICEF. Luminos has been recognized globally with awards such as the 2022 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prize, the Library of Congress International Literacy Award, the Lipman Family Prize, the WISE Award, and the HundrED Global Innovation Award.

Duties and Responsibilities

Donor Stewardship

• Spearhead and manage a comprehensive stewardship and recognition strategy and calendar for donors across Luminos’ portfolios.
• Serve as a thought partner to frontline fundraisers to develop and refine personalized donor stewardship for major donors, ensuring that donors feel engaged and valued.
• Lead the management of meaningful donor thank-yous.
• Collaborate with the Development Associate to update donation recognition letters and tax receipt content periodically to keep materials pertinent and compelling.

Donor Communications

• In the context of individual donor stewardship plans, write seamless, compelling donor reports for foundations and high-net-worth individuals, reflecting the highest standard of professionalism with the goal of exceeding donors’ expectations.
• Work with the Director of Development to craft additional donor and prospect communications, including proposals (with a focus on awards), event invitations, personalized donor recognition letters and handwritten notes, and on-brand PowerPoint presentations.
• Update Luminos’ donor database (Salesforce) to accurately document touchpoints.

Events Management

• Provide highly efficient, proactive support for events across the Development and Communications teams, tailored to the needs of diverse audiences and bringing Board members, donors, partners, and stakeholders closer to Luminos’ work.
• Manage external relationships with venues, suppliers, caterers, printers, etc., as well as internal stakeholders involved in events (speakers, communications team, etc.).
• Plan and monitor the overall expenditure budget for donor events, including cost tracking and ensuring value for money.
• Help plan meaningful donor and prospect visits in Luminos’ countries of operation, designing experiences that illuminate our education mission and impact for children.

Qualifications and Required Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 5-7 years of professional experience in donor stewardship with a demonstrated track record of success
• Exemplary writing and editing skills for different audiences
• Excellent events organization and management skills
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Experience with Salesforce or other donor databases
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Proven success working remotely is strongly desired

Luminos Core Beliefs and Values

1. We believe that every child is capable of learning a remarkable amount in a short period of time, if given the chance.
2. We keep children’s joy and well-being at the heart of everything we do.
3. We embrace assessment as a key component of effective teaching and learning.
4. We celebrate and empower local leadership throughout our work with partner communities and governments.
5. We use research, program data, and skilled classroom observation in the tenacious pursuit of excellence.
6. We celebrate the unique contexts and cultures of the communities we serve in our curricula and pedagogy.
7. We act with the highest standards of integrity and care, ensuring mutual accountability among colleagues and partners.
8. We take the initiative to solve problems where we find them, managing details large and small, with urgency.
9. We act deliberately to ensure that our organization is inclusive for people of different genders, racial backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, abilities, and other sources of diversity.
10. We build deep, authentic relationships with our supporters in celebration of the mutually transformative power of giving.

To show you have reviewed the Luminos Fund website, please integrate the word "iterative" into your cover letter in a meaningful way.

To apply, please complete the online application with your resume or CV, a cover letter describing why you are a good match for this position, and a writing sample (5 pages or less). A writing test will be administered for short-listed candidates.

Salary will be commensurate with experience and location.

Luminos is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status.