Development Manager

Development Manager

Location: Cambridge, MASalary: $55,000–$65,000Reports to: Managing Director

Start Date: August 2026

About FAME

The Foundation for African Medicine and Education (FAME) is a US organization entirely focused on advancing quality medical care in rural Tanzania. From the beginning, we set out to provide communities in the Northern Highlands of Tanzania with a unique healthcare experience – one marked by patient-centered care and high-quality service. In that spirit, FAME endeavors to meet the medical needs of ordinary Tanzanian people, including underserved populations in the most rural parts of the region.

FAME began as a Mobile Clinic serving remote populations, and now 23 years later, in addition to providing comprehensive primary care in its Outpatient Clinic and Inpatient Hospital, FAME provides services in Surgery, Maternal and Child Health, Diagnostics and Health Education and offers an ambitious, in-house continuing medical education program designed to build local capacity. With 237 Tanzanian staff and nearly 40,000 annual patient visits, FAME serves a catchment area of 3 million rural Tanzanians who would otherwise have extremely limited access to quality healthcare. FAME also collaborates with more than 50 international medical volunteers annually to mentor and learn from our Tanzanian doctors and nurses. We aspire to build and strengthen FAME Medical and its providers to meet the most pressing medical needs of the next generation of families in the Karatu District and beyond. FAME is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization registered in the United States.

About the Role

FAME is seeking a highly proactive, systems-driven Development Manager to own and drive the organization's small and mid-level donor program and execute high-impact fundraising campaigns.

This is a critical role on a lean team. The Development Manager will be responsible for managing a portfolio of ~800–900 donors contributing $350,000+ annually, with a clear goal of growing this revenue stream to $400,000+.

The ideal candidate is not just an executor, but a systems thinker who identifies opportunities, improves systems and drives work forward independently.

Core Responsibilities

1. Own Small & Mid-Level Donor Program ($350k → $400k+)

• Manage and grow a portfolio of ~800–900 donors giving under $2,500 annually
• Develop and execute strategies to:
• Increase average gift size
• Improve retention rates
• Reactivate lapsed donors
• Build segmented outreach strategies (email, campaigns, targeted stewardship)
• Identify and flag high-potential donors for major gift cultivation

2. Lead Fundraising Campaign Execution

• Own execution of key campaigns, including:
• Year-end campaign (largest revenue driver)
• FAME Marathon campaign
• Quarterly appeals and webinar campaigns
• Build and manage campaign timelines, assets and donor journeys
• Coordinate closely with Digital Media Manager on messaging and rollout
• Track performance and continuously improve results

3. Design & Execute Donor Experience

• Manage donor acknowledgment systems to ensure timely, accurate and meaningful stewardship
• Develop and implement donor touchpoints throughout the year
• Improve donor journey from first gift to repeat and upgraded giving
• Support volunteer-to-donor conversion strategies including owning and managing engagement of FAME's Volunteer Alumni Network
• Own and manage engagement of FAME's recurring donor community

4. Event & Fundraising Tour Execution Support

• Build and manage guest lists and invitations
• Track RSVPs and event-related donor engagement
• Coordinate follow-up communications and next steps
• Design fundraising tour marketing materials
• Support logistics to ensure smooth execution including making travel arrangements for FAME's leadership team

5. Grants

• Manage reporting timelines for current grants
• Identify and draft initial proposals for strong-fit opportunities
• Support renewal strategy for existing funders

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Small donor revenue grows from ~$350k to ~$400k
• Year-end campaign executes smoothly and meets/exceeds targets
• Donor communication cadence is consistent and strategic

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, development operations or similar role
• Demonstrated experience managing systems, campaigns or donor/customer pipelines
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Excellent written communication skills
• Experience with CRM platforms (Bloomerang, Salesforce, etc.)
• Highly proactive with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Interest in global health and international development