Managing Director, Development

Managing Director, Development

ABOUT US

UpStart accelerates growth, nurtures ideas, and advances new experiences for the Jewish community by connecting impact-driven entrepreneurs to expertise, community, and capital.

UpStart was founded over fifteen years ago with a sole focus: to accelerate the success of social entrepreneurs fueling a renaissance in Jewish life. Since then, we have invested in hundreds of ventures and their leaders while cultivating an ecosystem of institutional leaders and funders committed to Jewish community change. We are excited to be actively implementing a new Strategic Plan to put social entrepreneurs at the center of everything we do. 

INCLUSIVE HIRING COMMITMENT

UpStart is powered by Jewish wisdom, ethics, and values. We believe these elements of Judaism help shape diverse, inclusive, equitable and vibrant communities. As such, we aspire to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that models a future that is more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just. Statistics show that women and structurally marginalized and/or underrepresented groups of people need to see themselves in almost 100% of the requirements in a job posting to apply. We welcome you to apply even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, as no one applicant ever does.

UpStart strongly encourages applications from individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and people who come from low-income or working-class backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, all individuals are encouraged to apply without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, genetic information, medical condition, veteran status, or any other class protected under federal, state, or local laws. 

POSITION SUMMARY

UpStart seeks a visionary, strategic, and results-driven leader to serve as our Managing Director, Development. This key leadership position is responsible for driving UpStart’s philanthropic revenue strategy to fuel long-term growth and impact. With a $5 million annual budget and aspirations to grow, we’re looking for someone who excels at building strong relationships, confidently makes bold asks, and secures transformational gifts.

The Managing Director will report directly to the CEO and serve as a strategic partner in mobilizing a distributed development model that includes the CEO, Deputy CEO, Chief Philanthropic Engagement Officer, Senior Director of Major Gifts & Board Relations, and Grants & Development Operations Manager. This role will coordinate those efforts and drive the development plan forward while also building a robust pipeline of major donors and institutional funders. While UpStart is focused on diversifying revenue through earned income, this role is singularly focused on philanthropy. The Managing Director will also directly supervise the Senior Director of Board Relations & Major Gifts, guiding strategy to engage, activate, and steward board members as philanthropic champions. 

Our work is deeply rooted in community and Jewish values, including how we engage with questions of Jewish peoplehood and the Land, People, and State of Israel. This role requires a nuanced understanding of how conversations about Israel intersect with North American Jewish identity and the ability to navigate those conversations with a wide range of stakeholders.

This role may be based in the Bay Area, New York, or Chicago. Remote candidates will be considered if based in a major philanthropic hub. The role requires up to 20% travel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Fundraising and Development Leadership

• Drive all aspects of philanthropic revenue growth, with a focus on major gifts, foundations, and institutional partnerships.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to grow and diversify revenue from the current $5M base.
• Partner with the CEO, Deputy CEO, and other senior leaders to support their donor portfolios and elevate the culture of philanthropy across the organization.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and foundation prospects.
• Integrate a revenue diversification lens into development strategy, in partnership with the Chief Philanthropic Engagement Officer.

Board Development & Engagement

• Lead strategic engagement of UpStart’s Board of Directors in fundraising.
• Partner with the CEO and Senior Director, Board Relations & Major Gifts, to support board giving and activation.
• Staff and support the Board Development Committee.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• 10-12 years of professional experience in fundraising or development, ideally in both major gifts and institutional giving.
• Proven track record of securing major philanthropic gifts; ideally, experience driving $10M+ in revenue.
• Passion for UpStart’s mission, the UpStarter network, and the future of the Jewish community.
• Deep understanding of North American Jewish identity, with comfort and fluency navigating complex conversations about Israel.
• Strong writing and storytelling skills.
• Experience managing high-performing teams and collaborating across an executive team.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills.
• Familiarity with development systems and tools (e.g., databases, reporting, donor research, and AI-enabled prospecting).
• Commitment to integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into all aspects of work.
• Commitment to leading through a lens of community and belonging
• Adaptable and agile in the face of change, both organizational and technological
• Commitment to upholding UpStart’s values and Guiding Principles Regarding Client and Program Partnerships.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

To ensure equitable compensation, UpStart uses labor market benchmarking as the basis for establishing the salaries of employees across all roles at the organization. Biennial labor market benchmarking is conducted by an independent third-party partner retained to review available data and analyze the rates of pay being offered by organizations similar to UpStart located in the Bay Area, CA. Aligned with this practice, and in support of upholding internal equity, we don’t negotiate salaries. The starting annual salary for this role is $145,000.

In addition to a competitive salary, UpStart currently offers the following benefits: 

• A comprehensive benefits package, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave with no waiting period.
• 100% employer-funded Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for medical-related travel, up to $1,950 per year.
• FSA and Commuter Benefits accounts.
• Employer-sponsored 401K with employer match.
• Flexible discretionary paid time off.
• Annual $1,500 professional development stipend.
• One-time $300 office setup stipend and provided Mac.
• Monthly $50 cell phone stipend.
• 3:00pm local close-of-business on Fridays.
• Days off for all work-prohibitive Jewish holidays, in addition to secular US holidays.
• A one-month (30 days) paid sabbatical per every five years of employment.
• Occasional travel for meetings, conferences, and other business-related activities.
• A great workplace culture! Check out our culture deck here.

HOW TO APPLY

Use the fields below to submit your resume and a thoughtful, one-page cover letter to our hiring team.

UpStart is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, UpStart will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided accommodations. If accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Sydney Hirsch at sydneyh@upstartlab.org for assistance.

WHAT TO EXPECT

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. For questions or concerns about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice, please contact Whitney Weathers, Managing Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice, at whitneyw@upstartlab.org.

Here’s an overview of our hiring process*: 

• Step 1: Apply with your resume and cover letter!
• Step 2: Phone screen with an UpStart recruiter. 
• Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.
• Step 4: A video interview with a panel of UpStart employees. 
• Step 5: We’ll check your references to learn about your past experience. 
• Step 6: Get an offer letter, sign it, and start your professional journey with UpStart!

*Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.