Development Manager | Apply by August 9, 2024

FLSA Classification: Exempt 

Hours: Salaried, 30-hour work week across the organization

Salary: $75,000 (plus annual cost of living adjustment)

Benefits: Eligible for full-time benefits including PTO, QSEHRA health care reimbursement, sick days, professional development stipend 

Location: 100% remote; occasional travel to attend meetings and events 

Reports to: Executive Director

Who we are: Agrarian Trust is dedicated to expanding community ownership of farmland to benefit next-generation farmers. We are inspired by worker self-directed organizations where staff collaborate to create programs and policies to guide them. We have built a staff structure with decision making held by teams in program circles rather than in a hierarchy. We welcome new staff to join us in continuing to evolve our workplace to support democratic decision making and creative collaboration across our small team. Though we are a national organization, we consider ourselves to be community-based in that our work is based on mutual partnerships and led by local communities.

We are hiring a Development Manager to: 

(1) Collaborate on all development activities, including managing fundraisers and setting fundraising goals for the organization and partners, grant writing, individual donor outreach, and corporate giving. 

(2) Manage our grant portfolio including federal grants and private foundations.

(3) Provide oversight on financial processes with our Operations Manager and Executive Director. 

We are looking for someone who:

  • Initiates projects and sees them through
  • Brings their full self and maintains healthy work-life boundaries
  • Offers clear and frequent communication and can give and receive feedback
  • Builds, tends and mends, and cultivates relationships, and is comfortable navigating conflict
  • Loves to learn and is curious about collective ownership and stewardship 
  • Has an intersectional analysis of systems related to food, agriculture, and the environment

Major Responsibilities

FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS (25% / ~7.5 hrs/wk)

  • Manage multiple local fundraising campaigns in collaboration with the communications team and partnering farm communities.
  • Utilize our CRM platform to create and run reports to guide funder and donor communications. 

GRANT ACTIVITIES (35% / ~10.5 hrs/wk)

  • Collaborate with the Executive Director to research and identify funding opportunities as well as build relationships with community-based donors.
  • Manage the grant process from prospecting to applying to reporting. 
  • Lead annual budget planning for organizational and project needs. 
  • Supports grant management and reporting. 

FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT (30% / ~9 hrs/wk)

  • Reviews and oversees all financial processes.  
  • Collaborates with the Operations Manager and Executive Director to plan an annual budget and facilitate staff participation in budget planning and quarterly reviews.
  • Collaborates with the Operations Manager and Executive Director to provide guidance in alignment with federal grant requirements.
  • Meet monthly with CPA, Operations Manager, and Executive Director to review finances.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE (10% / ~3 hrs/wk)

  • Participate in decision-making, culture-building, and organizational development processes.
  • Contribute to ongoing discussion and integration of equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism into our operations and projects 

Qualifications & Experience (Note: Please consider applying if you meet our required skills.) 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

  • Extensive experience in fundraising and development for organizations with a demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding annual fundraising goals 
  • Familiarity with bequests, corporate giving and sponsorships, donor-advised funds, and foundation grant disbursement platforms
  • Ability to ensure financial accountability and reporting obligations
  • Ability to maintain good relationships with diverse community groups and partner organizations.  
  • Track record of managing projects from inception to execution, overseeing development plans, coordinating with staff and partners, and ensuring timely completion
  • Ability to gather and synthesize information from multiple sources, applying analytical insights to inform strategic decision-making and project planning

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE (Not required)

  • Experience with state or federal grant budgets and management.
  • Experience leading or supporting projects or campaign fundraisers of $1 million or more.
  • Experience with landowner giving and real estate donations. 
  • Experience with or interest in participating in democratic and non-hierarchical workplaces. 
  • Knowledge of, or interest in, sustainable food production, land justice, and the work of land trusts and nonprofits in transforming agriculture.

Desired Location & Remote Work

We are an all-remote team. Staff members must embody proactive communications and this position will engage with the team in all U.S. time zones. This position requires access to high-speed internet and a reliable phone. A new work computer will be provided. This position will collaborate closely with our Operations Manager located in the Pacific Northwest (in Portland, OR). While we have a preference for a West Coast time zone for this position, we welcome candidates from across the U.S. to apply.

To Apply

Applications for this position will be reviewed on a rolling basis until August 9, 2024. We hope to fill the position by September 1, 2024. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to [email protected] with “Development Manager Application” in the subject line of your email. 


Agrarian Trust works toward practicing the relational culture that we support in our projects and is developing greater participatory governance. Staff have opportunities to create agreements that define our mutual expectations and create supportive spaces for all of us to work in. We encourage people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, people with disabilities, women, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people to apply.