Horizon's Development Manager

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER 

Position Description 

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW 

Horizons at Carolina Day aims to reverse the trend of summer learning loss that adversely impacts the long-term success of students who are impacted by inequities. Horizons at Carolina Day, an affiliate of the nationally renowned Horizons National program, is a public-private partnership that provides academic, cultural, and recreational summer programming designed to support students from under-resourced communities in realizing their full potential. The heart of Horizons is a six-week, equity-centered academic summer program that supports students in reading, writing, math, and science, paired with swimming lessons, field trips, sports, and enrichment activities in the performing and visual arts. The program also includes a year-round component featuring Saturday events, visits to schools, family support, and communication with students’ schools and teachers. The student/teacher ratio at Horizons is approximately 5:1. 

The program begins in kindergarten and serves its students through 9th grade and beyond, helping them build skills and self-confidence and realize their full potential through a unique blend of academic, cultural, and recreational enrichment activities. Additionally, Horizons provides direct, individualized academic support and tutoring to its students throughout the year. Working in partnership with Horizons families, schools in Asheville and Buncombe County, and the host school, Carolina Day School, Horizons at Carolina Day School supports the whole child and offers activities that promote higher-level thinking and perspective, leadership development and boost self-efficacy.

Horizons will serve over 135 students from 2026 and beyond, from kindergarten through high school and will continue to expand and refine its work. For more information about Horizons, please visit https://www.horizonsatcarolinaday.org. 

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Development Manager will manage a dynamic and multi-modal development program that will support the continued growth and sustainability of Horizons at Carolina Day. This position will work to advance the current development program while also conceiving and implementing new fundraising strategies. This position will partner with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors while taking the lead on all fundraising activities. 

POSITION STATUS 

Staff, part-time. This position involves collaborating in the office on the campus of Carolina Day School, taking meetings in-person off-campus, as well as virtual meetings. Flexible, remote work will also be possible for a portion of the hours. Approximately 60 to 80 hours per month. 

COMPENSATION 

$30 per hour 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Horizons at Carolina Day School is seeking a Development Manager to develop and implement both existing and new fundraising programs, cultivate and enhance constituent relationships for Horizons at Carolina Day School, including but not limited to: 

● Support and collaborate with the Executive Director across all aspects of development 

● Communicate with individual donors through annual giving efforts such as email and social media campaigns as well as phone communications 

● Supervise Horizons National Giving Day, year-end  efforts through outreach, strategy, and social media 

● Identify and cultivate major donors 

● Create campaign and fundraising materials, analyze all fundraising results, and make recommendations to the ED and Board to increase reach, participation, and gift level 

● Lead stewardship efforts for donor base 

● Manage, supervise and lead special events oriented toward our donors during the year these include friendraisers, supporter’s breakfast(s), visits to programming, and our annual benefit. 

● Collaborate with program director and teaching staff to set event schedules as needed 

● Develop relationships with area businesses and corporations to build corporate giving program 

● Represent Horizons at Carolina Day at community events and implement strategies to increase awareness and name recognition of Horizons throughout the community 

● Update and manage donor database including updating all constituent information, producing mailing labels and lists, creating and updating donor lists, and processing donations throughout the year and ticket sales for our annual event 

● Coordinate the gift acknowledgement process, ensuring all gifts and pledges are stewarded in a timely fashion; generate annual gift reminders 

● Attend board meetings as requested 

● Contribute to expansion and growth conversations related to programming

● Meet weekly with the Executive Director 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required 

● Passionate about Horizons at Carolina Day and its mission 

● Excellent interpersonal skills, including discretion and good judgment 

● Working knowledge of fundraising through all social media outlets 

● Reliable, collaborative, and flexible 

● Ability to relate effectively to a diverse community and to connect with Horizons’ staff, volunteers, partners, consultants, board members, children, and parents 

● Exceptional writing, proofreading skills 

● Demonstrated excellence in time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail

● Ability to learn from feedback, handle multiple projects, work independently, and produce quality results on schedule 

● Demonstrated ability with Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and familiarity with database management 

● 4-year college degree 

● 2+ years of experience in a development or fundraising or grantmaking role 

Ideal 

● Experience in developing and organizing marketing and fundraising proposals for various audiences 

● Experience working with various stakeholders to ensure mission alignment across  fundraising and/or efforts in nonprofit settings 

 In addition to your online applicaiton, please email as a .pdf attachment to an email or include in an email to [email protected] answers the following questions: 

● How would you develop relationships with our donors and sponsors to incorporate the value and promise of this program? 

● What elements of your professional experience align well with this role? 

● What kinds of new campaigns might you launch to target various stakeholders?

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential

functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk;

sit; use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms;

climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee

must occasionally lift and or move up to 50 pounds. This position sometimes has to use ladders,

scaffolding and other equipment to work off the ground.

Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision,

peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met

by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential

functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.