Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Nashville, TN (Remote with regular local meetings)
Salary Range: $70,000-$80,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Travel Requirements: Up to 25%, including local donor and partner meetings and occasional interstate travel

About Play Like a Girl

Play Like a Girl is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to leveling the playing field for girls in sports and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). For over 20 years, we have empowered girls through programs designed to inspire confidence, foster leadership, and develop skills that prepare them for competitive careers in male-dominated fields.

We believe in the transformative power of mentorship, teamwork, and education to unlock potential and create a more equitable world for the next generation.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Play Like a Girl operates remotely with a collaborative, innovative, and high-performing team committed to creating scalable solutions that positively impact girls and young women nationwide.

Position Summary

Play Like a Girl seeks an experienced Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager to lead the strategy and day-to-day execution of the organization’s fundraising efforts. This position is responsible for growing philanthropic revenue through individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, digital fundraising campaigns, and strategic partnerships.

This is a solo development operation requiring someone who can serve as both The Architect (Strategy) and The Builder (Execution). The Manager will independently design the organization’s fundraising strategy, establish revenue goals, manage the annual development calendar, and execute the activities necessary to secure financial support. From researching prospects and writing proposals to conducting outreach, maintaining donor records, and processing acknowledgments, this individual owns the full fundraising cycle.

Working closely with the CEO and Board of Directors, the Manager will cultivate corporate partners, major donors, and other high-value relationships. This includes coordinating meetings, preparing briefing materials, developing funding proposals, managing follow-up, and ensuring supporters understand the impact of their contributions.

The ideal candidate is a confident, results-driven fundraising professional with strong executive presence, exceptional communication and public speaking skills, and a natural ability to build meaningful relationships. They know how to establish trust, navigate conversations with corporate executives and major donors, and turn relationships into long-term financial support. With an established professional network and a proven track record of securing philanthropic funding, they are equally comfortable developing strategy, making financial asks, and independently executing the day-to-day work required to achieve fundraising goals.

This is a remote position with a strong emphasis on in-person relationship building throughout Nashville and the surrounding region. Candidates must reside in the greater Nashville area, have reliable transportation, and be available for local donor meetings, networking events, and occasional interstate travel.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy

Develop and manage the annual fundraising strategy, revenue goals, and development calendar across individual giving, corporate sponsorships, grants, and digital campaigns.
Build strategies to acquire new donors, increase recurring gifts, retain existing supporters, and cultivate major donors.
Identify funding opportunities and develop strategic partnerships, including corporate sponsorships, cause-marketing campaigns, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to identify high-value prospects, leverage professional networks, and plan donor cultivation and solicitation activities.
Monitor fundraising performance, manage revenue projections, and adjust strategies to achieve established goals.

Fundraising Execution

Individual Giving & Donor Stewardship

Manage donor prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, acknowledgments, renewals, and gift upgrades.
Execute digital fundraising campaigns, including year-end appeals, email campaigns, giving days, and monthly giving programs.
Coordinate major donor meetings, prepare CEO briefing memos and funding proposals, and provide personalized stewardship that connects supporters to the impact of their gifts.

Corporate Sponsorships & Strategic Partnerships

Identify, pitch, negotiate, and secure sponsorships for programs, signature events, and organizational initiatives.
Develop cause-marketing partnerships and CSR initiatives that align corporate funding with employee engagement, mentorship, and community impact.
Manage corporate outreach, partnership proposals, sponsor commitments, renewals, and relationship stewardship.

Grant Research, Writing & Management

Research and qualify foundation, corporate, and government grant opportunities.
Write and submit grant applications, letters of inquiry, and funding proposals in collaboration with program and finance staff.
Maintain the grant calendar, track awards and deadlines, and complete required grant reports and renewals.

Fundraising Operations & Administration

Independently maintain donor records, giving histories, prospect pipelines, and follow-up activities in the CRM.
Prepare and distribute donor acknowledgment letters, tax receipts, and fundraising communications.
Track contributions, sponsorship commitments, and outstanding payments in coordination with finance staff.
Prepare weekly pipeline updates and monthly fundraising performance reports for the CEO.

Required Qualifications

5–7 years of nonprofit fundraising experience with demonstrated success securing individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.
Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business administration, marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Experience independently developing and executing fundraising strategies, campaigns, and donor cultivation activities.
Strong grant writing, persuasive communication, relationship-building, and solicitation skills.
Experience with digital fundraising, donor stewardship, and corporate partnership development.
Proficiency with fundraising CRM systems such as Neon One, Salesforce, Bloomerang, or similar platforms.
Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage strategy, execution, and administrative responsibilities independently.
Ability to work closely with executive leadership and board members to advance fundraising opportunities.
Must reside in the greater Nashville area and have reliable transportation for donor and partner meetings.
Ability to analyze fundraising data, monitor performance, and adjust outreach strategies to achieve goals.
Strong executive presence, exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills, and demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with senior executives, major donors, and philanthropic leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience serving as the sole development professional within a nonprofit organization.
Established relationships within Nashville’s corporate and philanthropic communities.
Experience securing five-figure gifts, sponsorships, or grant awards.
Experience developing cause-marketing campaigns, CSR partnerships, and recurring giving programs.
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential or related fundraising professional development.

Key Performance Indicators

Fundraising Revenue: Achieve established quarterly and annual revenue goals across all fundraising channels.
Pipeline Development: Maintain qualified fundraising opportunities valued at 3–4 times the remaining revenue goal.
Donor & Partner Engagement: Conduct 8–12 qualified donor or corporate partner meetings monthly.
Donor Growth & Retention: Increase active and recurring donors, improve retention, and secure upgraded gifts against annual targets.
Grants: Submit 2–4 qualified grant applications or letters of inquiry monthly, based on available opportunities, and track awarded funding.
Corporate Partnerships: Secure new sponsorships and strategic partnerships, with measurable revenue and renewal targets.
Stewardship & Reporting: Acknowledge gifts within three business days, maintain accurate CRM records, and provide weekly pipeline updates and monthly performance reports.

Final revenue and activity targets will be established based on organizational priorities, historical performance, and available resources.

Pay & Benefits

Salary Range: $70,000–$80,000 annually, commensurate with experience and demonstrated fundraising results.

Benefits eligibility begins after 90 days of employment, subject to organizational policies.

Retirement: 403(b) retirement investment account.
Health & Wellness: Monthly stipend for eligible medical, dental, vision, fitness, or mental health expenses.
Paid Time Off: PTO package including paid holidays, optional respite days, sick leave, Summer Fridays, and a two-week winter break.
Tuition Assistance: Assistance toward an eligible bachelor’s degree or career-related certification.
Professional Development: Opportunities for fundraising training, professional association membership, and continued development.
Work Environment: Primarily remote with regular in-person donor meetings, networking opportunities, and occasional travel.

Career Growth

This role offers opportunities to advance into Director of Development or other fundraising leadership positions as the organization grows. The Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager will have the opportunity to help shape the organization’s fundraising strategy, expand its donor base, and establish long-term financial partnerships.

How to Apply

Submit all application materials in a single PDF file to [email protected] with the subject line: Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager Application – [Your Name].

Include:

Cover Letter: Explain your interest in Play Like a Girl, your experience securing philanthropic funding, and your approach to building long-term donor relationships.
Resume: Highlight relevant fundraising experience, including grant writing, individual giving, corporate sponsorships, donor cultivation, and measurable fundraising results.
Assessment (one single-spaced page): Outline your approach to securing $250,000 in new funding for Play Like a Girl over a 12-month period. Explain how you would identify and prioritize prospective individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations; structure your outreach and donor cultivation activities; and track opportunities through the fundraising pipeline. Include your proposed activity benchmarks, timeline, and strategies for turning one-time gifts into recurring support.
Video: Record a five-minute walkthrough of your proposed approach, highlighting how you would prioritize funding opportunities, build relationships, and manage progress toward the goal.

Applications close on Friday, November 13, 2026. Selected candidates will complete an introductory interview followed by a paid live assessment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Play Like a Girl is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We encourage applications from rural residents, people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others from historically marginalized groups.

Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager (Nashville, TN)