Associate Manager, Development

About Spark

We are a science-driven, philanthropically funded non-profit that accelerates progress on unsolved climate challenges. Our goal is to enable a safer climate by filling targeted gaps in current climate actions. We look around the corner at the key blind spots that pose big climate risks or offer big climate opportunities—like major sources of unabated emissions. Then we work to speed up the development of the fields needed to address those challenges.

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Rather than betting on individual pathways or innovations, we work to grow a field as a whole so that the most effective science and solutions can be surfaced and scaled. We use a large suite of field-building tools to support new research, markets, policies, and talent development, through both in-house initiatives and building broader coalitions. We are currently focused on super pollutants from agriculture, warming-induced greenhouse gas emissions, and methane removal.

Position Summary

Spark Climate Solutions seeks an Associate Manager, Development  to operationalize fundraising efforts across a growing portfolio of programs. This execution-focused role, designed for a professional with 5+ years of experience, sits at the center of Spark's strategic partnerships and program coordination—translating strategy into clear donor materials, disciplined execution, and reliable follow-through in a fast-moving, startup-style environment.

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This is not a frontline fundraising role. Reporting to the Chief of Strategic Partnerships, Eric Kostegan, you'll partner closely with senior leadership and program teams to ensure fundraising strategy becomes crisp execution by managing the prospect pipeline,  donor materials, fundraising-related timelines, and cross-functional alignment without owning relationships or overall fundraising strategy.

6-Month Goals

By six months, the successful candidate will have:

• Taken full ownership of fundraising execution workflows, including proposal development, donor materials, and follow-up tracking
• Established strong working relationships with aligned functions to support coordination between fundraising, operations, communications and program priorities
• Established effective working rhythms with program, operations, and communications teams to support coordinated donor engagement and proposal development
• Improved alignment between fundraising timelines, program readiness, and operational requirements
• Improved clarity and consistency in donor-facing materials across Spark’s programs
• Strengthened systems for tracking prospects, deliverables, and timelines
• Reduced executional and coordination burden on senior leadership by reliably managing day-to-day fundraising operations

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in nonprofit strategic partnerships, fundraising operations, or donor engagement roles, with demonstrated ability to take ownership of processes and exercise judgment independently.
• Experience supporting complex fundraising efforts across multiple programs or initiatives.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with proven ability drafting proposals, concept notes, budgets, and donor-facing materials.
• Excellent project management skills to manage timelines, coordinate cross-team inputs, and track deliverables.
• Comfort with CRMs, fundraising systems, and evolving processes in startup or early-stage environments.
• Thrives enabling others, bringing order to complexity, and improving execution without leading donor solicitations.

Why Join Us

Spark Climate Solutions is a nimble, impact-focused nonprofit driving urgent progress on underinvested climate solutions. You’ll join a team of scientists, strategists, and systems thinkers working to shift the trajectory of global climate mitigation. This role offers the chance to make a material difference on some of the world’s most potent and overlooked emissions sources.

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Location

As with all positions at Spark Climate Solutions, this will be 100% remote. Employees can work anywhere within the United States, or internationally with approval, and must accommodate a workday that overlaps with Pacific Time for 4+ hours/day.

Compensation

• Estimated Salary Range: $100,000-$120,000
• Location: Spark is a remote organization; must accommodate a workday that overlaps with Pacific Time for 4+ hours/day
• Travel: 3-4 times per year for annual offsites or other coworking/trainings/team gatherings
• Benefits: Competitive benefits package including 90% health coverage and 75% coverage for dependents, 401k matching, generous PTO, sick time, and an end-of-year closure, parental leave, annual national park pass, and more

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