Description

Location: Washington, DC preferred; open to remote with regular travel
Reports to: Executive Director
Travel: Frequent (conferences, events, summit, regional fundraisers, convention years)

About the Democratic Mayors Association (DMA)
The Democratic Mayors Association is a national political organization dedicated to electing, supporting, and elevating Democratic Mayors across the country. DMA works at the intersection of politics, policy, and partnerships — building a strong Democratic bench while engaging corporate, advocacy, nonprofit, and civic partners around solutions that deliver results in cities.

DMA has experienced consistent fundraising growth over the past several years and manages a national Alliance Membership program alongside a growing individual donor and Finance Committee program.

Position Overview
The Director of Finance & Alliance Engagement is DMA’s senior revenue and donor-engagement lead, responsible for building and executing DMA’s fundraising strategy with an expanded emphasis on the DMA Finance Committee, while continuing to manage and coordinate Alliance-facing events and programming.

This role drives revenue across individual major donors, Finance Committee giving, sponsorships, and Alliance Membership, and serves as the internal “quarterback” for fundraising-related event execution (January/June receptions, regional fundraisers, Summit sponsorship fulfillment, and select Alliance events). The Director will partner closely with DMA leadership to grow and steward a national network of donors and institutional partners.

The ideal candidate is a politically savvy fundraiser and strong project manager who is comfortable closing gifts, running donor programs, building pipelines, and coordinating high-quality events with elected officials and senior stakeholders.

Core Responsibilities

1) Finance Committee Leadership & Individual Donor Fundraising

• Build and manage the DMA Finance Committee program, including:
  • Tiered giving structure, benefits, and engagement calendar
  • Recruitment pipeline and conversion strategy
  • Stewardship plan, recognition, and retention/upgrade pathways
• Lead major donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship in partnership with the Executive Director and DMA leadership.
• Prepare call sheets, briefing memos, and run-of-show documents for mayor/board donor engagement.
• Track commitments, pledge schedules, payments, and follow-up actions in coordination with operations/finance support.
• Create and maintain a reliable donor/prospect pipeline (prospecting, qualification, next steps, outcomes).

2) Alliance Membership Revenue & Partner Stewardship

• Manage Alliance Membership fundraising, including renewals, upgrades, and new member recruitment.
• Serve as a primary relationship manager for a portfolio of Alliance members and sponsors, ensuring consistent communication and high-value touchpoints.
• Coordinate benefits fulfillment and sponsor/member deliverables tied to events, programming, and year-round engagement.

3) Events, Sponsorships & Donor Experiences (Alliance + Finance Committee)

• Plan, budget, and execute DMA fundraising and donor-engagement events, including:
  • January and June receptions
  • Regional fundraisers and donor briefings
  • Summit-related fundraising moments and sponsor fulfillment
  • Finance Committee cultivation events (virtual and in-person)
• Lead sponsorship sales support and fulfillment for key moments, including:
  • Sponsorship prospecting and pitch preparation
  • Deliverables tracking (branding, speaking roles, invitations, on-site presence)
  • Post-event recap and renewal strategy
• Develop run-of-show documents, staffing plans, vendor coordination, and on-site execution to ensure events are polished and mission-forward.

4) Alliance Programming & Member Engagement

• Coordinate Alliance programming that delivers value to members and supports retention, such as:
  • “Meet the Mayor” briefings
  • Timely Talk webinars and issue-based convenings
  • Member-only political updates and strategy conversations
• Work with DMA leadership and mayors to identify topics, speakers, and formats aligned with DMA’s mission and fundraising goals.
• Maintain a programming calendar and manage communications and logistics (invites, RSVP tracking, materials, follow-up).

5) Digital & Email Fundraising Support (in coordination with ED)

• Partner with the Executive Director to support DMA’s digital fundraising program, including:
  • Fundraising email calendar and messaging tied to events and national moments
  • List growth and engagement strategies
  • Integration of digital asks with Finance Committee and major donor goals
• Coordinate with vendors/consultants as applicable for digital execution and reporting.

6) Prospecting, Research & External Representation

• Conduct ongoing research to identify prospective donors, sponsors, and Alliance Members.
• Represent DMA at political and civic convenings to cultivate relationships and expand DMA’s network.
• Travel to key events and conferences to support fundraising and stewardship goals.

7) Internal Systems, Reporting & Collaboration

• Maintain accurate fundraising records in DMA’s CRM and shared trackers (moves management, pledges, invoices, event follow-up).
• Produce regular revenue updates, pipeline reports, and post-event fundraising performance summaries.
• Collaborate closely with internal teammates to ensure smooth handoffs across programming, operations, and communications — including clear coordination with the staff member leading Labor Council work.

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of political, nonprofit, or advocacy fundraising experience
• Demonstrated success closing four-, five-, and/or six-figure gifts (individual or institutional)
• Experience building and managing donor pipelines and stewardship plans
• Strong event planning and execution experience (fundraising events, donor convenings, or conferences)
• Excellent project management skills and attention to detail (timelines, run-of-show, deliverables)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable drafting donor-facing materials
• Ability to work effectively with elected officials, senior executives, and high-level stakeholders
• Ability to travel regularly.

Preferred

• Experience building or managing a finance committee or donor council model
• Familiarity with Democratic fundraising culture and compliance norms
• Experience with sponsorships/membership programs and deliverables fulfillment
• Proficiency with CRMs and fundraising tools (and comfort building tracking systems)

Why This Role Matters

This is a senior, mission-critical role at the heart of DMA’s growth. The Director of Finance & Alliance Engagement directly funds DMA’s ability to support Democratic Mayors nationwide, strengthen the Democratic bench, and build durable partnerships that advance effective leadership in America’s cities. With the launch and expansion of DMA’s Finance Committee, this role is designed to scale DMA’s fundraising operation while continuing to deliver high-quality Alliance engagement and events.

To Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume, a cover letter detailing specific interest in the position and relevant experience, and three professional references to info@democraticmayors.org.

The Democratic Mayors Association is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.