Manager, Coalition Building

Position Type: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt
Location: Flexible (remote); Must be eligible to work in the U.S. now and in the future. Must be based in Mountain, Central, or Eastern US time zones. 
Salary Range: $73,000 – $82,150

Closing Date: Oct. 9, 2026

Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until we have a sufficient pool of diverse candidates who meet the job requirements, at which point we may pause the review of new applications before the stated deadline. Please understand you may not be contacted for several weeks after you apply.

Ideal Start Date: 2-4 weeks after offer

About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

CDP began in 2010 with the goal of pioneering the practice of strategic disaster philanthropy. Since then, it has grown in its ambition, envisioning a world where the impact of disasters is minimized through thoughtful, equitable and responsive recovery for all. CDP has a $40 million budget and a team of more than 40 staff members working remotely across the U.S.  

CDP is a trusted partner, expert, and authoritative resource, helping hundreds of individuals, foundations, and corporations boost the impact of philanthropic giving in response to disasters and humanitarian crises by supporting equitable recovery and addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities worldwide.

In 2025, CDP awarded approximately $33 million through 158 grants to grantee partners worldwide, demonstrated thought leadership through webinars, blog posts, featured speaking engagements and other events, and served 14+ philanthropic partners through consulting efforts.  

In 2020, CDP was a featured nonprofit for the 14th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.
CDP has earned Charity Navigator’s Four-Star Charity rating and Candid’s Platinum Transparency seal.

As an organization grounded in racial and intersectional equity, our team members are deeply committed to strengthening communities that are most vulnerable to disasters due to systemic inequities. We are guided by our values of integrity, boldness and innovation, humility, and empathy in all we do in pursuit of our mission.

Bottom line: We aspire to walk the talk of anti-racism and to treat each other and our partners in ways that inspire trust, creativity, learning and care.

Be a part of our fast-growing team that offers countless ways to help communities thrive. Join us!  

Responsibilities & Duties

The manager of coalition building manages day-to-day implementation and coordination of key initiatives within CDP’s growing coalition building portfolio. Working in partnership with the director of coalition building, the manager independently manages defined coalition workstreams, stakeholder relationships, project plans, convenings and operational processes for CDP-led philanthropic coalitions, including the Strengthening Local Humanitarian Leadership Collaborative, Funders for Mutual Aid in Sudan, a domestic coalition and other emerging initiatives.

The manager is accountable for keeping assigned coalition initiatives organized appropriately and progressing toward established goals and milestones. This role collaborates closely across CDP teams, supports funder engagement and convenings, and contributes to the development of systems, processes and tools that reinforce coalition efficacy and long-term sustainability.

The successful candidate will display the following traits:

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, excellent communicator and skilled project manager who thrives in a collaborative environment and is energized by building relationships and supporting collective action.
You must be relationship-oriented, creative and enjoy working with a growing organization driven by mission, values and results.
You think strategically to make sense of complex problems, and you can adapt ideas and communicate effectively with a wide variety of potential audiences.
You are attentive to opportunities, challenges and strive to achieve individual and group goals. You are an excellent project manager. 
As a member of the fund management and coalition building team, you communicate effectively with team members and other internal and external stakeholders, conveying your ideas and proposals in a way that is easy to understand and inspires action.
You are a consummate and curious professional who can execute with excellence on discrete and ongoing deliverables.

Primary responsibilities include:

Coalition strategy & planning

Partner with the director of coalition building to translate CDP’s coalition building strategy and priorities into actionable workplans, milestones and deliverables.
Manage defined coalition initiatives and workstreams from planning through implementation, monitoring progress and adjusting approaches as needed.
Contribute analyses and recommendations to the development and refinement of program scope, theories of change and action plans for coalition initiatives.

Program coordination & implementation

Independently manage the day-to-day implementation of assigned coalition initiatives and workstreams, including project plans, timelines, meetings, documentation and follow-up.
Develop and maintain effective systems for tracking deliverables, stakeholder commitments, budgets, risks, decisions and milestones.
Identify implementation challenges, assess options and recommend or implement solutions within established authority.
Manage assigned partner relationships and coordinate the onboarding and engagement of new coalition participants.
Hold internal and external contributors accountable for agreed-upon commitments and escalate significant risks or barriers when appropriate.

Stakeholder engagement & convening

Support engagement with funders, humanitarian organizations, grassroots networks and other stakeholders.
Plan and facilitate coalition meetings, workshops and convenings in partnership with the Director and other stakeholders, ensuring clear objectives, inclusive participation, decisions and follow-through.
Synthesize coalition discussions, learning and stakeholder input into concise summaries, recommendations, talking points and knowledge-sharing materials.
Navigate differing stakeholder perspectives constructively and identify opportunities for alignment and collective action.
Foster strong cross-departmental collaboration within CDP to advance coalition goals and ensure alignment with organizational priorities.

Resource development & reporting

Assist in developing fundraising materials, grant proposals and reporting for coalition-related work.
Represent CDP at select convenings and peer network events to build relationships that feed the coalition pipeline.
Support the tracking of fundraising commitments, coalition budgets and resource needs.
Contribute to documenting coalition value, outcomes and stories for internal and external communications.

Organizational collaboration and representation

Collaborate with CDP’s fund management team, marketing & communications, development and strategy & innovations teams to share learning and maintain coherence across organizational initiatives.
Develop, support and improve internal processes, tools and systems that strengthen CDP’s coalition-building function.
Share lessons, identify opportunities for improvement and contribute to the development of effective practices for coalition building across CDP.
Perform other duties as assigned to support coalition-building priorities and organizational needs.

This position reports to the director of coalition building, but works in service of the whole organization.

Required qualifications and skills:

Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in stakeholder engagement, project management, philanthropy, community engagement, disaster and humanitarian response or related fields.
Demonstrated experience independently managing complex projects or workstreams involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, solve problems and make recommendations when navigating complex or ambiguous situations.
Strong project management skills with proven ability to manage timelines, deliverables and coordination across teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including facilitation or meeting management experience.
Ability to synthesize information, identify patterns and translate insights into clear recommendations.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks with exceptional attention to detail.
Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and navigate ambiguity effectively.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and demonstrated ability to learn and effectively use project management, collaboration and relationship-management technologies.

Preferred qualifications and skills:

Experience working in philanthropy, nonprofit, humanitarian or disaster recovery sectors.
Experience supporting collaborative funds, coalitions, alliances or cross-organizational initiatives.
Familiarity with fundraising or resource mobilization.
Experience using relationship management tools or CRM systems.

Personal characteristics:

Commitment to the values intrinsic to CDP’s mission and strategy.
Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas.
High tolerance of ambiguity and appetite to tackle issues constructively.
A team player capable of cultivating productive relationships across teams.
Sense of humor.

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and tell us how your experiences would equip you for the job.

CDP provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit their resume and a cover letter via this link. Applications must highlight competencies against requirements.

All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period.

Due to the expected volume of applications, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.