Director of Development

Reports to: Executive Director

Location: New York City/hybrid

Anticipated Start Date: February 2025

Annual Operating Budget: $1.25M

Employment Status: Full-time, exempt

The Director of Development works closely with NY4P’s Executive Director, Board of Directors, and consultants to define annual fundraising priorities, goals, and revenue targets and is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of NY4P’s annual fundraising plan. This includes planning and executing the annual 200-person fall benefit and other events, managing and expanding NY4P’s portfolio of foundation, government, and corporate funders, overseeing NY4P’s individual giving program, and managing all aspects of the organization’s development operations.

Specific Responsibilities Include

Events

• Oversee the planning and execution of NY4P’s 200-person fall benefit, which raises approximately 1/3 of NY4P’s annual operating budget
• Develop and implement a series of donor cultivation and stewardship events throughout the year

Individual Giving

• Plan and execute a series of annual fundraising appeals
• Conduct research on current and prospective individual donors
• Develop and strategies for the cultivation and stewardship of current and prospective individual donors

Foundation, Corporate, & Government Funders

• Manage and expand NY4P’s portfolio of foundation funders, which currently provides approximately 1/3 of NY4P’s annual operating budget
• Manage the creation of institutional funding requests (grant applications) and requisite funder reports
• Develop NY4P’s corporate partnerships program, and manage and expand NY4P’s portfolio of corporate funders
• Cultivate and manage relationships with city, state, and federal governmental funding agencies, and manage and expand NY4P’s portfolio of government grants

Board of Directors

• Support the Executive Director and the Board of Directors with development efforts, creating and implementing strategies for leveraging directors’ networks and empowering them to act as key spokespeople and fundraisers for the organization
• Coordinate meetings of NY4P’s development committee, including creating agendas, taking notes, and managing task-outs and follow-ups

Development Operations & Administration

• Manage the day-to-day administrative aspects of NY4P’s fundraising program and activities, with involvement and support from NY4P staff and consultants
• Create and maintain policies and procedures for development operations, including fundraising communications, prospect research, moves management, and gift processing and acknowledgement
• Oversee the management of NY4P’s database (EveryAction), establishing and implementing protocols for data entry and maintenance, and generating lists, exports, and reports
• Manage weekly internal development meetings, including creating agendas, taking notes, and managing task-outs and follow-ups
• Partner with the Executive Director in the creation of messaging and content for fundraising materials and communications, including copy for letters, emails, appeals, and acknowledgments
• Contribute to the preparation of reports, sponsorship decks, strategic plans, and other organizational materials

Requirements

• 5+ years experience managing the strategy and implementation of all aspects of traditional nonprofit fundraising streams, including events, institutional funders, and individual donors
• Flexibility to work at both a strategic level and manage the day-to-day tasks associated with the implementation of a robust development program at a small organization
• Experience successfully planning and executing large-scale fundraising events
• Track record of creating and cultivating long-term relationships with institutional funders, individual donors, and board members
• Demonstrated success in securing new individual and institutional funding and exceeding ambitious fundraising goals
• Experience managing fundraising databases and developing systems and protocols to ensure organizational data is complete, current, and accurate
• Excellent communicator and storyteller with the ability to make NY4P’s work come alive through superior written materials
• A creative self-starter with the ability to work both independently and as a collaborative member of a small team
• A passion for the topics and issues NY4P’s work addresses, including parks and greenspaces, advocacy, civic engagement, and environmental sustainability

New Yorkers for Parks is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, New Yorkers for Parks will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.