Director of Development

About the Organization

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) is a national nonprofit dedicated to K–12 history education and serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. GLI draws on a vast network of eminent historians and a collection of more than 87,000 documents to provide teachers, students, and the public with direct access to unique primary source materials that promote strong critical thinking, reading, and writing skills.

Through GLI's programs and network of 36,000 schools, millions of students are learning about American history in engaging and memorable ways. EduHam (developed in partnership with Jeffrey Seller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the NYC Department of Education) has inspired students across the country to create original performance pieces (i.e., raps, songs, poems) based on their study of Hamilton and other figures and events from the Founding Era. GLI also offers countless K–12 teachers with unique professional development opportunities, such as seminars and online courses taught by the country's most distinguished professors.

Founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman (visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education), the Gilder Lehrman Institute raises annual funds from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Director of Development will be responsible for $5–6M of the Institute's $12M yearly operating budget, which is supported by diverse funding sources, including a large board of trustees, an annual gala, direct mail campaigns, earned revenue streams, and an endowment. The Institute values history as the most important element of every American's education and aspires to grow its reach and impact as rapidly as possible. To learn more, visit their website.

About the Role

What You'll Do:

GLI seeks an experienced fundraising generalist to lead the organization's development function in support of ambitious goals focused on serving an increasing number of students and teachers. This is an exciting opportunity for a frontline fundraiser and team leader who can speak and write persuasively about GLI's mission and impact. Working across all revenue streams, the Director of Development will create and execute both strategic and tactical plans, plan and oversee fundraising events, including Gilder Lehman's four prestigious national book prizes annually.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Revenue Generation

• Serve as the key leader responsible for both near-term and long-term strategies to meet annual philanthropic fundraising goals, in excess of $5M per year.
• Identify and steward a portfolio of prospects, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government entities with the capacity to make gifts at all levels.
• Leverage GLI's existing donor base by building productive relationships that result in increased financial support and introductions to relevant networks; and work to continually broaden the base by cultivating new supporters of the Institute.
• Work closely with the President, Trustees, and other leadership team members to design and submit proposals that support GLI's strategic initiatives.
• Lead donor solicitations — prepare letters, presentations, and proposals; solicit grants, make pitches, close gifts; follow up as necessary.
• Develop a compelling planned giving program, leveraging best-in-class tools and techniques to support the institute's work.

Team Management

• Supervise a team of four, building a high-performance culture and ensuring continued progress toward individual and team goals.
• Coach and mentor development staff with an eye toward professional development, skill building, and career growth; Oversee the development staff to write, submit, and track materials such as proposals, correspondence, reports, and acknowledgements.
• Work with the in-house team and consultants to execute successful fundraising events, including an annual gala, book prize award dinners, and private events. Events may fall during evening hours and a limited number of weekends.

Strategic Planning and Analysis

• Oversee fundraising and donor-related data collection and management efforts. Deploy Salesforce to the fullest, most useful extent possible.
• Conduct regular analyses and pipeline reviews, using a data-centered, evidence-based approach to make decisions about GLI's funding priorities and opportunities.
• Work with the finance team to project, budget, track, and process grants. Ensure adherence to systems and procedures that yield a high level of accuracy and accountability in reporting to donors as required.

Who You'll Work With:

• You will report to the Chief Operating Officer, with direct fundraising-related partnership with the President.
• You will supervise a team of four, including an Associate Director of Development, Assistant Director of Development, Events Coordinator, and Development and Donor Relations Coordinator.

Required Skills and Experience

GLI is a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment that requires an energetic and imaginative development leader who is passionate about the Institute's mission and impact. The ideal candidate will be intellectually curious and able to build meaningful connections and speak credibly about GLI's work and impact. They will share in GLI's beliefs that the study of history should be rooted in primary sources and should involve creativity and exploration, that we should seek to understand the past on its own terms, not through a presentist or political lens, and that American history, despite its uneven progress, is the continuous pursuit of "a more perfect union."

The role requires a strategic thinker who operates with a sense of possibility. Specifically, the Director of Development will have:

• Substantive work experience with increasing responsibility in non-profit fundraising, including a track record of closing six and seven gifts, and experience across all revenue streams
• Demonstrated success cultivating and stewarding a portfolio of high-net-worth donors
• Ability to speak and write persuasively about GLI's mission and impact, with the ability to frame the institute's work compellingly for a range of funders and related stakeholders
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with a commitment to capturing and using data strategically and with fidelity
• Exceptional project management skills, with impeccable attention to detail and follow-through across multiple priorities
• Professional maturity, with the ability to work both collaboratively and independently, as needed
• A bachelor's degree; demonstrated interest in American history is a plus

Hybrid Work Environment

This role will be based in New York City and currently requires working in person at least two days per week in GLI's midtown office.

Salary

A baseline of $200,000 annually; compensation will be commensurate with candidate's experience, fundraising track record, and other qualifications.

Benefits

• Generous health insurance coverage from leading providers
• Employer-sponsored vision & dental benefits
• Paid time off, including 3 weeks vacation + year end break
• Paid family leave of 6 weeks at 100% pay, plus 6 weeks of state-approved family leave (67% of pay)
• 401(k) including 3% non–elective employer contribution and free Plan 529 advising
• Full tuition reimbursement for completion of the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman MA in American History
• Generous wellness supports including Health Advocate, Talkspace, Teladoc, One Medical, and Kindbody Life, long-term care and disability insurance, medical and dependent-care flexible spending accounts, transit benefit

Equal Employment Opportunity

If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, Gilder Lehrman encourages you to apply. Gilder Lehrman is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of 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, Gilder Lehrman will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.