Senior Manager of Corporate Partnership and Special Projects

Position Summary:

The Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships and Special Projects is responsible for stewarding a portfolio of corporate donors and program management related to the New York Botanical Garden’s Corporate Giving and Special Events programs, as well as playing a vital role in the cultivation, engagement, and stewardship of the Advisory Board and Board of Trustees. The Senior Manager will maintain or support key relationships with Garden donors, staff (full-time and temporary), contractors, and vendors.

As a member of the Garden’s Institutional Advancement department, one of the main objectives of this position is to design, produce, and solicit for the Garden’s in-person and virtual touchpoints (events, social media, communications). The Senior Manager will lead campaign- and appeal-based fundraising efforts through special events and projects that generate a gross yield greater than $1,500,000 each year.

Partnership will be vital to this position’s success. As such, the Senior Manager is expected to be a collaborative and strategic member of the Institutional Advancement department and the Special Events, Projects, and Partnerships team.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Associate Vice President for Special Events, Projects, and Partnerships and key Garden staff to produce best-in-class fundraising and donor relations results.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a dynamic donor portfolio of at least 50 corporate prospects, personally raising $750,000 or greater in new commitments annually.
• Manage NYBG’s corporate event and sponsorship support program to increase total sponsorships and total dollars raised, including the identification and securing of event leadership, honorees, and corporate sponsors.
• Demonstrate exceptional skill in persuasion through PowerPoint and proposal creation, spoken communication skills, and writing which will include e-mail and social media outreach, campaign and special event proposals, biographies, agenda, event and meeting scripts, stewardship communications, and reports.
• Identify, research, solicit, and engage prospective and historical special events sponsors.
• Manage a special events and partnerships portfolio (in-person and virtual), generating an attendance ranging, on average, between 25 and 600 participants.
• Support the production and implementation of NYBG events and projects led by the President’s Office and other team members.
• Maintain active and accurate use of relevant constituent relationship management (CRM) systems, document tracking, contract and invoice processing, and filing systems.

Required Experience and Skills:

• 3 years of progressive fundraising, sales, or marketing experience.
• Driver’s license.
• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Strong persuasive and creative writing, proofreading, and editing skills.
• Excellent project and time management, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Interest and capacity to work with a multi-generational and diverse identity environment, inclusive of clients, donors, members, Board members and their families, staff, consultants, and volunteers.
• Propriety, thoughtfulness, sound judgment, and discretion.
• Interest and capacity to maintain self-motivation in a high production environment.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings/ weekends for events and donor visits.
• Fluency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• 5 years of successful acquisition of new corporate sponsors – for programs or events – at a nonprofit, resulting in charitable gifts of $25,000 or greater.
• Familiarity and experience with the NYC corporate philanthropy and donor landscape.
• Experience in special event corporate sponsorship or fundraising and donor stewardship events, preferably in a comparable cultural institution or non-profit setting.
• Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge, SiriusWare, and/or Luminate software preferred.