Chief Development Officer

JOB POSTING

Position Title:   Chief Development Officer

Location:                 645 Saint Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10030

Salary Range:          $175,000K - $182,000K/annual

Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) seeks a full-time Chief Development Officer (CDO). The CDO plays a pivotal role in securing the resources needed to fuel HSA’s mission and ensure the school’s continued success. The CDO will spearhead fundraising efforts, cultivate relationships with major donors, and build a sustainable development program that strengthens the organization’s financial foundation.

The schedule will be Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Occasional scheduled evening hours for special programs and events may be required. This is a full-time, on-site position.

As an important member of the senior leadership team, the CDO will work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure visions align when it comes to cultivating soliciting and closing transformational gifts.

This position reports to the President and will work in close collaboration with colleagues in all disciplines.

The CDO will work in partnership with the Marketing department on the development of fundraising materials as well as with programs on identifying/narration of programs that

can be used as anchors for fundraising. The CDO is responsible for the developing, tracking, and reporting of the development budget and will also work with the finance department on cash flow projections and ensure proper reconciliation of monies received. They will build, lead, and mentor a team of two which includes a Director of Institutional Giving, Director of Individual Giving.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to diversify income streams, including individual giving, major gifts programs, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and special events.
• Cultivating relationships with major donors, prospects, and foundation representatives, building trust and securing significant contributions.    
• Overseeing grant writing and research to identify and secure funding opportunities.    
• Ensuring the donor database is kept to date and accurately managed to ensure that all fundraising activities are recorded. 
• Conducting prospect research and develop/maintain major donor prospects list.
• Leading a team of development professionals and provide coaching and mentorship. 
• Managing stewardship efforts to ensure strong donor retention and continued engagement.
• Partnering with the Board of Directors to leverage their expertise and networks in support of fundraising initiatives.
• Analyzing fundraising data and metrics to measure performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Staying current on trends in arts education philanthropy and best practices in development.
• May be required to do direct solicitation on behalf of HSA – sometimes in partnership with the president, colleagues, or board members.

FUNDING:

HSA has an annual operating budget of approximately $5M, of which $2.5-3M is generated through philanthropy. The balance is received through earned income (tuition, fees, and rental revenue). Annual operating budget varies slightly from year to year.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• At least ten (10) years of experience in development leadership and implementation for a non-profit organization; proven success working with a board of directors
• Knowledge of NYC-area arts/youth/culture funding communities
• Knowledge of developing and implementing fundraising campaigns
• Demonstrated relationship management/major gift cultivation and solicitation skills
• Familiar with best practices in fundraising
• Genuine passion for the HSA mission; able and willing to attend frequent evening/weekend activities and events
• Able to lead, motivate, and elevate members of the development team
• Experience with CRM databases such as Neon or Raiser’s Edge

Location

Harlem School of the Arts is located at 645 Saint Nicholas Avenue in Harlem. The school is easily accessible via the A, C, B, and D subway lines. This position does allow for some remote work; however, you must live in the New York City Metropolitan area to be considered as there will be in-person requirements on a regular basis.

About Harlem School of the Arts

Harlem School of the Arts enriches the lives of young people and their families through world-class training in and exposure to the arts across multiple disciplines (Art, Music, Dance, and Theater) in an environment that emphasizes rigorous training, stimulates creativity, builds self-confidence, and adds a dimension of beauty to their lives.

Chief Development Officer

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) plays a pivotal role in securing the resources needed to fuel HSA’s mission and ensure the school’s continued success. The CDO will spearhead fundraising efforts, cultivate relationships with major donors, and build a sustainable development program that strengthens the organization’s financial foundation.

As an important member of the senior leadership team, the CDO will work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure visions align when it comes to cultivating soliciting and closing transformational gifts.

This position reports to the President and will work in close collaboration with colleagues in all disciplines.

The CDO will work in partnership with the Marketing department on the development of fundraising materials as well as with programs on identifying/narration of programs that can be used as anchors for fundraising. The CDO is responsible for the developing, tracking, and reporting of the development budget and will also work with the finance department on cash flow projections and ensure proper reconciliation of monies received. They will build, lead, and mentor a team of two which includes a Director of Institutional Giving, Director of Individual Giving.

Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to diversify income streams, including individual giving, major gifts programs, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and special events.
• Cultivating relationships with major donors, prospects, and foundation representatives, building trust and securing significant contributions.
• Overseeing grant writing and research to identify and secure funding opportunities.
• Ensuring the donor database is kept to date and accurately managed to ensure that all fundraising activities are recorded.
• Conducting prospect research and develop/maintain major donor prospects list.
• Leading a team of development professionals and provide coaching and mentorship.
• Managing stewardship efforts to ensure strong donor retention and continued engagement.
• Partnering with the Board of Directors to leverage their expertise and networks in support of fundraising initiatives.
• Analyzing fundraising data and metrics to measure performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Staying current on trends in arts education philanthropy and best practices in development.
• May be required to do direct solicitation on behalf of HSA – sometimes in partnership with the president, colleagues, or board members.

FUNDING: HSA has an annual operating budget of approximately $5M, of which $2.5-3M is generated through philanthropy. The balance is received through earned income (tuition, fees, and rental revenue). Annual operating budget varies slightly from year to year.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Director of Institutional Giving
• Director of Individual Giving.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• At least ten (10) years of experience in development leadership and implementation for a non-profit organization; proven success working with a board of directors
• Knowledge of NYC-area arts/youth/culture funding communities
• Knowledge in developing and implementing fundraising campaigns
• Demonstrated relationship management/major gift cultivation and solicitation skills
• Familiar with best practices in fundraising
• Genuine passion for the HSA mission; able and willing to attend frequent evening/weekend activities and events
• Able to lead, motivate, and elevate members of the development team
• Experience with CRM databases such as Neon or Raiser’s Edge

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.