Vice President of Development

Sep 23

The New York Community Trust
New York, NY (Hybrid)

Anticipated Start Date: November 2024

Description

The Vice President of Development (“VP, Development”) is a senior management member and collaborates closely with the Chief Philanthropic Officer, the General Counsel, the VP, Donor Relations, and the Director of Planned Giving on various giving campaigns and the Trust’s fundraising cycle.

The VP, Development provides leadership and direction for new funds, planned giving, annual giving, and prospect research; is directly involved in the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of gifts; effectively communicates the mission and values of The Trust; has a working knowledge of current best practices in all aspects of fundraising; and collaborates with colleagues in the development, marketing & communications and donor relations teams.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Our VP, Development position is uniquely situated to help The Trust leverage its core value proposition, namely, The Trust’s ability to help donors define the purpose they care about and execute their grantmaking priorities. The ideal candidate will be a senior fundraiser with experience building, managing, and leading innovative development strategies to meet The Trust’s annual fundraising goals. As the person focuses on new initiatives, the position requires a high degree of process improvement to evaluate current practices, issues, staff involvement, etc., to make necessary changes that yield efficient and effective processes.

In this role, the person will focus on accessing and improving donor operations and developing communication and outreach strategies to increase conversion rates and referrals to The Trust. The VP, Development will have active relationships with professional advisors, estate attorneys, and professionals from various industries, focusing on expanding and diversifying our network and building long-term relationships. The VP, Development will report to the Chief Philanthropic Officer and supervise the Director of Planned Giving (currently recruiting) and the Philanthropy Officer.

Responsibilities

Management of Fundraising & Development Operations

Collaborate with board members, the President, the Chief Philanthropic Officer, and the Vice President of Donor Relations on all major fundraising initiatives.
Analyze donor and prospect data and review monthly reports (new donors, annual gift comparison, retention reports, etc.) for patterns, changes, etc., impacting upcoming initiatives. Prepare and share donor analysis with board members, CPO, and senior management.
Monitor and report regularly on the development department’s operations and progress at biweekly senior management meetings.
Identify, develop, and mentor the development team. Track responsibilities and projects and address and resolve delays or performance issues.
Work with the CPO to manage the President’s development engagement.
In partnership with the CPO, develop metrics and goals; maintain a dashboard to assess performance.
Ensure the development team's meticulous data collection follows departmental data standards.
Oversee the development prospect pipeline, ensuring up-to-date information and regularly presenting it to the CPO and development team.
Understand The Trust’s unique value proposition and maintain a strong familiarity with the organization’s grantmaking and programmatic work.
Support the CPO in developing the department’s financial strategy and budget.

Donor & Professional Advisor Cultivation

Oversee incoming charitable legacy gifts that embody donor preferences across various planned giving vehicles; cultivate and negotiate legacy gifts that strategically address the donor’s wishes and The Trust’s unique priorities and needs.
Steward relationships with current donors with permanent funds at The Trust and reengage donors with department staff to reassess their giving needs.
Partner with the VP, Donor Relations to identify existing donor-advised fund donors who may want to increase their giving engagement with The Trust.
In partnership with the CPO, develop strategies to grow The Trust’s community of aligned donors specifically.
In partnership with the CPO, develop strategies to diversify The Trust’s donor community.
Alongside the Director of Planned Giving, assess our portfolio of planned gift prospects and develop a proactive communication strategy to increase conversion rates.
Build a professional advisor outreach strategy in partnership with the CPO, Director of Planned Giving, and General Counsel; maintain a relationship portfolio of trusts and estates attorneys, wealth managers, financial advisors, and accountants, ensuring that The Trust is a top-of-mind option as a charitable solution for their clients.
Manage Trust giving initiatives such as the Legacy Society, the Women’s Advisory Council, and the Giving Collective.
Create new giving avenues and initiatives that meet market needs, highlight The Trust’s value proposition, underscore programmatic goals, and amplify the giving experience for current Trust donors.
Serve as lead on designing and executing development-focused events.

Marketing & Engagement Opportunities

Collaborate with the marketing and communications team to create marketing efforts and collateral to build new and strengthen existing donor relationships.
Oversee the development of seminars, educational programs, and other events to engage the donor and professional advisor communities.
As a senior representative of The Trust, attend national conferences and donor engagement events to stay current on developments in the field and emerging best practices that influence planned giving choices.

Requirements

10+ years of substantive, relevant full-time experience at nonprofit organizations, with at least seven years of fundraising experience and at least five years supervising staff.
Bachelor’s degree required and Masters preferred (Nonprofit Management, MBA, etc). Certified Fund Raising Executive (“CFRE”)
Prior experience developing new giving campaigns for affluent donors and prospects with a proven track record of building long-term, trusted relationships and securing six- and seven-figure gifts. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; drafting and articulating proposals, business plans, strategies, etc.
Strong public speaking skills and the ability to communicate and adapt talking points for the target audience. Experience as a moderator, panel member, and presenter at planned giving events.
Experience with Salesforce or comparable CRM platform.
Estimated Travel Requirement: 20% (within the NYC metro area for meetings and national conferences)

COMPETENCIES

Ability to embrace and lead change within the department (new staff and shift in responsibilities & operations) constructively while maintaining a positive and motivating outlook.
“People person” who is also an active listener with a talent for building deep and long-lasting relationships with donors, estate planning attorneys, and financial professionals.
High emotional intelligence is required to be receptive to donor needs and empathetic to their personal and professional challenges and legacy decisions.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills; ability to keep track of multiple giving campaigns at different degrees of completion and delegate responsibilities as needed.
Takes ownership of challenges, remains agile and adaptable to alternative strategies, and maintains a growth mindset.
Acute attention to detail and follow-through through various platforms.
Ability to thrive in an interconnected staff ecosystem and collaborate with colleagues and departments.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

$200,000-250,000

How to Apply for this Job

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