Vice President of Development

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As New York’s largest community foundation, The New York Community Trust fosters and engages in enduring and innovative philanthropy, making grants that bring together the local knowledge and expertise of its team, nonprofits, and partners to help donors fulfill their vision for the causes they love.

From education and the arts to health care and the environment, The New York Community Trust seeks to improve every aspect of the cultural and civic life of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.

The Trust is a regional philanthropic leader, delivering nearly $200 million in grants in 2023 and more than $2 billion in the past decade.

In addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds (DAFs) that make grants throughout the United States and donor collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers.

Celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024, The Trust has long been a leader in the field, with innovations ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including some of the first to fight AIDS, build the High Line, support immigrant communities in the region, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.
• 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.

COMPENSATION

An annual starting salary of $200,000-$250,000 commensurate with the candidate’s experience. The position is on-site at our New York office, and we adhere to a hybrid work model (four days in the office and one remote, seasonal remote weeks, and flexible remote days during the year).

The Trust offers excellent benefits, including a pension plan, an 8% employer contribution to a 403(b)-retirement plan, partially subsidized medical insurance coverage & tiered medical plan offerings, generous paid time off, fully paid bonding leave, and other benefits.

The Trust is a qualifying nonprofit organization defined by the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) Program. As such, Trust employees may claim their employment time on their application.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply through The Trust’s HRIS platform, Paylocity. Please upload your resume, cover letter, and a one-page writing sample as a PDF document.

The candidate should solely write samples as an author, and strong writing skills and fundraising acumen should be demonstrated (redacted memos to professional advisors and donors, etc.).

We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our recruitment process. The Trust strongly encourages members of underrepresented communities and individuals who meet most job requirements to apply.

The Trust 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 expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies.

In addition, The Trust will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

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