SVP & Chief Development Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position: Senior Vice President and   Chief Development Officer (CDO) 

Reports to:  President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

Department:  President's Office

Organization Summary:

United Way of New York City (UWNYC) works with a coalition of trusted partners to unite community power with citywide possibility. Together, we meet today’s most urgent needs while building transformative solutions for tomorrow — striving for health, opportunity, and prosperity for every New Yorker in every neighborhood. Part of the United Way Worldwide system, one of the world’s most recognized charitable brands, we believe that New Yorkers deserve to thrive where they live and envision a future where all New Yorkers have the resources they need to live long, healthy lives in flourishing and resilient neighborhoods. We strive to model our values in all our relationships, both internal and external: Collaboration, Compassion, Integrity, Accountability, and Superior Performance.

 

Position Overview:  

Reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, the Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer (CDO) will establish and lead an effective fundraising strategy. The CDO is a sounding board and strategic partner for the CEO and the Board of Directors. They are responsible for building a culture of philanthropy while creating, implementing, and monitoring a fundraising and marketing plan that involves corporate, foundation, individual and major donors, brand experiences, and digital presence. The position leads the fundraising team to increase brand awareness, visibility, and fundraising results. The CDO collaborates closely with the Executive Leadership and Community Impact teams as well as operational functions across the organization. 

 

In leading the resource development team, the CDO will articulate and advance a comprehensive vision for the organization’s fundraising efforts and work collaboratively to translate that vision into execution. The organization is currently supported by a funding mix of approximately 80 percent government revenue and 20 percent private philanthropy. Over the next three years, we aim to shift that balance to 60 percent government and 40 percent private philanthropic support. The CDO will be responsible for developing and driving the strategy to achieve this transition—setting clear goals, aligning resources and systems to meet them, and skillfully representing the organization with current and prospective donors. The CDO will also ensure staff have the support they need to thrive and grow as professionals while contributing to this strategic development effort. 

 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

 

Team Leadership  

• Hire, train, develop, and mentor development staff; lead a high capacity and effective team. 
• Serve as an inspirational leader for staff; promote a culture of strong integrity, high performance, meaningful collaboration, and continuous improvement that values commitment to equity, learning, and quality. 
• Provide fundraising guidance and leadership for larger, cross-departmental teams. 
• Build a culture where the development team partners with the programmatic teams to collaborate, and drive decisions informed by reliable market-tested data. 

 

Development  

Strategy and Planning  

• Design and implement a quantifiable and measurable fundraising strategy to achieve UWNYC's financial and brand goals, including increasing & diversifying funding, expanding digital fundraising efforts, and developing a vision for corporate engagement & individual giving. 
• Set yearly fundraising metrics; develop an execution plan that incorporates key marketing strategies to ensure that the goals and metrics are aligned and achieved. 
• Adjust fundraising plan as needed to respond to opportunities and changing funding and programmatic landscapes; ensure fundraising activities are mission-aligned and fill programmatic gaps.
• Work with the Executive Leadership and Marketing teams to develop and implement public relations strategies (to include both traditional and social media) and guide UWNYC leadership in cultivating and enhancing relationships with the media, donor organizations, key stakeholders, and the general public. 
• Collaborate closely with the Community Impact team to understand programmatic funding needs and collectively fundraise to support those needs. 
• In addition to the core responsibilities outlined above, executive roles are expected to provide strategic, citywide leadership; cultivate and sustain high-impact external partnerships; and represent UWNYC across boroughs and sectors.
• Executive leaders are responsible for ensuring organizational strategy, resources, and decision-making are aligned with community needs, equity priorities, and measurable outcomes. 
• Work closely with United Way Worldwide network to identify and secure national partnerships, grants and support. 

 

Operational Management

• In collaboration with the Board committee, direct the fundraising team to solicit and secure major gifts from individual, corporate, and foundation donors. Set goals to sequentially increase the number of donors, number of gifts, and total dollars raised. 
• Increase giving through digital platforms and the use of social media and technology in fundraising. 
• Oversee the management of the donor database and provide guidance on technology needs and best practices to build an effective fundraising department. 
• Acting as the primary Executive Leadership Team liaison for Board engagement, establish and manage strong relationships with the Board of Directors to leverage their ability to fundraise for the organization. 
• Increase brand visibility and experiences; ensure brand experiences are well organized, mission-driven, and successful. 

 

Candidate Requirements:

• Demonstrated passion for UWNYC's mission and core values, strong commitment to racial equity. 
• Bachelor's degree is required. 
• 15+ years of experience managing fundraising departments (non-profit and/or non-profit board experience preferred). 
• Proven track record in full-cycle donor prospecting, cultivating, acquisition, solicitation and generation of charitable gifts of increasing dollar values over time
• Prior event management experience – planning, logistics, budgeting, stakeholder engagement
• A hands-on, mature, collaborative leader who has integrity, a service orientation, strong communication skills, exceptional attention to detail & project management skills, and thrives in a dynamic & entrepreneurial environment. 
• Experience serving as a trusted advisor to the CEO and ELT of a multi-divisional organization; strong analytical skills and experience operationalizing a strategic vision. 
• Experience developing, implementing, and analyzing both traditional and social media metrics. 
• Experience in planning, writing, editing, and producing press releases, annual reports, and marketing literature. 
• Documented record of success in strategic initiatives and fundraising outcomes; entrepreneurial foresight and innovative spirit to recognize future trends and new opportunities. 
• Ability and political savvy to build and sustain relationships with many constituencies, including corporations, major donors, innovative and non-traditional funding sources, and across internal departments. 
• Exceptional people management skills: experience in building, retaining, and motivating strong teams to meet goals. 
• Superior written and spoken communication skills.
• Experience with cloud-based CRM systems (Blackbaud Raisers Edge a plus).

  Key Competencies:

• Mission Focused: The CDO’s top priority is to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This drives their performance and professional motivations.
• Relationship Oriented: The CDO understands that people come before process and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.
• Superior Performance: We are a results-oriented organization working to improve the lives of all New Yorkers. Achieving meaningful change requires focus and unity of purpose. It is only through achieving meaningful goals that we will be able to fulfill our mission.
• Strategic Community Collaborator: The CDO engages diverse stakeholders to accurately assess community needs and, with credibility, authenticity, and humility, strategically guides McDonald’s to contribute to the community’s priorities.
• Effective and Engaging Communicator: The CDO is an effective communicator, able to understand the needs of the communities we serve.
• Embracing and Managing Change: The CDO champions and facilitates change to ensure long-term community sustainability. He/she adapts successfully to changing needs while maintaining positive relationships with all constituents, both internal and external.

 

Additional Information:

• UWNYC is presently on a Hybrid/In-Person work schedule.

United Way of NYC Core Competencies for All Staff  

• Mission Focused: Catalyze others’ commitment to the mission to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This drives their performance and professional motivations. 
• Relationship-Oriented : Understands that people come before processes and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal. 
• Collaborator : Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement 
• Results Driven: Dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good: creating, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact. 
• Brand Steward : Steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network .

 

United Way of New York City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer