Vice President, Development

The Vice President, Development serves as the Academys chief fundraising officer, responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive philanthropic strategy that advances the Academys mission to drive science, innovation and STEM education for the benefit of society. Working closely with the President & CEO, Executive Vice President & COO, Board of Governors, senior leadership and program teams, the VP Development builds meaningful relationships with corporate, foundation, and individual donors while ensuring fundraising priorities are tightly aligned with organizational strategy. This is an exciting, highly collaborative, hands-on leadership role that combines strategic planning, operational oversight, and fundraising execution in a period in which the Academy is building out a variety of new initiatives in response to societal and technological change.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Lead and execute the Academys comprehensive philanthropic strategy to achieve annual and multi-year revenue goals and advance strategic priorities.
• Partner with the President & CEO, EVP & COO, Board of Governors, and senior leadership to drive donor engagement, fundraising initiatives, and external partnerships. Partner with Academy leaders across scientific programs, education, conferences, awards, fellowships, membership and public engagement to expand and strengthen corporate, foundation, and institutional partnerships, securing multi-year funding and sponsorship opportunities aligned with mission priorities.
• Serve as the President & CEOs fundraising partner by identifying, preparing for, and participating in high-level donor cultivation and solicitation opportunities. Ensure effective engagement by stewarding high-capacity donors and strategic partners, while maintaining a robust pipeline of major, principal, and planned gifts.
• Manage and expand a portfolio of key donors, with particular attention to securing ongoing unrestricted support. Identify and pursue new philanthropic opportunities that support program growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
• Oversee and lead the Development function, including team performance, operations, and fundraising infrastructure, ensuring accountability, efficiency, and results.
• Establish and monitor performance metrics, benchmarks, and reporting systems to track progress against fundraising goals and support strategic decision-making.
• Represent the Academy externally and position it as a leading partner for philanthropic investment in scientific research, education, and innovation.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Individual Contributor Responsibilities:

• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity donors capable of making transformative philanthropic investments.
• Build and execute comprehensive donor engagement strategies that deepen relationships over time and actively manage a pipeline of major, principal and planned gifts.
• Lead select high-level corporate partnerships, sponsorships and strategic fundraising opportunities.
• Serve as a key external ambassador for the Academy with donors and corporate partners.

Strategic Leadership and Department Accountability:

• Implement and operationalize the Academys development strategy in alignment with strategic priorities and financial goals.
• Maintain robust fundraising performance reporting and analytics for Senior Management and the Board to support strategic decision-making and revenue forecasting.
• Ensure strong fundraising infrastructure, including donor databases, prospect research, stewardship and compliance with all fundraising regulations, ethical standards, and reporting requirements.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the Academys mission.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

The VP sets clear goals and expectations, supports professional development, and fosters a collaborative, high-performing team culture aligned with the Academys advancement priorities for the Development department. The department consists of a Development Coordinator and a Senior Director, Institutional Giving. The VP provides leadership, coaching, and performance management as appropriate to align efforts; ensure accurate tracking, reporting and analytics across all revenue streams; and ensure strong execution.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 15+ years of progressively senior advancement or fundraising leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success securing major and principal gifts and forging corporate partnerships, including six- and seven-figure commitments.
• Experience leading comprehensive advancement programs at complex nonprofit, higher education, research, or science-based organizations.
• Proven ability to build and manage high-performing development teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver detailed fundraising performance reports, including tracking progress against annual and multi-year development goals, and communicating results clearly to senior leadership and board stakeholders.

Skills and Leadership Profile

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align fundraising with mission-driven programmatic priorities and to translate complex scientific concepts into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Exceptional relationship builder with credibility among philanthropists, scientific leaders, and institutional partners.
• Nimble and entrepreneurial leader who enjoys problem-solving and thrives in lean and complex environments.
• Strong understanding of philanthropic trends in science, education, and innovation sectors.
• Highly collaborative leadership style and ability to influence across diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Background

• Experience fundraising for organizations advancing science, education, research, innovation, public policy, and / or healthcare and for complex mission driven organizations with multiple programmatic strands.
• Familiarity with global philanthropy and international partnerships.
• Understanding of the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem in New York City and globally.

WORK SCHEDULE:

The Academy operates during standard business hours Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm ET. Standard work week is 35 hours, unless otherwise noted.

The Academy offers a flexible hybrid work model, which includes a combination of in-office and remote work. Specific in-office days are determined in coordination with the team and leadership. Flexibility is offered where possible, but regular in-person collaboration is required to support team effectiveness and project goals.

This role requires up to 5% travel, which may include both domestic and international destinations. Travel is typically scheduled in advance and may be required for attending offsite fundraising events.

This position is primarily sedentary and performed in a professional office environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment, including computers, phones, photocopiers, and video conferencing technology. Employees are regularly required to sit or stand for extended periods, communicate effectively, and occasional walking, bending, or lifting of light items (up to 10 pounds) may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The New York Academy of Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination, on the basis of any legally protected characteristic. This includes, but is not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Academy is also committed to making good faith efforts to recruit applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, including those historically underrepresented in the sciences Reasonable Accommodations
The Academy is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and employment process, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. If you need assistance or accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at View email address on click.appcast.io
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