Managing Director

Location: New York City Metropolitan Area

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Associate Director of Finance & HR Administrator; Technology & Operations Manager; CRM Manager;Oversight of – and support for – the Director of Development

Compensation: $180,000

Transportation Alternatives (TA), New York City's advocate for walking, bicycling, and public transportation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a 53 year history of fighting for safer streets and better transportation in New York City. TA uses a combination of neighborhood-level grassroots organizing and city-wide advocacy to push for changes in public policy, street design, and resource allocation that transform our city’s streets for the better.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Transportation Alternatives seeks a Managing Director to be a member of TA's Senior Leadership Team, thought partner with the Executive Director (ED), and leader, alongside the ED and Director of Development, of the organization's fundraising strategy, goals, and results.

Reporting to the ED, the Managing Director functions as TA's senior internal leader: the person responsible for ensuring that the staff, culture, systems and revenue infrastructure behind TA's advocacy are as strong as the cause itself.

This includes supporting the Senior Leadership Team's internal coordination and decision-making processes; overseeing all HR, finance, technology, compliance, and operations functions; managing TA's relationship with its staff union; overseeing TA's development program and the Director of Development and serving as a partner with the Executive Director in workingwith the Board of Directors.

The right person for this role combines the instincts of a Chief Strategy Officer with the discipline of a COO, bringing fluency in nonprofit fundraising management, business sense, and genuine commitment to building a workplace where a diverse, mission-driven staff can do the best work of their careers.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Senior Leadership Team & Organizational Decision-Making

• Member of TA's Senior Leadership Team — bringing equal voice and shared accountability to organizational strategy, major decisions, and cross-cutting priorities
• Support the senior team's internal coordination: setting meeting agendas, tracking decisions and commitments, surfacing emerging tensions, and driving follow-through across departments
• Serve as a thought partner and strategic sounding board for the ED; proactively identify risks, conflicts, or gaps in the ED's agenda and incoming priorities and bring solutions forward
• Exercise sound, independent judgment and decision-making authority on behalf of the ED when delegated
• Maintain clear, continuous communication with the ED on all critical organizational issues
• Provide leadership or support for special projects as directed by the ED

Finance & Administrative Operations

• Oversee TA's finance function; lead the development and management of the annual operating budget, in partnership with the Associate Director of Finance & HR Administrator
• Ensure compliance with lobbying and all relevant nonprofit 501(c)(3) regulations and manage required lobbying reporting for all of TA
• Lead, coach, and mentor the Finance, HR, Data Systems, and Operations staff to deliver high-quality, responsive support across the organization
• Provide analytical and management reporting support to the ED and Senior Leadership Team, including financial planning, cash flow oversight, and investment prioritization
• Set the vision and strategy for integrated financial and administrative systems that support current program operations and future organizational growth

Revenue & Development Leadership

• Undertake an in depth review of TA’s revenue streams and, in partnership with the ED and Director of Development, design a revenue strategy that will ensure TA can continue to execute on its mission.
• With ED and Director of Development, own overall accountability for TA's contributed-revenue performance: approve the annual fundraising plan, revenue targets, and Development budget built by the Director of Development
• Manage the Director of Development — support them in setting goals, oversee performance management, and provide mentoring across individual, foundation, corporate, and event fundraising
• Review and approve major institutional funding proposals and grant commitments; ensure compliance on grant administration and reporting
• Represent Development's priorities, capacity, and constraints in Senior Leadership Team resource and strategy discussions

Technology, Data & Operations

• Provide strategic oversight to the Technology & Operations Manager and CRM Manager, who oversee IT services, vendor procurement, data operations, and day-to-day office administration
• Support the creation of an office environment and culture where people love to be and work
• Continuously refine organizational systems, processes, and technology tools to streamline operations and meet evolving organizational needs
• Contribute to building a culture of tech, data, and design innovation across the organization

Board & Committee Support

• Prepare materials, agendas, and minutes for quarterly board meetings and committee meetings; maintain board membership lists and governance documentation
• Present critical financial, operational, and fundraising/revenue matters to the board, finance committee, and development committee, as directed by the ED
• Ensure the ED is well-prepared for board and committee meetings, coordinating materials and briefings alongside board agenda prep
• Support board recruitment, onboarding, and engagement in coordination with the ED

People, Culture & Union Relations

• Design and implement programs that build leadership at all levels of the organization, including staff learning, team building, and professional development
• Sustain and strengthen a culture of trust, accountability, transparency, and inclusion in which all employees have equal access to opportunity and feel genuinely valued
• Working closely with the ED and as part of the Executive Team, advance TA's diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments throughout the organization
• Serve as the primary management representative in TA's relationship with its staff union, Technical, Office and Professional Union, T.O.P. Local 2110 UAW
• Manage day-to-day labor-management relations with professionalism and in good faith: contract interpretation, grievance processes, and regular labor-management dialogue
• Provide oversight and strategic guidance to the Associate Director of Finance & HR Administrator, who manages recruitment and onboarding, compensation and benefits, performance reviews, and professional development
• In collaboration with HR staff, regularly review and update policies and practices to ensure compliance with federal, state, and New York City employment laws and best practices

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 8+ years of senior-level experience in nonprofit management, operations, or organizational leadership
• Demonstrated experience in people management, including directly managing staff and navigating complex interpersonal and organizational dynamics
• Experience at the senior leadership level with organization-wide management responsibility
• Experience managing or overseeing a nonprofit development/fundraising function — setting revenue goals, managing fundraising staff, and being accountable for results
• Track record of business and/or marketing success
• Experience managing a labor-management relationship, including direct involvement in collective bargaining or contract negotiation with a unionized staff
• Strong financial literacy and experience overseeing budgets, financial reporting, and administrative systems
• Demonstrated ability to lead and align a senior leadership team — building shared accountability, navigating conflict, and driving decisions across functions
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex issues for board, staff, and external audiences
• Enthusiasm for TA's mission
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to earn and sustain trust across all levels of an organization and among internal and external partners

Preferred

• MBA or JD
• Experience leading a labor contract negotiation, including interest-based bargaining or working with legal counsel through a full negotiation cycle
• HR certification or equivalent professional training
• CFRE or equivalent fundraising credential
• Experience with CRM, project management tools, and data operations platforms (e.g., EveryAction, Asana)
• Experience as a chief of staff, deputy director, COO, CFO or equivalent role in a fast-paced, mission-driven advocacy or political organization

Work Environment

This position is based in New York City. TA operates in a hybrid, fast-paced, and collaborative environment. Includes occasional evening and weekend availability for board obligations, organizational events, donor-facing events, and advocacy moments.

Transportation Alternatives is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.