Senior Director, Development and Advancement

• Develop & execute a comprehensive annual development strategy aligned with Spence-Chapin’s mission, strategic priorities, and growth objectives
• Execute ambitious, but achievable fundraising goals and develop clear strategies for reaching them
• Identify opportunities to diversity and expand philanthropic revenue across individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundations, events, and other sources
• Build a strong pipeline of existing and prospective donors and partners capable of supporting the organization’s long-term growth
• Establish fundraising metrics and regularly evaluate progress, opportunities, and challenges
• Serve as a collaborative member of the organization’s senior leadership team and bring a development perspective to strategic organizational decisions

• Build, manage, and actively cultivate a portfolio of major donors and high-potential prospects
• Work directly with the Chief Executive Officer to prepare, steward, and execute one-on-one meaningful meetings with prospective and existing donors
• Personally lead donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities
• Develop individualized strategies for engaging donors and increasing their philanthropic investment in Spence-Chapin
• Create opportunities for donors to experience and understand the impact of Spence-Chapin’s work
• Strengthen the organization’s major gifts pipeline through prospect identification, research, cultivation, and relationship development
• Develop strategies to increase donor retention, annual giving, recurring giving, and donor lifetime value
• Explore opportunities to expand planned giving and other long-term philanthropic relationships

• Develop and strengthen relationships with corporations, foundations, family foundations, and other institutional partners
• Identify new philanthropic and strategic partnership opportunities that align with Spence-Chapin’s mission and programs
• Work collaboratively to develop compelling proposals, presentations, sponsorship opportunities, and funding requests
• Build partnerships that extend beyond transactional sponsorships and create meaningful, long-term engagement with the organization

• Develop a thoughtful and highly personalized donor stewardship strategy
• Ensure donors understand the impact of their philanthropy and feel meaningfully connected to Spence-Chapin’s mission
• Partner with program and communications teams to translate the organization’s work into compelling stories of impact
• Develop donor communications, appeals, impact reports, presentations, and other materials that inspire continued and increased support
• Create meaningful opportunities for donors and prospects to engage with Spence-Chapin throughout the year

• Partner closely with executive leadership on major donor strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
• Engage the Board of Directors as active ambassadors for Spence-Chapin and its mission
• Help board members identify and cultivate prospective donors, corporate partners, and other supporters
• Provide board members with the information, messaging, and tools needed to participate effectively in fundraising
• Regularly communicate fundraising results, pipeline development, opportunities, and priorities to leadership and the board.

• Provide strategic leadership for fundraising and donor cultivation events, including signature events and other opportunities to engage supporters
• Evaluate events not only by revenue generated but also by their ability to cultivate relationships, introduce new supporters, and strengthen the Spence-Chapin community
• Represent Spence-Chapin at philanthropic, corporate, community, and networking events throughout the New York region and beyond
• Develop relationships with individuals and organizations that can broaden Spence-Chapin’s visibility and philanthropic reach

• Lead, mentor, and develop members of the development team, creating a collaborative, accountable, and results-oriented culture
• Establish clear goals and responsibilities while supporting professional development and growth
• Ensure effective use of donor data, prospect research, and fundraising analytics
• Maintain a disciplined approach to moves management, donor pipelines, gift tracking, acknowledgment, and stewardship
• Develop and monitor the annual development budget and fundraising forecasts
• Ensure development activities follow applicable regulations, ethical fundraising practices, and organizational policies

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree required (or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience)
• Minimum of 7-10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising and development experience, preferably within a nonprofit or mission-driven organization

• Microsoft Office – advanced proficiency in Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• CRM experience - proficiency with a CRM like Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, Tessitura
• Familiarity with donor and prospect research platforms including DonorSearch, Foundation Directory, or WealthEngine
• Experience with gift processing, receipting, reporting, and fundraising analytics
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and develop actionable fundraising strategies

• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Strong leadership experience with the ability to motivate, mentor, and develop staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate an organization’s mission and impact in a compelling and authentic way
• Strong strategic, organizational, and project-management capabilities
• Ability and willingness to attend donor meetings, cultivation opportunities, and events, including occasional evenings and weekends
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and closing significant individual gifts
• Proven ability to build and manage a major gifts pipeline
• Experience developing relationships with high-net worth individuals, corporations, foundations, and community partners