JOB SUMMARY

The Vice President for Development is a senior leader of the New York Historical working as a key, strategic partner to the President & CEO. This role requires a proven fundraising strategist who can collaborate with the President to cultivate high-level relationships, and who brings strong skills in department leadership, prospect research, administration, and talent development. The Vice President will play a central role in identifying, researching, and vetting prospective donors to ensure a robust pipeline for long-term growth.
The Vice President for Development is responsible for the daily management of the Development Department. This includes oversight of major gifts, individual giving, membership, the Chair’s Council, planned giving, foundation and government support, fundraising events, and the space rentals program. In partnership with the President & CEO, the Vice President also leads any capital campaigns and special fundraising initiatives.
The Vice President plays a critical leadership role in growing contributed revenue, building and mentoring a strong development team, and cultivating a culture of philanthropy across the institution. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, a skilled relationship builder, and an enthusiastic advocate for history and civics education.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, ideally in a cultural or nonprofit setting;
• Proven success in securing major gifts and building donor relationships;
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with the President, Trustees and Senior Staff;
• Diplomacy, tact, and the ability to skillfully manage donor situations;
• Proven ability to plan, organize and direct multiple programs and activities, targeting major prospects and direct solicitation programs;
• Experience supervising staff, preparing budgets and analyzing campaign results;
• Superior organizational and management skills.

• Lead and manage the Development team in the effective execution of fundraising activities, including proposal writing, donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate sponsorship opportunities, membership, foundation, government grant and planned giving opportunities and fundraising events;
• Oversee fundraising from the Board of Trustees, including annual giving, special initiatives, and reporting;
• Partner closely will the President & CEO to identify opportunities, strategize donor engagement, and cultivate and solicit major donors;
• Proactively identify, research, and vet prospective donors (individuals, corporations, and foundations) to ensure a strong and diverse pipeline and make introductions to the President & CEO;
• Develop, retain, and motivate a high performing Development team using through strong management, clear goal-setting, and performance evaluation;
• Develop and implement a comprehensive, strategic fundraising plan with specific, measurable goals that will enable New York Historical to meet its future goals; oversee implementation of strategic plan and administer changes as needed to ensure its success;
• Initiate, cultivate, solicit, manage, and steward a portfolio of individual, foundation, government and corporate supporters and donors;
• Identify, research and investigate new opportunities for funding to expand New York Historical’s donor base; design and coordinate systems for identifying and tracking new prospects and for moving donors along a giving ladder;
• Develop, oversee and evaluate individual giving campaigns, including direct mail, personal solicitation, phone solicitation efforts, and events to meet annual goals;
• Supervise the Director of Special Events, who manages, with a team, New York Historical’s space rental program;
• Establish and maintain systems to ensure effective communication with donors about the organization’s needs, concerns and progress towards achieving grant objectives;
• Additional duties as required.