Director of Development

Background:

The HOPE Program is a leader among New York City job training providers, upskilling adult jobseekers (ages 18 - 70) for a broad range of sectors, including a focus on green construction, maintenance, infrastructure and related careers. We work with individuals facing deep structural barriers to employment, including histories with the criminal legal system, current and/or past homelessness, substance abuse disorders, low educational attainment and more. Our comprehensive approach includes classroom training, industry-recognized certifications, digital literacy and access, financial literacy and access, mental health support, case management, paid job training, and our signature “HOPE for Life” approach, which provides a vital community of support throughout the lives of HOPE graduates’ careers. With measurable outcomes among the strongest in the industry, HOPE’s impact sits at the intersection of COVID-19 recovery, racial justice, and building a more equitable future for New York City. Our work is best described in the words of our graduates, such as Enrique.

Position:

The HOPE Program is seeking a Development Director to lead its growing fundraising department, creating and leading a comprehensive development plan that supports the current budget (approximately $7 million) and future organizational growth.

We are seeking a dynamic and outgoing professional with a demonstrated ability to succeed in a performance-driven environment. The Director will report to the Chief Development and Evaluation Officer and will supervise three development staff at various professional levels. The position is based out of our facilities in Brooklyn and the Bronx with frequent travel around New York City. The schedule for this position will include some weekends and evenings. (As of April 2021, this position is remote.)

Responsibilities:

Individual Giving

• Supervise and support HOPE’s Manager of Philanthropic Engagement
• Execute HOPE’s annual appeal, exceeding target of $300,000 and growing
• Establish new strategies for individual giving, including major donor engagement, planned giving, monthly subscription program and others
• Manage and continuously improve upon processes to track, acknowledge and celebrate individual donors promptly

 Special Events

• Lead the team in the execution of 3+ development events per year (with a recent fundraising target of $450,000+) for fundraising and donor cultivation.
• Build and support event leadership (honorees and committee members), manage communications, track toward goals, manage day-of event logistics, and implement follow-up strategies.
• Strategize and execute opportunities for new events which cultivate HOPE’s donor network and expand revenue generation.

Foundation and Corporate Relations

• Partner with HOPE’s Development and Communications Coordinator to manage HOPE’s portfolio of 30 - 40 institutional funders, including tracking and meeting all deadlines as well as partnering across teams to provide compelling pitches for support and accurate reports.
• Leverage HOPE’s existing signature corporate engagement opportunity to secure increased funding from corporate partners and volunteers
• Identify new opportunities for institutional support, develop cultivation strategies, and secure new grants in line with HOPE’s organizational growth

Government Relations

• Represent HOPE at meetings with elected officials and related events, as necessary.
• Oversee the development of compelling applications in response to government RFP’s.
• Support the Finance team with narrative and other supports as necessary to realize government revenues

Communications

• Support the development and implementation of a social media strategy that effectively tells HOPE’s story and engages our community of supporters
• Ensure compelling and timely updates about HOPE’s work across diverse stakeholder groups through email blasts, mailings, collateral development and more.

Supervision

• Provide support and coaching to a team of three staff, including a Manager of Philanthropic Engagement, Development and Communications Coordinator and a Development Assistant.
• Identify opportunities for professional development
• Oversee time reporting, vacation timing, and evaluation
• Other duties assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and/or 5 or more years of development experience with progressive responsibility in proposal writing/grants management.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to collaborate and work effectively with a diverse group of staff and board members.
• Excellent editing and proofreading skills.
• Ability to cultivate and steward relationships with donors and prospects.
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects and consistently meet deadlines.
• Highly organized and detail oriented. Strong project manager.
• Ability to write/edit for a variety of formats and tailor messages to different audiences. Strong work ethic, enthusiasm, sense of humor, creativity, flexibility, and patience.

Salary/Benefits: Salary is dependent upon experience. HOPE provides a full package of benefits including: healthcare and dental insurance; retirement plan; competitive vacation (plus 1/2 day Fridays during summer which is equal to 7.5 additional vacation days); and 12 paid holidays.

Interested Candidates: Email cover letter, indicating what position you are applying for and where you saw listing, and resume to hr@thehopeprogram.org. Resumes unaccompanied by a cover letter will not be reviewed. No telephone calls, please.