Director of Development

Founded in 1977 UrbanGlass was the first artist-access glass center in the United States and is now the largest with 17,000 square feet of state-of-the-art studio space. Our mission is to foster experimentation and advance the use and critical understanding of glass as a creative medium.

Each year our glass studios and art center serve over 15,000 professional artists, designers and students seeking to learn about the possibilities of glass. 

The Director of Development is a key member of the development team and works closely with the Executive Director, the Director of Finance, and the staff to oversee a comprehensive fundraising plan to raise $3.3 million annually to support programs as well as capital reserves. The Director of Development plans, implements and sustains a comprehensive annual fundraising effort as a part of a team that currently includes one full-time and one part-time staff member, but which is expected to grow.  As an essential member of UrbanGlass’ leadership, the Director of Development is instrumental in the UrbanGlass’ sustainability and growth and contributes to the strategic direction of the institution. UrbanGlass is looking for a fundraising leader to accomplish the organization’s financial goals by fostering relationships with donors, funders and stakeholders who are excited to support the organization's mission.

 

Responsibilities

• Plan, implement and oversee a comprehensive annual fund development program composed of individuals, corporations, private foundations, government agencies, and earned income streams.
• Identify organizational funding needs in collaboration with the Executive Director and staff,  creating strategic short- and long-term fundraising plans to meet income goals for programmatic, capital and capacity.
• Identify and implement new strategies and tools to further develop relationships with individual donors with the goal of expanding major giving.
• Plan and execute major annual fundraising events and targeted cultivation activities. 
• Oversee, in partnership with the Development Officer, preparation and submission of grant proposals and steward a portfolio of current institutional funders to ensure timely, quality submission of proposals and fulfillment of reporting requirements (Foundations, Corporations, and Government).
• Research and identify new foundation and corporate giving prospects based on programmatic initiatives; cultivate new funding relationships and opportunities.
• Ready UrbanGlass for a future capital campaign. 
• Train, mentor and support development staff and Board in their donor and prospect engagement activities. Seek ways to maximize their personal giving and participation in philanthropic programs.
• Oversee day-to-day fundraising operations, ensuring effective grant and gift tracking, revenue reports and donor management in partnership with the Development Officer.
• Oversee the fundraising budget; actively manage revenue to ensure that annual operating budget objectives and plan goals are met; track multi-year revenue and fundraising trends; and use results to strategically plan future opportunities.
• Provide Executive Director with regular status reports and coordinate on funder relations.
• Work with the Director of Finance to provide revenue projections and reports; support monthly and annual reconciliation processes.
• Motivate, supervise, evaluate and mentor development staff. Create a supportive, collaborative, productive and healthy work environment based on respect, teamwork and clear expectations and responsibilities.
• Oversee the use of Salesforce in conjunction with development staff and other staff as needed; Create and maintain a system for tracking relationships, activities, and touchpoints for major donors and prospects. 
• Attend meetings of the Board of Directors and generate and present reports on fundraising for regular board updates and meetings.
• Manage the Development, Events, Campaign and Nominating Board Committees.
• Serve as a public representative of the organization, fostering relationships with community members, including elected officials, major donors and prospective funders.  
• Be involved with the arts and NYC community by attending community events, promoting a positive public image, and increasing the visibility of UrbanGlass’ work and impact. 

 

Requirements:

• Strong, demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
• 5+ years of demonstrated success and leadership in professional fundraising for a not-for-profit organization, preferably in arts and culture
• Experience securing support for a mission-driven nonprofit from a variety of sources, including major donors, institutional funders, special events, corporate partnerships. 
• Outstanding written and oral communications skills, with ability to work fluidly across all levels, build collaboration and buy-in and generate support from internal and external stakeholders; ability to craft and articulate nuanced, sophisticated cases for support to diverse audiences and constituents. 
• Ability to see “big picture,” think strategically, and translate strategy into goals and actions. 
• Excellent project management, organizational and prioritizing skills that include problem solving and analysis, as well as efficiency and accuracy when multitasking. 
• Demonstrated supervisory and delegation skills.
• Demonstrated experience using Salesforce or similar CRM and proficiency in Google Drive, and Slack.
• An understanding of and appreciation of glass as a creative medium or a willingness to learn within the first 90 days.

 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

 

How to apply:

Please submit a resume and cover letter, as a single PDF, to jobs@urbanglass.org and state “Director of Development_Your Name” in the subject line.

 

We strongly encourage individuals that have not been historically represented in the arts sector to apply. UrbanGlass is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, military status, or any other characteristic protected by law.