Director of Development

About the Waterfront Alliance

The Waterfront Alliance is a civic organization that brings together a diverse coalition of more than 1,100 Alliance Partners with ties to the New York–New Jersey waterways. Founded in 2007, our mission is to inspire and effect resilient, revitalized, and accessible coastlines for all communities. Key programs and advocacy areas include climate resilience, public access to the waterfront, the working waterfront, and climate education.

About the Position

Waterfront Alliance seeks a Director of Development to lead and executive a comprehensive fundraising strategy in collaboration with the President and CEO. The Director of Development position is an outstanding opportunity to combine one’s expertise and track record in fundraising with a personal desire to play a leadership role in a strong organization influencing climate change policy, coastal policy, urban planning and policy, and environmental education at a regional scale.

As a member of the leadership team reporting directly to the President and CEO, the Director of Development will work closely with the CEO to create an overall development strategy and annual plans that grow and diversify financial support for Waterfront Alliance’s approximately $1.7 million in annual revenues.  Responsibilities include designing and implementing the organization’s development strategy and annual plans; managing and overseeing fundraising operations, including consultants and a small development team while committing to work life balance and team building; collaborating extensively with the Senior Events Manager to raise significant funds from two major fundraising events; leading, overseeing, and supporting foundation fundraising; building substantial individual, mid-level, and major donor programs over the coming years; in collaboration with board and CEO, overseeing and executing a five-year capital campaign; and projecting enthusiasm, excellence in development, and fundraising leadership to supporters, board members, and partners.

Waterfront Alliance’s fundraising model involves highly collaborative work across departments and positions, engages with multiple relationships outside the organization, and is focused on cultivating enduring, long term relationships. The position is supported by a development department budget necessary to put into place the fundraising infrastructure for future growth.

Classification: Fulltime, exempt

Salary and Benefits: Salary is $80,000–$115,000. Waterfront Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package, including employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurances; life insurance; 401K retirement plan with employer match; commuter and FSA benefits, paid time off, professional development opportunities, and more.

Location: New York, NY, with a generous telecommuting policy.

Reports to: President and CEO

Responsibilities

• Develop annual development plans in collaboration with CEO and development team with fundraising goals and benchmarks.
• Strengthen, build, and execute direct mail and digital fundraising plans, mid-level donor program and major gifts program in collaboration with CEO.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit gifts from individuals, mid-level donors, major donors, corporations, and foundations.
• With board of directors, CEO, and consultants, oversee and execute five-year capital campaign.
• Work in strong collaboration with Senior Events Manager and other team members to meet event fundraising goals and provide support when necessary.
• Collaborate with development team and CEO, with input from VP of Programs and COO, for the execution of a foundations fundraising program and strategy, including overseeing foundation prospecting and final proposal execution.
• Oversee, troubleshoot, lead, and manage development operations with a strong commitment to positive and collaborative teamwork, progressive leadership, work life balance, and trust among all staff.
• Collaborate with communications team, operations team, and CEO to develop donor communications pieces, including annual report, website content, web donation platform, event materials, pitch decks, major donor pieces, and other relevant content and tools.
• Manage multiple consultant relationships, secure new consultants, and issue RFPs for future contracts as needed.
• Strategize, develop, and execute major donor program.
• Ensure implementation of the overall development calendar.
• Create and execute data-driven processes by overseeing usage of Salesforce to track cultivations, touch points, asks, event attendance, donations, receivables, and relationships.
• Oversee, cultivate, execute, and manage the organization’s extensive network of corporate sponsorships.
• Support and provide assistance where needed on growing earned income through a range of opportunities including the WEDG Professionals and WEDG Verification program.
• Prepare government (city, state, and federal) grant applications in collaboration with the VP of Programs and COO.
• Report to staff regularly on fundraising successes priorities, needs, and opportunities during weekly all-staff meetings.
• Support CEO’s work with Board Development Committee and all Board members to provide regular updates on all fundraising activities, set fundraising priorities, and engage them in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding top-tier prospects.
• Cultivate and steward when necessary in-kind donations.
• Represent Waterfront Alliance externally with a variety of audiences.

Qualifications, Skills, and Attributes

• 8+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience and a quantifiable track record of meeting fundraising goals, and proven successful development and execution of comprehensive fundraising strategy.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience to design and build successful fundraising strategies for the Waterfront Alliance.
• Training or experience in Veritas fundraising strategies or similar a plus.
• Demonstrated experience with Salesforce or another similar database.
• Outstanding attention to detail.
• Passion for the Waterfront Alliance mission.
• Ability to work with multiple consultants, manage and solicit consultants.
• Expertise in event-related fundraising, including corporate sponsorships.
• Excellent project management, collaboration, and organizational skills including a can-do attitude that brings teams together in complex settings.
• Experience managing multiple projects, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Experience building new donor programs while maintaining existing priorities.
• Experience preparing applications for government grants (city, state, and federal)
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter that illustrates qualifications relevant to this role, resume, and short writing sample (no more than three pages) as a single PDF to careers@waterfrontalliance.org. The subject should indicate “Director of Development.” Applicants must be legally authorized to work fulltime in the U.S. and should not require employment sponsorship now or in the future. Only complete applications will be considered. Position open until filled. No phone calls please.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Waterfront Alliance encourages applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, physical ability or any other legally protected basis.