Chief Development Officer
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 Ramon.
The Position
HOPE is seeking a Chief Development Officer who will oversee and execute a plan to sustain and grow the organization’s $8.4M annual budget to $10.8M by fiscal year 2027. The candidate will be a seasoned, dynamic proven fundraising and communications professional with a commitment to economic mobility for low income New Yorkers. This opportunity comes at a time as the organization prepares for its 40th anniversary with a new strategic plan which calls for new levels of programmatic growth and impact. The position reports to the Executive Director. This is a hybrid position, working out of HOPE’s Downtown Brooklyn and South Bronx location at 1 Smith Street / 1360 Garrison Avenue. This position will supervise the Director of Development, Development and Communications Manager, two Development Associates, and the Development and Communications Assistant.
Responsibilities
Development
● Head revenue opportunity sourcing with the goal of realizing funding from a balanced variety of income streams.
Foundation and Corporate Development
● Oversee grant proposals and prospecting for new relationships.
● Maintain and grow relationships with funding partners.
● Manage grant writing team, which includes the creation/maintenance of a deadline calendar in Salesforce.
● Ensure meaningful corporate opportunities and engagement with donors.
● Leverage organizational storytelling to demonstrate why donors ought to donate.
● Plan meaningful corporate engagement events to secure continued relationships with corporate donors.
● Collaborate with board and associate board members to realize and deepen corporate giving opportunities.
Government Relations
● Collaborate with and direct the Government Relations firm to determine appropriate city, state, and federal grant opportunities.
● Build relationships with the city, the state, and the federal governments to source and maintain funding opportunities.
● Lead the process to acquire city council funds, state discretionary funds, and the identification of RFPs that might be a good fit for HOPE.
Individual Giving
● Oversee the Director of Development in securing the annual appeal goal.
● Grow the major gift prospect pool and maintain a portfolio of active prospects.
● Ensure Executive Director and board maintain their own portfolios of active prospects utilizing moves management to ensure a consistent pipeline.
Special Events
● Supervise and support all annual HOPE events to ensure fundraising goals are met.
● With the Director of Development, practice continuous process improvement to ensure appropriate return on investment and fundraising efficiency.
● Develop strategy for maximizing 40th anniversary year’s activities and all related collateral.
Marketing and Communications
● Oversee all communications including social media, e-blast communications, annual report and various development communications materials.
● Collaborate with the marketing committee to create and execute a comprehensive marketing plan to grow student enrollment to meet strategic plan goals and objectives.
● Ensure alignment with brand identity and guidelines in all materials throughout the organization.
● With Development and Communications Manager, organize all materials related to HOPE’s website. External Relations
● Field all media requests and identify appropriate organizational spokesperson as needed.
● Actively seek out opportunities for the Executive Director and other senior staff to represent HOPE in public forums.
● Identify potential media opportunities and develop relationships with journalists.
Senior Leadership
● Collaborate with senior leadership to determine funding gaps and opportunities.
● Serve on Development, Governance, and Marketing Committees acting as thought leader and organizational liaison.
● Prepare and regularly evaluate annual fundraising goals and fundraising and communications budgets.
● Utilizing the strategic plan as a tool, collaborate with the development/communications team to create appropriate work plans to meet goals.
● Evaluate staff and act as mentor.
● Act as ambassador for the organization both internally and externally.
● Advise on and enforce organizational goals and policies.
Minimum Qualifications
● Bachelor’s degree in business administration, or related field.
● Master’s degree preferred.
● Further certification may be required.
● Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in fundraising and communications as well as managing projects and teams.
● Proven track record of success in fundraising at the six figure gift level.
● Outstanding oral and written communications skills.
● Strong interpersonal, decision-making, managerial, and leadership skills.
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
● Analytical thinking and ability to analyze data.
● Proficient in Google Suite and adept at Salesforce.
● Occasional travel and evening work required.
Salary/Benefits
The salary is dependent upon experience. The range for this position is $125,000-$150,000. HOPE provides a full package of benefits including healthcare and dental insurance, retirement plan, competitive vacation (plus half-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 the listing, and resume to hr@thehopeprogram.org. Resumes unaccompanied by a cover letter will not be reviewed. No telephone calls, please. The HOPE Program is an equal opportunity employer. WWW.THEHOPEPROGRAM.ORG