Chief Development Officer – New York, United States job with The Oliver Scholars Program, Inc. | 43927

Organization Mission: Oliver Scholars prepares
high-achieving Black and Latinx students from underserved New York
City communities for success at top independent schools and
prestigious colleges. We provide crucial support for our Scholars
so they can realize their full potential and ultimately give back
to the city, the nation, and the world.

Position Summary and Reporting: Reporting to
the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Development
Officer is a key member of the leadership team and will
work closely and seamlessly under the direction of the CEO with
Donors, Program team, and Development team to drive fundraising
efforts to support mission impact. At this time, Oliver Scholars
seeks a seasoned fundraising professional who can a) serve as a
thought partner with our committed senior leadership team; b)
create a strategic fundraising program that capitalizes on existing
fundraising relationships and opportunities; and, c) serve as a
fundraising entrepreneur to attract new donors and sponsors with
passion for supporting our promising Black and Latinx students.
Succeeding in this environment will require a collaborative and
entrepreneurial spirit; the ability to employ a hands-on approach
to connecting with a broad array of donors, volunteers, and
champions; and, a deep commitment to our mission. The Chief
Development Officer will collaborate with the organization’s
leaders, staff, and board members to integrate an informed and
enthusiastic fundraising perspective into all aspects of Oliver
Scholars’ programs and operations. The successful applicant should
have proven experience as a fundraising generalist, with several
years of fundraising management experience in a non-profit
organization of similar size and scope.  

Immediate
priorities

The Chief Development Officer’s immediate priorities are to:

• Thoroughly understand Oliver Scholars – its mission, values,
  history, culture, traditions, communities, programs, personalities,
  constituencies, and governance structure; understand its base of
  financial support and the short and long-term funding requirements
  of all segments of the organization;
• Develop strong relationships with, and secure the trust and
  confidence of the CEO and other senior leaders – working in concert
  and alignment with the CEO’s stated organizational goals and
  objectives;
• Cultivate key alumni, funders, influencers, community members,
  consultants, and others critical to individual and institutional
  fundraising efforts;
• Actively contribute to and engage with the organization’s
  strategic planning and goal-setting efforts;
• Assess and evaluate the Development Department and team; ensure
  that the Department is well-structured and able to support annual
  fundraising goals; and
• Immediately assess the “state of play” of in-process
  fundraising efforts and provide support for those efforts as
  needed; assume a hands-on, creative leadership role in the
  identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major individual
  and institutional gifts; and personally cultivate and solicit as
  appropriate.  

Responsibilities

• Develop and Implement a strategic fundraising plan that is
  outcomes- and metrics-driven, significantly increases revenue, and
  moves the organization closer to a $4M annual goal within five
  years via diversified philanthropic income, including a strong
  individual, corporate, and foundation donor base;
• Develop a sound case for support that incorporates Oliver’s
  mission impact based on the perspectives of Scholars, families,
  alumni, staff, school partners, and community members;
• Ensure that institutional fundraising proposals are wholly
  reflective of the work and values of the organization and
  well-written, and that Oliver Scholars remains in compliance with
  all reporting requirements;
• Ensure departmental compliance with Oliver’s data management
  procedures and processes;
• Work in concert with the finance department to a) anticipate
  and plan for the fundraising program’s capacity to meet the
  financial needs of the organization via cashflow forecasting; b)
  manage gift processing and reconciliation protocols and procedures;
  c) support the execution of Oliver’s annual audit; and d) engage in
  financial contingency planning with the CEO, Trustees, and finance
  when appropriate;
• Implement stewardship and donor recognition programs via snail
  mail, email, and multimedia channels (in collaboration with the
  Director of Communications and Marketing);
• Ensure timely, accurate, and appropriate reporting to the CEO,
  Board of Trustees, and external donors on all fundraising
  activities;
• Advise the CEO on Oliver’s readiness for a successful
  capacity-building campaign and execute a planned campaign under the
  direction of the CEO and a Campaign Sub-Committee;
• Increase corporate sponsorships via events and in-kind
  contributions;
• Support the CEO’s efforts to strengthen Oliver Scholars’ brand
  recognition among donors and prospective donors throughout New York
  City and the surrounding communities;
• Develop a successful partnership with the CEO to ensure that
  they are prepared for donor engagement opportunities and positioned
  for success as the primary spokesperson of Oliver Scholars;
• Function as a fair and values-driven departmental leader who
  encourages interdepartmental collaboration and ensures that the
  fundraising team has the skills needed to execute Oliver’s
  vision.

Preferred qualifications

Candidates should have the following type of experience and
qualifications:

• 15+ years of successful fundraising experience, with at least 5
  years as a fundraising manager/director, preferred;
• Comfort and experience in a technology-driven environment;
• Broad-based knowledge of various development campaign
  activities and tools, including the internet, direct mail, proposal
  and grant development, annual fund and planned giving, event
  planning and management, direct solicitations, leveraging
  fundraising databases and support systems for donor segmentation,
  and research and volunteer management;
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills;
• Demonstrated experience motivating, coordinating and supporting
  the fundraising activities of others;
• A master’s degree in fundraising, public administration,
  business or a related field is preferred, CFRE candidates will
  receive priority.

Personal characteristics

The successful candidate should be:

• A mission-driven individual with an understanding of, belief
  in, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in
  education, and across all aspects of the community;
• A professional who is highly organized, proactive, and
  adaptive;
• A strategic problem-solver;
• An independent and open-minded individual who values and
  appreciates diversity, input, and collaboration from various
  constituencies;
• A good listener and strategist who is comfortable receiving
  input from many sources, and is able to act on information to
  develop increased support;
• A strong manager who will advocate for the fundraising team and
  develop their skills in the field;
• A hard worker with a high energy level; a “doer” with a
  willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety
  of development and advancement activities;
• A person who is emotionally mature and self-reliant, and who
  will thrive working in a small but growing office;
• Someone who works will with others and can foster
  interdepartmental collaboration;
• A person who has a sense of humor and a friendly demeaner.

Compensation:
The salary range for this position is $130,000 – $160,000 annually,
along with an exceptional benefits package focusing on employee
physical, financial, and mental wellness.
This is a full-time position. There will be the occasional
need to work extra hours on evenings and weekends to fulfill the
requirements of the role.

Location: 
This position is based in New York City, New York. While performing
the duties of this role, you would be expected to be in the office
at least three days per week. 

Travel:
Requires moderate travel throughout the year. 

To Apply:
Please submit a cover letter expressing your intention to apply for
the role, and a resume’ at
https://oliverscholars.applytojob.com/apply/zo1fbZzFvb/Chief-Development-Officer.
Please, no phone calls. All inquiries will be held in
confidence.

Please note that this role description is not designed to cover or
contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or
responsibilities required of the employee for this role. Duties,
responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be
assigned at any time, with or without notice.

A diverse workforce and open culture are at the heart of our
organization and vital to our success. Oliver Scholars is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants
will be considered for employment without discrimination based on
race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital
status, sexual orientation, military status, citizenship status, or
current employment status. Candidates who identify as members of
historically underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to
apply.