Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park – Director of Development

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is a Memorial to President Franklin Roosevelt built on Roosevelt Island, in New York City. The Memorial was designed by Louis Kahn and opened to the public in October of 2012.

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park is operated by the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation under a Cooperative Agreement. In addition to funding, operating and maintaining the Park, the Conservancy’s mission is to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of FDR and the Four Freedoms through educational initiatives and public programming.

Job Description

The Director of Development will be responsible for overseeing the development program for the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy.

The Director of Development (Director) will be responsible for the ongoing development, management, and execution of all aspects of the organization’s fundraising initiatives across the areas of institutional, corporate and individual giving, membership, and special events. The Director will oversee all grants and solicitations; manage a grants and reporting calendar, and work with Board and Staff on annual benefits.

In collaboration with the CEO, the Board Chair and Directors and the Development Committee, the Director is expected to personally solicit, or arrange for solicitation of, annual unrestricted, restricted and endowment gifts in support of the Park. The Director will provide leadership in articulating long-term fundraising strategies including capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, and a planned giving program.

As steward of a newly opened public space, the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy must continue to build development capacity. This position is a unique opportunity to lead, build and grow a new development program in support of a magnificent Presidential Memorial, designed by Louis Kahn, honoring Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms.

Primary Responsibilities

• Guide and support the activities of the CEO in all matters related to donor cultivation, giving requests, donor appreciation and recognition. • Work with the CEO in the development of endowments and special campaigns. • Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy for restricted and unrestricted gifts and grants in support of education programs, general support, capital campaigns and other special events. • Conduct research and identify prospective donors, sponsors, organizational partners and grant opportunities. • Oversee management of donor database system, maintain donor information and accurate record-keeping and manage correspondence. • The Director will work with his or her team to continually improve fundraising support infrastructure and ensure that the organization can respond quickly, effectively, creatively and contextually to long term financial requirements, short term operating needs and to donor interests and opportunities.

Individual Giving and Major Gifts

• Implement an effective annual appeal. • Manage a portfolio of current, dormant, and prospective donors with the goal of moving current donors up in class of giving, reactivating dormant donors, and securing first time gifts. • Manage newly structured donor programs including inaugural membership and planned giving programs – growing membership base and cultivating sustained and renewable giving. • Develop and implement stewardship strategies, designing cultivation and stewardship events and managing stewardship process.

Event Planning

• Oversee the planning for and implementation of annual fundraising benefit(s).

Institutional Giving

• Develop an institutional donor program including the preparation of proposals, sponsorship opportunities, reports and communications with institutional representatives. • Identify, cultivate and solicit new foundation and government donors, developing strategies and timelines for approaching new prospects. • Develop and implement a strategy to secure new and increased corporate sponsorships. • Supervise government grant applications.

Communications

• Supervise the organization’s communications efforts by developing and executing an annual communications strategy. • Liaise with Senior Staff to develop and manage a streamlined promotional schedule for all programs and core activities. • Oversee the creation and posting of consistent and mission-driven content for social media. • Oversee the drafting of press releases and response to media inquiries. • Develop a unified approach to patron advancement, raise public awareness of the Park and its programs, and develop effective outreach and campaign strategies that connect with individual and institutional donors. • Draft and publish fundraising materials for print, web, and social media. • Organize and maintain the fundraising calendar including individual support, grant deadlines and reports. • Conduct research and identify prospective donors, sponsors, organizational partners and grant opportunities.

Qualifications

The Director of Development is expected to be an exceptionally skilled fundraising strategist with a proven record of success in engaging prospective donors and closing gifts.

The Director position requires a minimum of 5 years progressive experience in planning, leading and managing a Development department.

The successful candidate must be a dynamic and engaging individual, possessing exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including superior and persuasive writing and research skills. He/She will be a strong leader, demonstrate a high comfort level running meetings and will be a focused and highly motivated self-starter with an inspired creative and strategic outlook. The successful candidate will also be committed to, and have a genuine belief in, the mission and values of President Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms Park.

How to Apply

Apply online: http://www.idealist.org/view/job/ZkPzSzMbCSCp. Deadline May 30.