Senior Development Manager

About this Opportunity

The Senior Development Manager will raise critical funds for Queens Botanical Garden primarily through grant writing, individual giving, and special events to support the growth of the Garden’s annual operating budget. They are a key member of the Garden’s four-person Development team. The ideal candidate will be an experienced fundraiser capable of managing multiple projects and deadlines at the same time. They will be an exceptional writer, a strong project manager, and a passionate champion for QBG’s work to offer environmental education programs, cultural experiences, and a healthful green space to Queens residents, all New Yorkers, and visitors. They will be comfortable communicating verbally and in writing with institutional donors, individual donors, Trustees, gala attendees, and QBG Members. The Senior Development Manager reports to the Director of Development and supervises the Membership Coordinator.

Responsibilities include: 

Institutional Giving and Grant Writing

• Grow the Garden’s institutional giving by writing compelling grants and proposals to active and prospective donors in the Senior Development Manager’s pipeline, including foundations, corporations, and government funders
• Manage relationships with a pipeline of active and prospective donors, including conducting donor outreach, maintaining registrations in donor application portals, coordinating site visits, and overseeing the delivery of recognition and sponsorship benefits
• Work with the Finance Department and other QBG Staff to ensure adherence to the unique specifications of each donor; generate reports for donors
• Manage QBG’s Institutional Giving calendar
• Work with Director of Development and other QBG Staff Members to identify new projects in need of funding
• Work with Institutional Giving Coordinator to identify and review prospects  

Individual Giving

• Generate mailing lists for Annual Appeal and other individual fundraising campaigns and work with external mail house to execute mailings
• Support the Director of Development in the management and execution of existing individual giving vehicles, including the Adopt-A-Tree and Adopt-A-Garden program, and the generation of new individual giving campaigns
• Strategize with the Director of Development to meet and exceed Individual Giving revenue goals

Membership

• Supervise the Membership Coordinator
• Strategize with Director of Development, Membership Coordinator, and other members of the QBG staff to meet and exceed Membership revenue goals 

Special Events

• Manage all event planning aspects for the Garden’s annual June fundraising event, Rambling Rose Gala, including generating mailing lists; working with event vendors; corresponding with event sponsors; overseeing event budget; and collaborating with QBG operations staff to execute event onsite at the Garden
• Strategize with the Director of Development to meet or exceed fundraising event revenue goals, including the potential to develop and implement new special event(s)

General Duties

• Be involved in Garden-wide initiatives, such as strategic planning
• Take minutes at four annual QBG Board Meetings; compile and distribute quarterly Board Meeting packets
• Other duties as necessary

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, plus at least five years of professional experience in non-profit fundraising, preferably at a cultural institution, public garden, parks organization, educational organization, or related field
• Proven track record of successful fundraising in institutional and individual giving; experience managing fundraising events is a plus
• Exceptional leadership, writing, and organization skills; strong attention to detail
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of fundraising databases; familiarity with DonorPerfect is a plus
• Interest in, and knowledge of funders who support cultural organizations, sustainable practices, farms, public gardens, and museums highly desired
• Willingness to work weekends and occasional evenings, as needed