Director of Development

About this Opportunity

Queens Botanical Garden seeks an energetic and visionary leader to be our next Director of Development. The Director of Development is responsible for annually raising approximately $4M from public and private sources and secures additional funds to support critical capital projects spanning the Garden’s 39-acre campus. Working with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and key staff leaders, the Director of Development devises and executes fundraising strategies to advance the ambitious ideas articulated in the Strategic and Master Plans and annual operating budget. The Director of Development leads the four-person Development team to success in meeting fundraising goals through institutional giving, individual giving, membership, and special events. In addition to providing leadership and strategy, the Director is also an active front-line fundraiser who directly contributes to institutional and individual fundraising efforts, including grant writing, ongoing stewardship, and major gift solicitation. They are a passionate advocate for the Garden’s work to engage the public through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs, and real-world applications of environmental stewardship. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced fundraising environment which demands exceptional written and oral communications skills and enthusiastically collaborate with other organizational leaders to generate and execute new programmatic and capital initiatives.

The Director of Development is part of the Senior Staff leadership team, reports to the Executive Director, and supervises the Senior Development Manager and Institutional Giving Coordinator.

Key Responsibilities: 

Fundraising Leadership & Strategy

• Create and implement an ambitious fundraising plan designed to grow the organization’s annual operating budget, diversify funding streams, and prioritize multi-year opportunities.
• Identify and maximize key areas of potential fundraising growth and new contributed revenue streams, including federal grants and naming opportunities.
• Activate the Board of Trustees as ambassadors for fundraising through strategy sessions, committee work, and training, as needed, to develop a culture of philanthropy.
• Closely track fundraising projections and strategize with Senior Staff to accordingly expand or alter planned activities; generate fundraising reports for the Board of Trustees.
• Work with Executive Director and Communications & Marketing Manager to develop strategies for maximizing revenues.
• Collaborate with fundraising and marketing consultants and partners.

Institutional Giving

• Strengthen relationships with existing institutional funders, including the City of New York, elected officials, and major foundation and corporate partners, with a focus on increasing support and securing multi-year commitments.
• Liaise with leaders in Education/Programs, Visitor Services, Horticulture, Marketing, and other departments to identify fundable projects; oversee ongoing work with Finance Department to ensure appropriate grant-tracking activities and accurate reporting.
• Take the lead on developing proposals for major funders and new prospects; work with Senior Development Manager and Institutional Giving Coordinator to ensure accurate and compelling proposals and reports for all institutional donors.
• Lead the Garden’s Corporate Sponsorship and Membership programs; collaborate with Marketing, Visitor Services, Education/Programs, Operations, and other departments to implement sponsorship and activation benefits.

Individual Giving & Special Events

• Lead the Garden’s existing Individual Giving programs, including the Adopt-a-Bench, Adopt-A-Tree, and Adopt-A-Garden initiatives.
• Develop and execute compelling new individual giving campaigns using the Garden’s communications channels.
• Establish relationships with current and potential major donors; create custom support and sponsorship packages based on donor interest.
• Strategize with Senior Development Manager and Membership Coordinator to grow Membership revenue.
• Devise strategies to grow revenue for Rambling Rose Gala, the Garden’s annual fundraising event, and work with Board Development Committee to implement such strategies; lead ideation for new special events, as needed.

Development Operations

• Identify opportunities to streamline and strengthen development operations.
• Oversee Development and Membership expense budgets; approve purchases in accordance with budgets.
• Harness data from fundraising database (DonorPerfect) to develop moves management strategies for existing donors.

Qualifications:

• At least seven years of progressively increasing responsibility, experience, and success in fundraising for a non-profit organization, preferably at cultural, educational, and/or environmental institutions
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; Master’s degree and fundraising credentials preferred
• Supervisory experience required; passion for fostering professional development within Development teams
• Strong relationship manager; enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners
• Familiarity with donor management software; ease with using technology, including the Microsoft Office Suite
• Superb verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge of the New York City fundraising landscape; enthusiasm for sustainability, environmental organizations and cultural institutions
• Creativity, marketing savvy, and business development acumen; awareness of fundraising and marketing trends
• Occasional evening and weekend work required for special and public events