Assistant Director, Development Operations

The New York Historical; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Store discount

Job summary

The New York Historical is seeking an Assistant Director in Development to lead Tessitura operations, data management, and analytics. You will oversee gift processing, biographical records, and reporting and serve as the department's primary liaison with Finance.

You will drive data-driven fundraising efforts, build dashboards, and supervise a gift processor while supporting operational improvements and year-end planning.

Qualifications

• Tessitura experience with reporting, analytics, campaigns, and modules.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple long-term and immediate tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with strict confidentiality.
• Meticulous data quality and follow-up are essential.
• Strong experience in database administration.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability.
• Expected availability for evening and/or weekend events when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Oversee donor database (Tessitura) and gift/biographical records management, gift processing, and reporting.
• Lead Tessitura implementations and create reports/dashboards to maximize capabilities.
• Collaborate with VP to track revenue, project closing amounts, and fiscal year-end projections.
• Develop analytics on fundraising trends to drive progress and data-driven decisions.
• Lead AI integrations in Tessitura when available and propose automation opportunities.
• Produce mailing lists/reports and maintain Tessitura data quality and policies.
• Supervise gift processor and ensure gifts/pledges are booked accurately.
• Establish data entry standards, SOPs, and quality-control reports.
• Document development operations procedures and monitor process improvements.
• Serve as liaison with Finance and support annual audit; coordinate year-end procedures.
• Perform additional administrative functions as required.

Skills

Tessitura experience

Database administration

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Interpersonal skills

Evening/weekend availability

Job description

Location: New York, NY

Job Id: 414

# of Openings: 1

DEPARTMENT: Development

REPORTS TO: Vice President For Development

New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution documenting over 400 years of American history through a peerless collection of art, documents, and artifacts. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections. We are home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the Reiss Family Graduate Institute for Constitutional History, the Dorothy Tapper Goldman Center for Teaching Democracy, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ+ Museum. We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

The Development Department secures funding to advance The New York Historical’s mission, fostering relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations to raise philanthropic support, driving membership growth, working with government funders, and securing contributed revenue through event rentals in our landmarked building.

Reporting to the Vice President, the Assistant Director leads database management, reporting and analytics; oversees gift processing and records management; serves as the Development Department’s primary liaison with Finance; and supervises the gift processor. The Assistant Director plays a key role in the team’s initiatives to raise funds for operations, exhibitions, collections, capital projects, endowment, and other special projects.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Provide direction and oversight of donor database (Tessitura); gift and biographical records management; gift processing and accounting; and reporting and analytics.
• Serve as Development Department lead for Tessitura business applications and as the primary contact for the department with Tessitura. Build out the suite of development reports and dashboards in Tessitura to maximize the department’s use of Tessitura’s capabilities. Create custom reports and tools to track fundraising progress and meet the department’s needs as necessary. Work with Tessitura staff to troubleshoot problems and stay current with updates to the system.
• Work closely with VP throughout the year to track revenue for projects and programs, and to project closing amounts for fiscal year-end. Create dashboards and reports as necessary.
• Develop forward-thinking analytics around internal and external fundraising trends to drive fundraising progress and increase productivity. Support data-driven decision making by analyzing and interpreting data, building predictive models, and visualizing data analysis results.
• Lead AI integrations in Tessitura when they become available. Develop recommendations to automate processes, responses to customer service inquiries, and other opportunities.
• Produce mailing lists and reports for the Development department and other NYH departments as needed. Maintain the overall quality and integrity of the Tessitura database. Ensure high standards of quality, consistency, and accuracy of data.
• Supervise gift processor. Ensure that all gifts and pledges are booked accurately, in a timely manner, and in accordance with gift accounting standards.
• Establish and oversee record and data entry standards and gift booking policies, maintaining standard operating procedures, documentation, and data entry quality control reports. Stay current on best practices in development operations.
• Document standard operating procedures for development operations. Identify system and process improvements. Monitor, upgrade, and simplify processes to improve quality and efficiency.
• Serve as Development Department’s primary liaison with Finance Department. Reconcile gift accounting with Finance on a set schedule. Support Finance with the annual audit. Establish, communicate and oversee procedures for calendar and fiscal year-end booking and closing.
• Perform additional administrative functions as required.

REQUIREMENTS

• Tessitura experience with proficiency in reports, portfolios, analytics, campaigns, appeals, source codes, designations, integrations, special events modules, etc.;
• Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple long-term assignments while managing tasks of immediate need in a fast-paced, deadline driven environment;
• Ability to handle sensitive information with the strictest confidentiality.
• Meticulous attention to detail and follow‑up;
• Excellent and demonstrated expertise in database administration;
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to problem solve and work independently;
• The availability to work evening and/or weekend events when necessary.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee with or without accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

This is largely a sedentary role using a computer; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stoop as necessary.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The expected salary range for this position is $90,000 - $100,000 per year. The successful candidate will be offered a salary within this range based on specific factors such as their individual qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

The New York Historical provides a generous benefits package for eligible employees to support their health and wellbeing, which includes:

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick and personal days, and holidays observed by the Museum;
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance;
• Short and long‑term disability coverage options;
• 403(b) retirement plan with eligibility for employer contributions following one year of full‑time service;
• Flexible spending accounts for health‑related expenses, dependent care, and parking and transit expenses;
• Employee Assistance Program for all employees and their families;
• 20% discount at the NYHistory Store, Café Clara and Clara restaurant, located within the Museum;
• Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions across the city.

The New York Historical is an Equal Opportunity Employer.