Chief Development Officer

GO Project; New York (NY); On-site; USD 145,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The GO Project seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead and execute its fundraising strategy in New York City. This senior role will forecast revenue, cultivate donor relations, and close gifts, grants, and sponsorships to support a $3.2 million budget.

You will manage a small team and work with the Executive Director and stakeholders to grow a sustainable revenue portfolio. Ideal candidates bring mission-driven leadership, a track record of multi-channel fundraising success, and strong

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fundraising leadership in education or youth development nonprofits.
• Experience in cultivating and closing diverse revenue streams (gifts, sponsorships, grants).
• Ability to translate organizational strategy into actionable fundraising plans.

Responsibilities

• Forecast, cultivate, and close on diverse revenue opportunities to meet/exceed $3.2M budget.
• Increase contributions through gifts, sponsorships, and grants; supervise fundraising initiatives.
• Lead events, campaigns, and communications to advance fundraising goals.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, vendors, and consultants to optimize portfolio performance.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Grants management

Major gifts

Board relations

Donor communications

Team leadership

Event planning

Marketing communications

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

The GO Project’s vision is to close the opportunity gap for children from historically under-resourced communities who are struggling in their New York City public schools. Since 1968, GO’s year-round out-of-school time student and family support programs have equipped thousands of children with the confidence and skills needed to make academic gains, enroll in high-performing middle and high schools, graduate on time, and achieve college success. By harnessing New York’s physical, financial, and intellectual resources, GO has grown from a group of volunteers serving 30 students on the Lower East Side into a $3 million organization creating equal opportunity for more than 700 students citywide.

This is an exciting time for the GO Project. The organization is poised for growth with a five-year strategic plan that will deepen and expand GO’s impact in both its existing and future communities.

Learn more about the organization at www.goprojectnyc.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The GO Project seeks an accomplished Chief Development Officer (CDO) who embodies both visionary leadership and hands-on expertise. As an integral member of the leadership team, the CDO will contribute as a content expert, helping shape the organization’s fundraising strategy and manage execution. Their development acumen of the NYC philanthropic landscape, particularly within educational or youth development nonprofit space, will be instrumental in translating broad organizational strategies into actionable tasks and maximizing the Board's potential towards fundraising outcomes. This role will work directly with the senior leadership team and reports to the Executive Director. The CDO will manage a small team and will work closely with all consultants, vendors and stakeholders connected to the organization’s fundraising efforts.

The CDO is responsible for accurately forecasting, cultivating, and closing on diverse revenue opportunities that meet or exceed the organization’s financial and impact goals of the current $3.2 million budget. The efforts of the CDO and their team will generate contributed revenue by increasing gifts, sponsorships, and grants through successful relationship building, solicitation, stewardship, event planning, and marketing communications.

This role is ideal for a highly relational individual with an entrepreneurial spirit. This person is not just a thinker but also an organized doer, ready to collaborate, innovate, and address challenges head-on. A successful CDO is a mission-focused, strategic, results-driven, and creative leader with a proven track record of growing a diverse and sustainable revenue portfolio, and can serve as a thought leader in the organization. This is a full-time position with occasional time required on evenings and weekends.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $145,000 - $160,000