Director, Individual Giving

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Corporation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pre-Tax Benefits

Life Insurance and Long-Term DI

Generous Paid Time Off

PSLF Eligible Employer

Museum Pass

Free Garden admission for employee and

Employee discounts

Job summary

Brooklyn Botanic Garden seeks a Director of Individual Giving to shape and execute BBG's strategy for individual giving, including major gifts, planned giving, and special events. The role manages a significant donor portfolio and a fundraising team, partnering across the institution to grow philanthropy.

The director will steward 100+ major donors, collaborate with trustees and leadership, and help drive a future capital campaign while ensuring excellent donor relations and records in Raiser's

Qualifications

• 7+ years in fundraising with frontline solicitation success.
• Clear writing and verbal communication; strong reporting and analysis.
• Experience managing direct reports and mentoring fundraising professionals.
• Experience with annual giving and major gift solicitation; previous campaign experience.
• Data-oriented; fluent in CRMs, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to build moves management systems and track donor engagement.
• Experience creating fundraising materials such as proposals and reports.
• Collaborative and flexible work style for a collegial environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee BBG's Individual Giving program and sub-programs (Major Gifts, President's Circle, Planned Giving, Special Events).
• Develop data-informed plans to grow Individual Giving and cultivate new donors.
• Oversee events team and capital campaign support.
• Collaborate across fundraising verticals to maintain a coherent pipeline.
• Prepare reports highlighting opportunities and growth potential.
• Maintain Raiser's Edge projections and fundraising budgets.
• Lead and mentor frontline fundraisers; provide coaching and development.
• Ensure donor acknowledgement and accurate recording in all systems.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Communication skills

Team leadership

Data-driven

Donor stewardship

CRM proficiency

Proposals & reports

Tools

Raiser's Edge NXT

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Director, Individual Giving

Full Time Brooklyn, NY, US

6 days ago Requisition ID: 1323

Position Title: Director, Individual Giving

Department: Development

Reports to: Managing Director, Development

FLSA Status: Full-time,Exempt, Non-union

Grade: 5

Position Description

The director, Individual Giving is responsible for shaping and executing the overall strategy for Individual Giving at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG), deepening the Garden's relationships with individuals and family foundations. This hands-on leadership role combines strategic vision with significant frontline fundraising and behind-the-scenes execution. The role oversees special events and will play a key role in an upcoming capital campaign.

The director is a credible and compelling advocate for BBG's work and mission, and a warm and welcoming host for BBG's friends and supporters. The director personally manages a large and important portfolio of major donors and prospects, while managing and mentoring a medium-sized fundraising team and partnering closely with colleagues across the institution.

Responsibilities

Strategic Oversight

• Ensure the smooth operation and continued growth of BBG's Individual Giving program and sub-programs: Major Gifts, President's Circle, Planned Giving, and Special Events.
• Develop and execute a data-informed plan to grow Individual Giving at BBG, including new strategies to identify, cultivate, and solicit new donors and steward both new and existing supporters.
• Oversee a special events team member responsible for annual $1M+ Spring Gala and a comprehensive calendar of delightful donor-engagement experiences.
• Collaborate with leaders of other fundraising verticals (Membership, Institutional Giving) to ensure a coherent and fluid pipeline across BBG's fundraising efforts.
• Prepare and present compelling reports and analyses that highlight program opportunities and potential for growth.
• Maintain current and accurate fundraising projections in Raisers Edge.
• Manage income and expense budgets proactively and efficiently.
• Manage, mentor, and support a medium-sized team of frontline fundraisers, remaining closely involved in their development and work outputs.
• Set clear expectations, review work for quality and tone, identify professional development opportunities, and provide ongoing coaching.
• Coach all team members toward exceeding each program's annual fundraising goals.
• Ensure prompt and accurate record-keeping in donor database (Raisers Edge NXT) and other systems as needed.
• Model and teach fundraising best practices.
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and genuine passion for BBG's mission and programs.
• Manage BBG's relationship with a dynamic and consequential portfolio of around 100 major donors and prospects, currently giving more than $2.5 million annually, cultivating them toward increased outright and/or planned gifts to BBG.
• Develop and adapt proposal and reporting collateral as needed to support major gift solicitations and stewardship needs.
• Work closely with trustees and leadership team to proactively acquire new donors.
• Assign/reassign donors and prospects to gift-officer portfolios as needed to deepen relationships and optimize fundraiser productivity.
• Ensure proper donor acknowledgement and recognition in all venues and ensure maintenance of up-to-date and accurate records and reporting.

Thought Partnership

• Support the chief development officer and president in sustaining and deepening leadership relationships with all donor constituencies, including trustees and certain trustee committees.
• Contribute to planning and execution of a future capital campaign.
• Support and recommend efforts to modernize the department, including creating new policies and procedures for the team.
• Lead cross-team projects in support of development outcomes.
• Collaborate with other departments on development of proposals and long-term gift opportunities.
• Manage the creation and production of fundraising/outreach materials, including (but not limited to) letters, emails, and proposals.
• Maintain a high level of awareness of and monitor U.S. fundraising trends and best practices.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 7 years’ demonstrated fundraising experience and success in frontline solicitation
• Clear writing and verbal communication skills a must, along with a high degree of comfort in reporting and analysis
• Experience managing team of direct reports and mentoring early- and mid-career fundraising professionals
• Experience with annual giving programs and major gift solicitation; previous campaign experience
• Data-oriented and fluent in development CRMs, Excel, and PowerPoint
• The ability to develop systems to support effective moves management and track donor engagement
• Experience developing fundraising materials such as proposals and reports
• A demonstrated collaborative, flexible, and well-suited work style to excel in a collegial environment at all levels, both internally and externally

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary Range - $120,000 - $140,000
• BBG offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
• Pre-Tax Benefits including flexible spending, dependent care, transit/parking accounts
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off including sick time, vacation time, and 13 annual holidays
• As a 501(c)3, BBG is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligible Employer.
• Museum Pass, which provides employees the opportunity to enter many museums in New York City for free
• Free Garden admission for employee plus one guest
• Employee discount at BBG's retail and food venues

Brooklyn Botanic Garden considers several factors when determining the appropriate salary to offer a candidate within the listed salary range. These factors include (but are not limited to), the scope and responsibilities of the position, a candidate’s relevant work experience and education/training, prior union/ DC37 experience (for union positions), job skills, and equity across the institution, as well as market and organizational considerations.

No telephone calls for position inquiries, please. Applicants with disabilities who need assistance with the online system, or who may require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, should contact Human Resources at [e-mail].

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an Equal Opportunity employer.