Director of Development

FIND AID FOR THE AGED INC; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Project FIND in New York City seeks a Director of Development to lead its fundraising strategy and expand unrestricted resources. You will oversee individual giving, major gifts, foundations, corporate partnerships, and events.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will work with senior leadership to strengthen donor engagement and long-term sustainability. The role requires a strategic, hands-on approach across multiple channels, including crisis communications as needed, with strong writing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Strategic and tactical fundraising approach with hands-on execution.
• At least 6 years' experience increasing the donor base by 500K+.
• Proven track record of identifying and enlisting donors from Fortune 100 companies.
• Interest in and experience with Housing and OAC preferred.
• Ability to implement donor strategy with proven results within 6 months.
• Strong writing skills and ability to write based on intended audience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan to increase unrestricted revenue.
• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for individual donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors.
• Oversee annual campaigns including Giving Tuesday, Year-End Appeals, and planned giving.
• Monitor donor metrics and fundraising performance toward targets.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s fundraising committee with regular updates.
• Lead internal grant coordination, strategy discussions, and reporting.
• Plan, design, and execute fundraising and cultivation events; secure sponsorships.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Hands-on approach

Tech literacy

Social media savvy

Strong writing

Fundraising experience

Relationship building

Flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Description

Project FIND's mission is to provide low- and moderate-income and homeless seniors with the services and support they need to enrich their lives and live independently. Today Project FIND operates four supportive housing residences that are home to more than 700 people and four senior centers with over 3,000 members. Our members and residents range from the healthy and active to the frail and homebound to the homeless. For all these individuals, Project FIND is a critical resource, providing housing, meals, and programs that help individuals navigate the challenges of aging by encouraging community engagement and healthy living.

Company Description:

Project FIND's Older Adult Centers are dedicated sites that provides a variety of meals, activities, and services to people over the age of 60. Please visit our website at: www.projectfind.org.

Position Summary

The Director of Development is responsible for leading Project FIND’s comprehensive fundraising strategy to drive sustainable revenue growth and expand unrestricted resources. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role oversees individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, and special events.

The Director partners closely with senior leadership and the Board of Directors to strengthen donor engagement, cultivate strategic relationships, and ensure long-term financial sustainability. The role also collaborates directly with the Executive Director on sensitive communications, including crisis response and reputational matters that may impact donors, funders, or external stakeholders.

Core Responsibilities

Fund Development & Revenue Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan aligned with organizational priorities, with a focus on increasing unrestricted revenue.
• Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for individual donors, major donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors.
• Oversee annual campaigns, including Giving Tuesday, Year-End Appeals, recurring gift initiatives, corporate matching programs, and planned giving efforts.
• Monitor and analyze donor metrics and fundraising performance to ensure progress toward annual and multi-year revenue targets.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s fundraising or development committee, providing regular updates on strategy, pipeline development, and revenue progress.

Grants & Institutional Funding

• Conduct and supervise prospect research aligned with agency priorities and programmatic needs.
• Develop and submit government and foundation proposals, letters of inquiry, renewals, and required reports.
• Lead internal grant coordination efforts, including strategy discussions, funding alignment, and tracking of grant deliverables and outcomes.

Special Event Management

• Lead the planning, design, and execution of fundraising and cultivation events.
• Secure event revenue through sponsorships, ticket sales, and corporate partnerships.
• Draft sponsorship correspondence and conduct follow-up outreach with prospective sponsors and attendees.
• Manage event-related contracts, invoices, budgets, and vendor coordination.

Relationship Management

• Serve as a primary relationship manager for foundations, city council offices, individual donors, and corporate sponsors.
• Conduct donor cultivation meetings, tours, and stewardship engagements in partnership with the Executive Director.
• Draft and oversee donor communications, including campaign letters, acknowledgments, and impact updates.
• Establish and manage donor recognition programs and giving societies.
• Represent Project FIND at external networking and industry-related events to expand philanthropic relationships.

Crisis Communication & Executive Support

• Work directly with the Executive Director to develop and implement crisis communication strategies that protect donor relationships and organizational reputation.
• Draft timely and appropriate communications to donors, funders, board members, and partners during periods of organizational risk or public concern.
• Coordinate messaging to ensure alignment across development communications during sensitive situations.

Reporting & Systems Oversight

• Develop fundraising metrics and narrative reports to track progress toward revenue targets.
• Oversee the integrity and functionality of the fundraising database, including gift processing, grant tracking, and reporting accuracy.
• Provide regular development dashboards and analysis to senior leadership and the Board of Directors.

Schedule:

Monday - Friday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Up to two remote days per week, based on supervisory approval and work tasks.

Project FIND participates in E-Verify, which confirms employment authorization through an electronic database maintained by the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. The E-Verify process is completed in conjunction with the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• Ability to be both strategic and tactical - must have a hands-on approach
• At least 6 years' experience increasing the donor base by 500K+
• Proven track record of identifying and enlisting donors from Fortune 100 companies
• Interest in and experience with Housing and OAC preferred
• Ability to implement donor strategy with proven results within 6 months.
• Flexible and varied approach to donor relations to attract multi-generational donor base.
• Hands on approach with ability to work alone as well as within a team
• Knowledge of technology and social media platforms.
• Ability to develop relationships with businesses near the various Project FIND sites, to increase awareness and impact.
• Develop a multi-tiered approach to recognizing donors (e.g. corporate, individual, young professionals, etc.)
• Strong writing skills and ability to write based on intended audience.

Schedule:

Monday - Friday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Up to two remote days per week, based on supervisory approval and work tasks.

Project FIND participates in E-Verify, which confirms employment authorization through an electronic database maintained by the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. The E-Verify process is completed in conjunction with the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates.