Director, Individual Giving

Brooklyn Botanic Garden • Brooklyn, NY

1d

About The Position

The Director, Individual Giving shapes and executes Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s overall Individual Giving strategy, deepening relationships with individuals and family foundations. This hands-on leadership role combines strategic planning, frontline fundraising, and behind-the-scenes execution. The director oversees special events and contributes to an upcoming capital campaign, serving as a compelling advocate for the Garden’s mission and a welcoming host to its supporters. The director personally manages a substantial portfolio of major donors and prospects while managing and mentoring a medium-sized fundraising team and collaborating with colleagues across the institution.

The role oversees Major Gifts, President’s Circle, Planned Giving, and Special Events; develops data-informed strategies to grow individual giving; and works with other fundraising leaders to support a coherent donor pipeline. Responsibilities also include team development, portfolio management, donor stewardship, fundraising projections and budgets, reporting and analysis, campaign planning, cross-team projects, and the creation of fundraising materials. The position reports to the Managing Director, Development.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of demonstrated fundraising experience and success in frontline solicitation.
• Clear writing and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort with reporting and analysis.
• Experience managing direct reports and mentoring early- and mid-career fundraising professionals.
• Experience with annual giving programs and major-gift solicitation.
• Fluency in development CRMs, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to develop systems that support effective moves management and track donor engagement.
• Experience developing fundraising materials such as proposals and reports.
• A collaborative, flexible work style suited to a collegial environment and effective relationships at all organizational levels, internally and externally.

Nice To Haves

• Previous campaign experience.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the smooth operation and continued growth of the Individual Giving program and its Major Gifts, President’s Circle, Planned Giving, and Special Events subprograms.
• Develop and execute a data-informed plan to grow Individual Giving, including strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
• Oversee the special events team member responsible for the annual Spring Gala, which raises more than $1 million, and a calendar of donor-engagement experiences.
• Collaborate with leaders of Membership and Institutional Giving to maintain a coherent fundraising pipeline across the Garden.
• Prepare and present reports and analyses that identify program opportunities and growth potential.
• Maintain current and accurate fundraising projections in Raiser’s Edge.
• Manage income and expense budgets proactively and efficiently.
• Manage, mentor, and support a medium-sized team of frontline fundraisers, including setting expectations, reviewing work, coaching, and identifying professional development opportunities.
• Coach team members toward exceeding annual fundraising goals and model fundraising best practices.
• Ensure prompt and accurate donor recordkeeping in Raiser’s Edge NXT and other systems.
• Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and passion for the Garden’s mission and programs.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 major donors and prospects, currently giving more than $2.5 million annually, and cultivate them toward increased outright or planned gifts.
• Develop and adapt proposals and reporting materials for major-gift solicitations and stewardship.
• Work with trustees and the leadership team to acquire new donors.
• Assign or reassign donors and prospects to gift-officer portfolios to deepen relationships and optimize fundraiser productivity.
• Ensure appropriate donor acknowledgement and recognition and maintain accurate records and reporting.
• Support the chief development officer and president in sustaining and deepening leadership relationships with donor constituencies, including trustees and trustee committees.
• Contribute to planning and execution of a future capital campaign.
• Recommend and support department modernization, including the creation of team policies and procedures.
• Lead cross-team projects that support development outcomes.
• Collaborate with other departments on proposals and long-term gift opportunities.
• Manage the creation and production of fundraising and outreach materials, including letters, emails, and proposals.
• Monitor U.S. fundraising trends and best practices.

Benefits

• Health insurance beginning on the date of hire, with coverage options through New York City’s Office of Labor Relations, including some plans at no cost to the employee.
• Dental, vision, and prescription benefits.
• Pre-tax flexible spending, dependent care, and transit or parking accounts.
• Cultural Institutions Retirement System pension and 401(k) plan for eligible employees.
• Life insurance through CIRS, as well as long-term disability insurance.
• Generous paid time off, including sick time, vacation time, and 13 annual holidays.
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness as a 501(c)(3) employer.
• Museum pass providing free entry to many New York City museums.
• Free Garden admission for the employee and one guest.
• Employee discounts at the Garden’s retail and food venues.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed