Managing Director of Development

Democracy Prep Public Schools•New York, NY

7d•$170,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Managing Director of Development owns Democracy Prep Public Schools’ philanthropic growth strategy and revenue engine. This leader sets the vision, builds systems, and drives measurable results across individual, foundation, corporate, and institutional giving. The role leads a key organizational function and aligns funding strategy with the network’s strategic priorities, including academic excellence, operational sustainability, programmatic scaling, and regional growth. The position reports to the Chief Executive Officer and partners with the Deputy Chief of Staff and senior leadership team. It follows a hybrid work model, with three days per week in the New York City office and two remote days. Democracy Prep Public Schools is a tuition-free public charter network serving more than 3,000 PreK–12 students across 10 campuses in New York. The organization has an annual budget of more than $100 million and is advancing its 2025–2030 Strategic Plan. The Managing Director will build and scale a high-performing development function to support that plan and the organization’s growth. The leader will develop a multi-year fundraising strategy and own multi-million-dollar annual and multi-year revenue targets. The role includes personally managing a portfolio of at least 25–40 high-capacity prospects, securing major gifts in partnership with the CEO, growing foundation and corporate partnerships, engaging the Board in philanthropy, and building a culture of philanthropy across the organization. The Managing Director will also implement and optimize donor management systems, track performance, and provide regular dashboards to senior leadership and the Board.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience securing major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Deep knowledge of fundraising programs and strategies.
Ability to navigate complex institutions, identify donor alignment, and adapt to rapidly evolving environments.
Excellent writing and presentation skills, including the ability to tailor clear, persuasive messages to multiple audiences.
Ability to build long-term internal and external partnerships and inspire confidence among Board members, donors, and colleagues.
Commitment to Democracy Prep’s vision of college success and authentic civic engagement for all scholars.
Commitment to building and sustaining an equitable organizational culture.
Results-oriented leadership, creativity, initiative, and rigor in building scalable development programs.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or related advanced study preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and lead a multi-year development strategy aligned to Democracy Prep’s Strategic Plan.
Own and drive multi-million-dollar annual and multi-year fundraising targets.
Build a diversified funding model across individual giving, principal gifts, foundations, corporate partnerships, government opportunities, and advocacy initiatives.
Identify emerging funding opportunities and build high-capacity donor pipelines.
Personally manage a focused portfolio of at least 25–40 high-capacity prospects.
Secure six-figure and select seven-figure gifts in partnership with the CEO.
Conduct at least 15–20 strategic cultivation and solicitation meetings annually.
Build multi-year stewardship and engagement plans for top-tier donors.
Partner with the CEO to source and cultivate Board-aligned prospects with philanthropic capacity.
Maintain retention of existing foundation partners and secure at least 3–5 new institutional partnerships annually.
Lead the preparation and submission of grant and foundation applications, ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with organizational priorities.
Increase foundation revenue year over year through proactive relationship management.
Lead strategic grant positioning in partnership with the Senior Leadership Team.
Develop and execute a corporate engagement strategy aligned with the organization’s operational model and strategic programmatic priorities.
Secure corporate partners annually and develop partnerships toward sustained philanthropic investment.
Drive a Board giving strategy in partnership with the CEO and Board Chair and support progress toward 100% Board giving.
Lead and oversee giving campaigns and donor engagement initiatives, including Giving Tuesday and major galas.
Activate Board members and development committees to leverage networks and open doors.
Build a culture of philanthropy through leadership coaching and strategic alignment.
Stay informed about trends and best practices in education and the nonprofit sector to inform strategy and identify opportunities.
Implement and optimize a donor management system that provides visibility into pipeline health, conversion rates, revenue progress, and donor retention.
Produce monthly and quarterly dashboards for senior leadership and Board review.
Build scalable systems that enable long-term revenue growth.
Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team and Marketing & Communications to develop the vision, strategy, and supporting materials for core programs.