Senior Director of Development

Ascend: Public Charter Schools in Brooklyn, New York • Brooklyn, NY

107d

About The Position

Ascend seeks a Senior Director of Development (DoD) to help support and lead Ascend's plans for philanthropic support. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned, knowledgeable, and innovative fundraising leader to serve as an active member of the Advancement team, who can support building and executing a fund development strategy to meet current and future opportunities for the organization. The DoD will amplify revenue generation and enhance brand visibility to achieve Ascend's multi-year fundraising plan and goals. The DoD will support the Chief External Officer (CExO) and President in fostering and cultivating constituent relationships (both public and private) to convert prospects into champions and investors.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• A minimum of five years in a leadership position in a complex organization; proven leadership skills, including the ability to attract, develop, and inspire engagement from a team.
• Experience developing and executing short- and long-term strategic plans for a core organizational area.
• Passion and commitment to education and Ascend's ultimate goal of closing the achievement gap.
• Keen insight and strategic mindset for designing and executing a fundraising plan and outreach campaigns to prospective donors and partners.
• Superb organizational, project management, self-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to proceed in the absence of clear and immediate answers to problems.
• Strong leadership and management skills, including the ability to motivate and lead teams in fast-paced, high-stakes projects.
• Superior analytical skills and comfort with data.
• Excellent collaborative and communication skills.
• A hunger for feedback and an openness to engage in a process of self-improvement.
• Alignment with the educational philosophy and core beliefs of Ascend.

Responsibilities

• Advise the Chief External Officer and President on the NYC Charter landscape.
• Assist with analyzing the New York City funder landscape and conduct relevant, actionable prospect research.
• Provide ownership and primary oversight of the pipeline and process for individual and private institutional prospects and donors.
• Facilitate introductions to prospective or potential individual and institutional supporters for both the Chief Advancement Officer and the Chief Executive Officer.
• Lead and manage the production and submission of grant proposals and reports for private foundations.
• Support with connecting Ascend Network stories to funding priorities and advancement strategy.
• Liaise with the Ascend Network to identify unique funding opportunities, gathering input, data, and feedback from relevant school-based stakeholders.
• Other duties related to building the Advancement function, as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees