Senior Director, Development

Status: Full-time, exempt

Reports to: Executive Director

Start Date: September 1, 2026

About NYC Pride:

NYC Pride works toward a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law. We do this by producing LGBTQIA+ Pride events that inspire, educate, commemorate and celebrate our diverse community.

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Development is part of the leadership team and reports to the Executive Director. The Senior Director, Development will be a key strategic partner, leading NYC Pride’s fundraising strategies.

The Senior Director, Development will work closely with the Executive Director to build a culture of philanthropy while creating, implementing, and monitoring a sustainable fundraising plan with an emphasis on corporate funders. The Senior Director, Development will help grow smaller portfolios of individual and major donors, foundation grants, special events, and third‑party events. NYC Pride’s operating budget for the next fiscal year is approximately $4 million, with a goal of $5.5 million by 2029. The Senior Director, Development collaborates closely with the leadership team and all departments, including Events, Media and Communications.

In co‑leading the resource development team, they will articulate and advance a comprehensive vision for the organization’s fundraising efforts and work collaboratively to translate that vision into execution. The organization is currently supported by approximately 85 percent corporate partnership revenue, with the goal of reducing it to 75% over the next three years. The Senior Director, Development will prioritize securing new funding while increasing revenue from existing partners. The Senior Director, Development will also ensure staff have the support they need to thrive and grow as professionals while contributing to the NYC Pride’s strategic plan goals and development’s long‑term goals.

The position leads a small fundraising team of one full‑time Development Coordinator, one seasonal Partnerships Coordinator from January to June, and a vacant Associate Director of Development position.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and lead NYC Pride’s long‑term development strategy in close partnership with the Executive Director and Board Officers, ensuring alignment with NYC Pride’s goals and strategic objectives.
• Provide multi‑year financial modeling, scenario planning, and forward‑looking analysis to support enterprise‑level decisions, including programmatic investments, staffing strategies, and capital priorities.
• Advise senior leadership on the financial implications of new initiatives, organizational changes, and external developments, balancing ambition with sustainability.
• Help shape how NYC Pride may deploy a diversified revenue base—including philanthropy, grants, endowment income, and earned revenue—in service of its mission.

Development Strategy & Planning

• Design and implement a quantifiable and measurable corporate partnership fundraising strategy to achieve NYC Pride's financial and brand goals, including increasing & diversifying funding, expanding digital fundraising efforts, growing foundation and city funding, individual giving, special events, and third‑party events.
• Set yearly fundraising metrics; develop an execution plan that incorporates key marketing strategies to ensure that the goals and metrics are aligned and achieved.
• Adjust fundraising plan as needed to respond to opportunities and changing funding and programmatic landscapes; ensure fundraising activities are aligned with strategic plan goals.
• Work with the senior leadership and Media & Communications teams to develop and implement public relations strategies (to include both traditional and social media) and guide NYC Pride leadership in cultivating and enhancing relationships with the media, community partners, key stakeholders, and the general public.
• Secure and manage NYC Pride’s portfolio of in‑kind partnerships, valued at more than $1‑million annually.
• Manage tailored deliverables and activations for corporate funders are scheduled and produced.

Operational Management

• In collaboration with the Board Development committee, direct the members to identify major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Set goals to sequentially increase the number of donors, number of gifts, and total dollars raised.
• Increase giving through digital platforms and the use of social media and technology in fundraising.
• Oversee the development operations, and management of the donor database and provide guidance on technology needs and best practices to build an effective fundraising department.
• Acting as the primary Development liaison for Board engagement, establish and manage strong relationships with the Board of Directors to leverage their ability to fundraise for the organization.
• Increase brand visibility and experience.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Financial Reporting

• Co‑lead the annual operating budgeting process, working closely with NYC Pride’s leadership and Board of Directors to develop realistic budgets.
• Monitor fundraising performance against approved budgets, analyze variances, and provide clear explanations and recommendations to senior leadership and the Board.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and transparent financial reporting that meets the needs of internal decision‑makers, trustees, and stakeholders.

Board and Governance Partnership

• Serve as the principal development liaison to the Executive Board and General Membership related to NYC Pride’s fundraising.
• Prepare and present financial materials that translate complex data into clear insights for trustees, supporting strong governance and fiduciary oversight.

Leadership and Team Development

• Co‑lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing small team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure that systems and tools, processes, and talent effectively support NYC Pride’s operational needs.
• Contribute as a senior institutional leader beyond the development function, modeling collaboration, integrity, and respect across the organization.

Qualifications, Ideal Experience, Education

• 12+ years of general fundraising experience
• Deep expertise in corporate partnerships and engagement is preferred
• Proven track record in full‑cycle donor prospecting, cultivating, acquisition, solicitation and generation of charitable gifts of increasing dollar values over time.
• Prior event management experience – planning, logistics, budgeting, stakeholder engagement.
• A hands‑on, mature, collaborative leader who has integrity, a service orientation, strong communication skills, exceptional attention to detail & project management skills, and thrives in a dynamic & entrepreneurial environment.
• Experience in planning, writing, editing, and producing press releases, annual reports, and marketing literature.
• Ability and political savvy to build and sustain relationships with many constituencies, including corporations, major donors, volunteers, innovative and non‑traditional funding sources, and across internal departments.
• Exceptional people management skills: experience in building, retaining, and motivating strong teams to meet goals.
• Experience with cloud‑based CRM systems
• Bachelor’s degree; CFRE strongly preferred.

Senior Development Leadership Experience

• 8+ years of progressively more senior and complex Development roles.

Strategic partner to the Leadership Team and Board

• Experience working closely with the President/CEO/Executive Director who partners with members of a board, including a Development committee.

Technology fluency

• Experience leveraging tools, data, and emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance development efforts and promote data‑driven, analytical decision‑making.

Additional Information

This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in‑person presence three days per week, typically Tuesdays to Thursdays, at our office in the West Village, with Mondays and Fridays working remotely. During the month of June, presence in the office Mondays‑Fridays is strongly recommended. Due to the nature of NYC Pride’s work, participation in meetings and events during the evenings and weekends are frequent, especially from January to June.

Compensation:

$120,000 - $125,000

Commitment to Diversity:

NYC Pride is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religious creed, color, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, height, and weight, or other personal characteristics as may be protected by applicable law. We especially encourage members of historically underrepresented communities to apply, including LGBTQ people, women, people of color, and people with disabilities.