The organization
New York City faces a moment of reinvention and of risk as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, grapples with a deep legacy of racism and inequality, and elects a fresh slate of local, state and national leaders. This moment demands journalism that is expert, responsive, and imaginative. We need reporters on city streets, and on key city beats, to hold the powerful to account, and to spur them to do better.
Traditional media outlets have retreated from this role, pressured by budget cuts, focused on national or global audiences, and constrained by legacy cultures. THE CITY was built to answer the challenge of building a healthy information commons that fosters civic engagement and supports democratic outcomes connecting residents to each other, and to the ideal of a more equitable city.
Our team brings deeply diverse skills and backgrounds to the task of covering New York's neighborhoods, holding the powerful to account, and making sense of a sometimes bewildering city. Guided by data, but focused on people, our award-winning reporting consistently delivers impact, helping to drive reforms to solitary confinement and campaign finance rules, improve working conditions in the food delivery business, and secure better outcomes for people living in public housing.
With support from thousands of individual members, as well as major local and national foundations, THE CITY is fast becoming a model for rebuilding local news.
Role Description:
The Chief Development Officer will lead and manage THE CITY's fundraising across all contributed revenue streams, from institutional and individual major gifts to membership. The CDO will report to the Executive Director and will be a critical member of the organization's leadership team.
•Develop and execute a multi-year fundraising strategy to grow and diversify revenue
•Drive all aspects of implementation: Maintain fundraising schedules and objectives; ensure that plans are implemented, goals achieved, timely reports generated and information shared with leadership team
•Create and implement short and long-term strategies to identify, cultivate, and solicit and steward major individual gifts and foundation grants every year
•Lead and continue to build the rapidly growing digital giving program, including strategy and management of campaigns across the calendar
•Help to build a motivated and dedicated development team
•Implement and manage development tracking systems and oversee staff responsible for data entry and acknowledgements
•Develop and manage stewardship efforts to maintain ongoing relationships with major donors, foundations, and corporations through donor correspondence, cultivation events, and regular broader communications
•Understand and support the organization's editorial priorities and ethical standards
•Organize special events, including in-person fundraisers, online briefings for prospective donors, and exclusive briefings for major donors and institutional funders
•Collaborate across newsroom, communications, and operations teams to ensure integration of development priorities and activities
•Oversee development and production of donor collateral and materials, as needed
•Support the Executive Director in managing board relations, including development committee and board meetings
•Other duties as assigned
Skills and Preferred Experience:
The ideal candidate will be passionate about New York City, entrepreneurial, ambitious, energetic, creative and should have the following experience and qualifications:
•At least 4-6 years of proven experience managing a complex fundraising program in an organization with a reputation for excellence
•Extensive major gifts expertise; a successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating and soliciting major individual donors for annual and campaign gifts
•A track record as an effective communicator; highly skilled in writing and speaking; adept at crafting proposals, donor correspondence and other materials
•Demonstrated ability to successfully manage and inspire staff; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to demonstrate grace under pressure
•A team builder, confident and competent, with strong skills in management and leadership; must understand the subtleties of motivating and directing a diverse group of personalities with different work styles
•Demonstrated ability to work effectively with and quickly gain the respect and support of various constituencies, including board members and other leaders, staff members, potential donors, and foundation and business leaders
•The experience, self-confidence and sophistication to work with a diverse community of THE CITY staff, leadership and donor base of major donors, foundations, corporations
•Willing to embrace a challenging start-up environment in an emerging non-profit field
•Energetic and willing to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of fundraising activities ranging from the day-to-day to the highly creative and visible; highly organized with exceptional attention to detail
•A catalyst with vision who can create excitement and energy around THE CITY's programs and encourage others to support the organization; persuasive, persistent, and determined in the pursuit of the organization's fundraising goals
•Committed to and enthusiastic about local journalism and building up the sector. This position will be based in our New York City office with a hybrid schedule
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000. Benefits include paid health, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid time off, access to a 401k plan, and more.
THE CITY is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Individuals of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply. Job descriptions are wish lists that are rarely completely fulfilled, even by the successful candidate. Often women, trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming and BIPOC candidates are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. Don't hesitate to apply even if you don't check every box. You can be right for the job even if you're missing a bullet point or two, and you can have important skills we haven't thought of that would make you a compelling candidate.