Chief Advancement Officer

ABOUT NYRP: As New York’s only citywide
conservancy, New York Restoration Project (NYRP) brings private
resources to spaces that lack adequate municipal support,
fortifying the City’s aging infrastructure and creating a healthier
environment for those who live in the most densely populated and
least green neighborhoods. Since 1995, the organization has
invested in and stewarded parks and gardens throughout the city’s
five boroughs to strengthen communities.

Initially a grassroots effort led by Bette Midler to clean up
neglected parks, NYRP has evolved into a conservancy protecting and
preserving community gardens and other green spaces in New York
City. NYRP’s efforts not only improve the physical environment, but
they also enhance social resiliency by providing a context that
supports and strengthens community. The organization set the
standard for citywide greening efforts, leading to a historic
partnership with the New York City Department of Parks &
Recreation that planted one million trees in ten years.

In 2025, NYRP will celebrate 30 years of working to advance
environmental justice, increase climate resilience, and support
vibrant parks and gardens in every neighborhood. For more
information about NYRP’s efforts to create safe, healthy, green
open spaces throughout New York City, please visit nyrp.org.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY: The individual in this role
will be an active, frontline fundraiser and manage a portfolio of
major donor prospects. The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) will
work to maintain NYRP’s robust event income and be charged with
increasing revenue from individual, corporate, foundation, and
government sources with a focus on major gifts and pursuing annual
growth of 15% to 20% over the next several years.

As a member of NYRP’s senior leadership team, the CAO will
design and implement integrated strategies for fundraising,
communications, and marketing to advance the public and financial
goals of the organization. The CAO holds a crucial, senior role in
working with the Executive Director to manage the overall
organization and set its future direction. The CAO will be a key
contributor to ensure that NYRP’s brand is strategically defined
and communicated across all organizational areas to all current and
potential funders and that contributed revenue continues to
increase and is in sync with organizational growth goals.

The CAO reports to the Executive Director, Lynn Bodnar
Kelly, and works closely with the Chairs of the Advancement
& Strategy Committee. The CAO will provide leadership,
direction, vision, and inspiration to a team of five direct
reports. In addition, the Executive Director has two direct reports
with dotted-line reporting to the CAO for tasks directly relating
to fundraising with government entities and managing trustee
relationships.

The CAO will also be the primary liaison with the Board’s
Advancement & Strategy Committee and will liaise as needed with
the Finance & Investment Committee and the Nominating &
Governance Committee.

 

FUNDING: NYRP has a current annual operating
budget of approximately $7 to 9 million. Aggressive growth plans
call for increasing annual unrestricted support and creating a
robust culture of philanthropy, with a particular focus on major
individual gifts, in addition to institutional and government
support.

 

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least 10 years’ management experience in development,
  communications, and marketing.
• Established success as a frontline major and principal gift
  solicitor.
• Demonstrated experience directly identifying, sourcing,
  cultivating, and stewarding major donors.
• Experience building upon a successful fundraising program to
  increase revenue and support organizational growth.
• Successful history of increasing development revenue through
  strategic planning and direction of staff.
• A firm grasp of all areas of development, including gala
  events, major gifts, planned giving, foundation giving, corporate
  giving, government grants, online, and direct mail.
• Experience in all areas of marketing and public relations.
• Superior management and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication skills including an engaging and
  persuasive public speaking aptitude.
• Superior writing skills; able to coach and oversee/edit
  development and marketing/communications materials.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact
  well across all parts of the organization.
• Sound financial acumen and knowledge of budget preparation,
  monitoring, and administration.
• Passion for green, environmental, social impact, and/or urban
  development issues.
• Ability to attend evening and weekend events and
  activities.
• A bachelor’s degree is required.

Annual compensation for the CAO is $225,000 (commensurate with
experience) plus attractive benefits. The CAO will be required to
travel to all five NYC boroughs. Currently, staff are expected to
work Tuesdays and Wednesdays from the midtown office, and the
remaining days either remotely or at project sites.

 

Howe-Lewis International is pleased to assist NYRP with this
important search. Please click
here to apply online via the Howe-Lewis Talent Portal. You
may also email your resume and letter of interest to
kirk@howe-lewis.com