Senior Director of Institutional Relations

Background: Designed
by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1857, Central Park is
one of the most famous and beloved urban public spaces in the
world. The Central Park
Conservancy, a private not-for-profit organization, was founded
in 1980 to rescue the Park, which had fallen into serious
disrepair. Since that time, the Conservancy has overseen the
investment of more than $1 billion in the restoration of the Park
and now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.
 The Conservancy’s mission is to
preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life.
The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to
the Conservancy, which is responsible for every aspect of its care,
including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the
visitor experience. Committed to sharing the best practices in
urban park management, the Conservancy also serves as a resource
for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the
world. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an
operating budget of $100 million.
The Conservancy’s seven-year plan,
Central Park Conservancy, A Plan for the Stewardship of Central
Park: 2020-2027 focuses on the ongoing capital investment of
the last four decades into Central Park. The Conservancy is in the
midst of a $420 million campaign to fund the capital, operating and
endowment initiatives and priorities laid out in the plan.
Position: Reporting
to the Senior Vice President for Philanthropy, the Senior Director
of Institutional Relations will be responsible for all high-level
giving strategies related to foundations, corporate foundations,
corporate donors, and government agencies. As a member of the
Philanthropy team’s leadership, they will serve as the point person
for all aspects of institutional giving, including identification
and qualification of new prospects, the maintenance and cultivation
of relationships with current donors, and oversight of all written
proposals, reports, and fundraising materials. 
The Senior Director of Institutional
Relations will be responsible for the management of a targeted
portfolio of donors and prospects; they will also oversee and
support the Director of Institutional and Planned Giving and the
Director of Corporate Development. The ideal candidate will be
naturally inquisitive, demonstrate innovation and fluidity in
approach and process, and possess excellent communication and
interpersonal skills. An in-depth knowledge of the NYC
philanthropic community is essential. 
Specific
Responsibilities:

Lead the growth strategy for the Conservancy’s Institutional
Giving program, advancing the Park’s strategic plan and increased
financial security.

Proactively research new funding opportunities while building
and maintaining relationships with foundations, corporate
foundations, corporate sponsors, and state/federal government
prospects.

Collaborate and communicate productively with Conservancy
leadership, including the President’s Office and Board members;
cultivate a strong working relationship with the Board and staff
based on trust, confidence, and transparency.

Manage and develop a targeted portfolio of donors (inclusive of
activity metrics) while supporting the Director of Institutional
and Planned Giving and the Director of Corporate Development on
their portfolio and metrics goals.

Guide and manage expense and revenue budgeting related to the
Institutional, Corporate, and Planned Giving departments.

Identify key players in various corporate sectors, acting as
the liaison between high-capacity partnerships and CPC leadership;
expand and oversee the development of corporate partnerships and
related programs, including the Business Leadership Council and all
other Corporate Volunteer opportunities.

Develop and launch a multi-pronged (public and private)
approach to engage and secure support from key Real Estate
stakeholders; examine the feasibility of various Corporate Real
Estate support strategies to raise the Conservancy’s profile in the
sector.

Expand and steward the Olmsted Visionaries, the Conservancy’s
Planned Giving donor group.

Oversee and support the generation and submission of grant
proposals and Letters of Interest for private Foundations and
State/Federal governmental entities; this may include writing,
editing, or adapting materials.

Act as a liaison with Conservancy field and program staff to
prepare and write proposals and reports and to present them in the
most compelling manner.

Keep up to date on fundraising trends and strategies as well as
the needs of community stakeholders and funders to build
partnerships and identify opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Minimum 8-10 years professional fundraising experience
• Proven Institutional Giving success at the six- and
  seven-figure level
• Knowledge of and experience working in New York Philanthropic,
  Corporate, Institutional and Real Estate sectors
• Proactive and engaged management approach with the ability to
  support and develop an experienced team of fundraising
  professionals; high emotional intelligence and the skills to
  communicate objectives clearly and motivate professional and
  institutional growth.  
• Relationship builder with proven success in the stewardship of
  donors, foundation leaders, and government officials
• Experience with estate planning, charitable gift annuities,
  charitable trusts, and deferred gifts
• Ability to prioritize with an analytical, organized, and
  detail-oriented approach to both fundraising strategy and
  management
• Outstanding oral, written, and interpersonal communication
  skills
• Creative, strategic thinker with a growth mindset
• Strong follow-through with the proven ability to set and meet
  deadlines and benchmarks
• Able to work effectively as part of a collegial and
  collaborative team
• Commitment to the mission and vision of the Central Park
  Conservancy

This is a NYC-based role with a salary
range of $139k to $174k.
Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion

The Central
Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park,
and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an
inclusive and democratic space for all. Working closely with New
York City partners, the Conservancy will always strive towards
creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and
advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park.
In service of this belief, the
Conservancy is committed to fostering a workforce and
organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself
and the dynamic city it serves.
To Apply:
The Central Park Conservancy has retained the services of Harris
Rand Lusk to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and
applications may be directed in confidence to:
Elly Kirschner, Senior Director
Harris Rand Lusk Executive Search
New York, NY 10016
[email protected]
When emailing your resume and
cover letter describing your interest in the role, please write
“CPC – Institutional Relations” in the subject line.