Chief Development Officer

Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-Greater New York) is one of the largest providers of human services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Westchester County. Programs include temporary, transitional, and permanent housing for families, older adults, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, individuals living with HIV/AIDS, people with behavioral health or substance use disorders, and others in need.

VOA-Greater New York’s 70+ programs are fueled by the organization’s experience as a leading provider of services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness as well as its rich legacy of innovation. We know that the most prevalent causes of homelessness are lack of affordable housing, unmet physical and mental health needs, and a lack of jobs that create wealth-generating careers. More broadly, structural racism and generational poverty are to blame for many of the longstanding barriers to independent living that our neighbors in need face every day. This is why VOA-Greater New York is at the forefront of developing innovative housing, health, and wealth-building services for individuals experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness. Each year, more than 12,000 individuals are housed in VOA-Greater New York’s temporary shelter, transition housing, or permanent housing programs. Through this work, VOA-Greater New York is not only committed to addressing the immediate needs of the community but also to affecting systemic change. The organization’s robust public affairs infrastructure and partnerships across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, are both crucial to advancement in this area.

VOA has a 128-year history of serving the New York area, and VOA-Greater New York is one of 24 regional affiliates under the national VOA brand. The national office is instrumental in raising the profile of VOA as a whole, and provides a network of professional contacts, resources, and technical support – everything from real estate to fundraising – to local affiliates.

VOA-Greater New York is prioritizing the ongoing evolution of its fund development activities such that they match the continued preeminence of the overall organization and position it to achieve its vision. VOA-Greater New York seeks a creative and impactful Chief Development Officer & Executive Vice President (CDO-EVP) to lead its corresponding fundraising efforts on an organization-wide scale. The position offers a unique opportunity to shape the role of fundraising in an organization affecting sweeping, multi-generational impact. The CDO-EVP is responsible for implementing and monitoring a fundraising plan that involves corporate, foundation, staff, and individual/major donors, while building a culture of philanthropy at all levels of VOA-Greater New York. The CDO-EVP leads a team of seven that works in collaboration with the President & CEO, senior-level colleagues across the organization, Board members, and national VOA colleagues, among others, to increase fundraising results and awareness, including through Board training, campaign consulting, development of joint solicitation strategies, and development of messaging that represent the scope of VOA-Greater New York’s work and philanthropic needs. The key area of focus for the CDO-EVP is to bring greater diversification and balance to VOA-Greater New York’s revenue generation, which has been disproportionately driven by government and contract-oriented funding over the organization’s history. This leader will build the development program to significantly increase major gifts from private sources, especially individuals and corporations.

While VOA-Greater New York will consider a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal candidate will have the following qualifications/experience:

• Passion for the work and vision of VOA-Greater New York as well as a deeply held belief in the dignity and value of all people.
• Several years of progressively responsible experience in private fundraising across giving channels, with a documented record of success in strategic initiatives and fundraising outcomes.
• Knowledge of and fundamental adherence to the principles, ethics, and best practices of modern development.
• Senior leadership experience in hiring, managing, evaluating, and developing a diverse team and contributing to the ongoing fostering of a high-functioning, results-oriented, multiracial/multicultural workforce. Track record of motivating teams to meet goals and deadlines with limited oversight, judiciously administering staff resources and budgets, and maintaining clear goals and shared accountability.
• Experience with individual giving, institutional giving, major gifts, annual giving/membership, planned giving, capital campaign (planning, execution, closure), donor and board relations, stewardship, special events, and development operations. Demonstrated success in setting and achieving ambitious philanthropic goals.
• Demonstrated experience in developing compelling cases for support and strategic, innovative fundraising plans, and in successfully executing such plans to secure funding from both traditional and non-traditional sources. Demonstrated experience cultivating, training, building relationships with, and working collaboratively with senior-level executives and board/volunteer leaders on development-related activities.
• Successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts from individual and institutional donors at the level of six to seven figures and greater.
• Demonstrated ability to develop compelling messaging to effectively market programmatic activities with a variety of philanthropic stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of how to build diversity, equity, and inclusion in development function; culturally competent with respect to issues such as racial, cultural, religious, sexual, and gender identity.
• A forward thinker with a track record of utilizing new methods of constituent engagement and connectivity.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate data into decision-making and strategy development.
• Working knowledge of modern data management practices and innovations that can streamline advancement processes and contribute to the integration of related functions.
• Flexibility to travel.

VOA-Greater New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled/Other Protected Categories.

VOA-Greater New York has retained the DSG Fundraising & Advancement Practice of the Diversified Search Group to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) may be submitted via the following link or directed to the leader of the search team:

https://talent-profile.diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/v2/20928

Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.
Managing Director and DSG Fundraising & Advancement Practice Leader
Diversified Search Group
The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, New York 10174
[email protected] | 212.542.2587