For over a century, Girl Scouts has been instilling generations of girls with the skills and knowledge to become young women of courage, confidence, and character, and to speak out and be leaders. Today, Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) is delivering its message of empowerment and engaging more than 15,000 girls of every race, background, and religion. GSGNY’s vision is a New York City in which every girl feels empowered to lead in her community, the workplace, and the world. GSGNY has become a hub for innovation within the broader Girl Scouts movement, presenting new ways to engage and inspire the next generation of young leaders.

Recent investments and initiatives include:

The Leadership Institute provides middle and high school aged girls with 21st century leadership skills and subject-specific knowledge and experiences that will help girls reshape their views on leadership and about their own potential to transform into powerful agents of change, while equipping them to succeed in school and their future careers.

Troop 6000 is the first Girl Scout program specially designed to serve the thousands of girls currently living in the New York City homeless shelter system.

Cybersecurity Programs at Girl Scouts were designed to serve the evolving needs of New York City’s girls and New York City’s workforce. With the goal of encouraging girls to consider careers that require STEM skills, this program ensures girls have the tools and knowledge they need to safely navigate our increasingly tech-driven world.

Anti-Racist and Anti-Bias Training: We teach girls to lead by example, and to that end, we are committed to doing the work necessary to become an anti-racist organization. We are working to partner with experts in the areas of race, inclusion, and equity to conduct a series of trainings.

Camp Kaufmann: The camp experience is an essential part of Girl Scouting – and as the only Girl Scout council in the nation serving a 100% urban population, we prioritize offering high quality outdoor education opportunities to New York City girls. We recently upgraded and enhanced facilities at our 425-acre Camp Kaufmann in Dutchess County, including the construction of a new, award-winning main hall (Girl HQ).

The Girl Scouts of Greater New York seeks an innovative Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead all philanthropic efforts for this premiere leadership development organization during a critical period marked by ongoing growth and transformation. As an essential member of the leadership team, the CDO will play an essential role in developing and implementing an ambitious fundraising strategy aimed at reaching more girls, ensuring innovative programs, and positioning GSGNY as a leading council within the greater national Girl Scouts movement. As GSGNY continues to expand its overall footprint, it needs a broadly experienced, goal-oriented, highly creative, and self-motivated fundraising leader who can effectively articulate the organization’s compelling value proposition and to accelerate philanthropic growth and ensure diversification of funds. Working in concert with a new Chief Executive Officer and a highly engaged Board, the CDO will build a comprehensive development program that ensures the long-term impact of the organization.

Reporting to the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GSGNY, the Chief Development Officer is expected to participate actively in organizational visioning, long range planning, goal setting and the overall resource development efforts of the organization. As such, the CDO will effectively engage with a broad set of stakeholders including Girl Scouts, families, volunteers, donors, alumni, community members as well as the national Girl Scouts organization. Success will be measured by strong relationship building skills, demonstrated success in large-scale fundraising efforts, and the ability to develop a highly effective development program positioned for long-term success. The CDO must be adept at stewarding donors and prospects as well as partnering with the CEO and Board on major donor and funder relationships. Candidates must have outstanding communication skills, proactive leadership, and a strong commitment to GSGNY’s mission and vision.

 

The successful candidate will be a dynamic leader with a strong passion and commitment for the mission and vision of GSGNY. The successful candidate will be an experienced fundraising leader with a proven track record of building comprehensive fundraising programs. They should possess a strong strategic focus along with a keen appreciation for the operational elements of the role. Key responsibilities include the following:

• Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, working collaboratively with the CEO and other senior leaders to develop and implement the organization’s overarching strategic plan and vision.

• Act as the lead fundraiser for the organization proactively positioning GSGNY as the premiere leadership development organization for girls in NYC.

• Provide leadership and direction to the development and marketing teams to ensure alignment with the organization’s goals and objectives.

• Lead the annual planning and budgeting process for the Development and Marketing departments, ensuring that goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

• Provide regular updates to the CEO and Board of Directors on fundraising progress and challenges and make recommendations for course correction as needed.

• Represent the organization in public forums and develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including donors, community leaders, and peer organizations to advance the organization’s mission, goals, and impact.

• Build strong relationships with GSGNY’s program leadership and staff to understand programmatic offerings as well as to integrate innovative development strategies throughout the programs.

Comprehensive Fundraising & Marketing Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive and multi-faceted fundraising strategy that includes identifying and cultivating individual, corporate, foundation, and government donors and prospects.

• Provide strategic oversight to all aspects of the fundraising program, including individual giving, institutional funding, government funding, and special events.

• In concert with the Marketing Director, develop and implement a marketing strategy to support fundraising efforts, including creating collateral materials, social media content, and other communications to promote the organization’s mission, programs, and services.

• Develop and implement strategies for identifying and cultivating major gift prospects, including individuals, corporations, and foundations, to expand and diversify the organization’s donor base.

• Develop and maintain relationships with major gift donors through personalized engagement and stewardship activities, such as one-on-one meetings, cultivation events, and recognition programs.

• Directly manage the Major Gifts portfolio and work closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and community leaders.

• Create and maintain systems for tracking and reporting on major gift fundraising progress and success.

• Build and manage a high-performing development and marketing team that is aligned with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to development staff to build their capacity to achieve fundraising goals and to support the organization’s mission and goals.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning within the development team and across the organization.

• Develop and implement performance metrics and evaluation tools to ensure the team’s performance meets or exceeds fundraising targets and other organizational goals.

• Maintain and enhance a donor-centered fundraising approach that builds strong relationships with donors, emphasizes the organization’s mission and impact, and encourages donor engagement and investment.

• Ensure the timely and accurate acknowledgement of all gifts and donations and the proper stewardship of donor relationships.

• Work with the CEO and Board of Directors to develop and maintain a robust donor pipeline to support the organization’s long-term fundraising goals.

• Maintain effective systems and processes to support fundraising and development operations, including gift processing, database management, and reporting.

• Develop and implement a fundraising plan that includes clear goals, metrics, and timelines for achieving fundraising targets.

• Build and manage a budget for the development team that is aligned with the organization’s strategic priorities and goals.

• Identify and implement technology solutions to support fundraising and development operations and to enhance donor engagement and stewardship.

Total Number of Direct Reports: 5

Size of Team: 6 Development members, 3 Marketing and Communications members

FY25 Fundraising Goals:

o $1M Individuals

o $1.8M Institutional

o $827K Government

o $1.1M Special Events (2 large events annually)

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required; a master’s degree or other advanced degree is preferred.

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and development, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.

• A demonstrated passion for the organization’s mission coupled with a deep understanding of and commitment to the values and principles of the nonprofit sector.

• Proven experience securing funding from a variety of sources, including Individual, Corporate, Foundation, State, and Federal Grants, with a track record of achieving fundraising goals.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with prior experience in public speaking and external relations, and the ability to represent the organization to a variety of stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and partner organizations.

• Demonstrated success in staff management and mentorship with a deep commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work culture that fosters professional growth and development.

• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.

• Experience as a fair, respected leader, and skilled fundraising leader with a proven ability to lead large-scale fundraising efforts.

• An unwavering commitment to ensuring an equitable and inclusive environment with a strong sense of belonging.

• Strong, compelling communication skills along with a high degree of comfort engaging with major donors and organizational funders.

• An ability to balance day-to-day operations with overarching fundraising strategy in order to anticipate the future needs for the organization.

• A strong collaborator with excellent organizational and communication skills.

• Prior experience creating strategic multiyear fundraising plans and building consensus among stakeholders to achieve fundraising goals.