Position: Chief Development Officer
Position Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Hours & Location: 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT generally; hybrid working location with two days per week remote and three days per week in-office in East Harlem
Compensation: $210,000 - $240,000 per year
Who We Are
Founded in 1958 as a children’s reading group, East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP) has grown into a multi-faceted education nonprofit with the mission of preparing children in East Harlem with the academic skills, strength of character, and emotional well-being to excel academically, lead in their communities, and realize their best possible selves. The organization currently comprises two public charter schools that serve approximately 1,000 students in grades PreK through 12th grade, as well as afterschool and summer programs, wraparound services for families, and a teaching residency. Together, these programs provide East Harlem youth with a holistic educational experience that includes rigorous and supportive school-day instruction, as well as opportunities to explore extracurricular interests, build social emotional skills, and develop pride in their identities and community. This well-rounded approach prepares our students not only to gain admission to the colleges of their choice, but to thrive on college campuses, persist to graduation, and pursue meaningful careers. We remain deeply committed to the East Harlem community, partnering with our parents and local leaders to ensure that our work is responsive to community needs and aspirations.
In the last two years, EHTP has focused on improving the educational experience at our Scholars Academies, resulting in remarkable growth in academic outcomes across all subject areas and grade levels. We are now poised to take our work to the next level, realizing our vision for academic excellence and ensuring all of our scholars graduate from high school college and career-ready.
About the Opportunity
We’re looking for a fundraising leader who has personally closed major gifts, grown a donor base, and led a team, to guide EHTP’s fundraising strategy and build broad, lasting philanthropic support. The Chief Development Officer will be supported by a committed donor base and a strong, stable board with a history of successful fundraising, including two capital campaigns that funded the construction of state-of-the art facilities for both our lower and upper school campuses. Building on this solid foundation, the CDO will be charged with expanding EHTP’s philanthropic reach, identifying and cultivating sustainable relationships with new individuals, foundations, and corporate partners.
EHTP currently raises about $4.5 million a year in private support for two interconnected organizations, East Harlem Tutorial Program and East Harlem Scholars Academies, which share a CEO and development team. The Chief Development Officer will lead fundraising across both, carry a personal portfolio of major donors, and lead the Campaign to Build Excellence, a $3 million initiative to fund investments to accelerate academic outcomes and post-secondary success. Leading a lean three-person development team and serving as close partner to the CEO and integral member of her cabinet, the CDO must be both a strategic organizational leader and a hands-on fundraiser who will do the work while building the capacity of others.
What You Will Accomplish
The successful Chief Development Officer will:
- Expand our major gifts pipeline, strengthening donor acquisition, stewardship, and retention.
- Lead the public launch and successful execution of a $3 million fundraising campaign to support instructional improvements and student outcomes at our charter schools.
- Elevate the donor experience and fundraising outcomes of two signature fundraising events each year.
- Develop the skills, processes, and practices of the development team to optimize efficiency and performance.
- Partner and build the capacity of the CEO and other key leaders to support revenue generation, building a culture of philanthropy across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Results
- Set annual and multiyear fundraising goals with the CEO, CFO, and board, and own results across every revenue stream.
- Build the annual fundraising plan, assign goals to each team member, and shift priorities and resources during the year based on results.
Major Gifts & Strategic Partnerships
- Personally manage a portfolio of approximately 50 to 75 major donors and prospects, including EHTP’s top corporate and institutional relationships, spending roughly 40 to 50 percent of your time on cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Prepare the CEO and senior leaders for donor meetings and coordinate asks for top prospects.
- Lead strategy to identify, cultivate, and secure corporate and other strategic partnerships, including sponsorships, volunteer opportunities, and other meaningful modes of engagement.
Fundraising Events
- Provide strategic oversight of major cultivation and fundraising events, including the fall charity basketball tournament, donor holiday party, and spring gala, ensuring high-quality experiences and effective use of organizational resources.
Campaign Leadership
- Lead the planning, prospect development, major-gift solicitation, and regular progress reporting for the Building Excellence Campaign.
Team Leadership & Accountability
- Lead and coach a team of three that manages institutional giving, events, the annual fund, and development operations, setting clear goals for each portfolio and holding the team accountable for meeting them.
- Review proposals, event plans, appeals, and donor materials before they go to the CEO for final approval.
- Give regular feedback and support each team member’s professional growth.
Board Engagement
- Serve as the staff partner to the fundraising committee of the board, building strong relationships with members, engaging them around fundraising priorities, and planning and facilitating productive meetings.
- Track board giving toward the annual goal of 100 percent participation, and report progress, forecasts, and pipeline at board meetings.
Operations, Data & Finance
- Make sure the team keeps accurate records in Raiser’s Edge and follows sound gift processing, acknowledgment, and pledge practices.
- Establish and maintain systems for tracking and consistently analyzing progress against goals on key fundraising activities and outcomes, including prospect pipelines, solicitations, pending proposals, pledges, gifts.
- Partner closely with the CFO on fundraising projections, use of restricted funds, donor and funder commitments, and reconciliation.
Executive Leadership
- Serve as a strategic fundraising partner to the CEO, including preparing for major donor conversations, identifying opportunities to engage board members, and helping develop a culture of philanthropy across the organization.
- Serve as an active member of the CEO’s cabinet, contributing to organizational strategy, planning, resource allocation, and the execution of major strategic priorities.
- Partner with communications and program teams to develop compelling fundraising materials and donor communications, including the annual report, with the development team leading production.
Required Skills and Experience
- 8+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience in a nonprofit organization.
- A demonstrated track record of success personally closing major gifts, growing a qualified donor pipeline, partnering with executive leadership, and translating fundraising strategy into measurable revenue results.
- 3+ years of experience managing, coaching, and developing staff.
- A genuine commitment to EHTP’s mission and to expanding educational opportunity for students in historically disinvested neighborhoods and communities of color.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop compelling fundraising narratives, communicate organizational impact, and build relationships with donors and other stakeholders.
- Exceptional facility developing strong, trusting relationships with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
- Strong strategic planning, organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and balance long-term planning with hands-on execution and attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with ability to manage, analyze, and use fundraising data to assess performance, anticipate challenges, and make decisions.
- Entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability, thriving in a lean, hands-on environment and taking initiative to solve problems creatively.
- Impeccable judgment, dependability, and integrity.
- Experience in the education and/or youth development sector (preferred).
Please note that no one meets 100% of the desired qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to still apply.
Benefits
- Twenty eight annual, accrued paid time off days to use in addition to school breaks and holidays.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage (employee pays semi-monthly contribution).
- A 403(b) retirement savings plan with an employer-paid contribution after one year.
- Life insurance, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage.
- Pre-tax commuter and transit plans.
- Flexible spending health reimbursement accounts.
- Longevity and referral bonuses for eligible employees based on years of service and successful referrals.
- Eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
- Annual reimbursement for qualifying tuition or external professional development.
Thank you for taking the time to apply to East Harlem Tutorial Program.
