Chief Development Officer

Job Description

The Opportunity

Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) is seeking an inaugural Chief Development Officer who will lead its fund development efforts and have primary responsibility for strengthening the internal infrastructure needed to support and grow the organization’s budget primarily through foundation and corporate donors. The ideal candidate will be someone looking for a senior leadership role who enjoys collaborating with senior staff, can self-manage, easily toggle between setting big-picture strategy and fulfilling detail-oriented operational fundraising needs, and has the experience and gravitas to lead staff and board fundraising conversations. Under the strategic direction of the Chief Development Officer, DCCNY aims to cultivate and strengthen its relationships with funders, while also expanding and diversifying its donor base and pipeline to include additional foundation and corporate support. DCCNY has an annual operating budget of approximately $15M for FY25, and the current revenue model is comprised of government grants (97%), membership dues (2%), and grants and contributions (1%). There is tremendous revenue growth potential from previously unexplored foundation, corporate, and individual donors. The Chief Development Officer will oversee this growth, and will not lead government grant efforts. This full-time, New York City-based hybrid position (3/2) will report to the Executive Director.

More About DCCNY

Now in its 76th year, Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) is a membership, advocacy, and service organization for NYC’s early childhood education providers and for families seeking quality child care and education services. Founded in 1948 to fight for the survival of publicly funded child care centers when federal funds were eliminated at the end of World War II, today, DCCNY continues to play several important roles in NYC’s early childhood education system. With a mission to seek support for and assist in the development of quality early childhood education and family and group family care services, which are designed to promote the sound growth and development of children and their families, DCCNY is recognized as a leader in NYC’s advocacy community. DCCNY collaborates with member agencies on labor relations, public policy, and training needs.

As a leading research and advocacy organization, DCCNY pushed for NYC’s continued expansion of early childhood education, including the launch of Universal Pre-K programs, salary parity for community-based early childhood educators, and the retention of several initiatives introduced through emergency orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in support of families’ ability to access affordable quality childcare. DCCNY continues to push for public support of high-quality, affordable child care for low-income families in NYC and serves as a resource to center-based providers and their governing boards of directors, and family and group family child care providers. DCCNY plays a key role in supporting the growth and development of NYC’s early childhood workforce.

Candidate Profile and Key Qualifications

The ideal candidate will exemplify the following competencies and characteristics:

8+ years of substantial development experience with demonstrated success in increasing organizational revenue, including extensive experience with corporate and foundation fundraising; some experience with individual giving is helpful but not required
Ability to lead the creation of the organization’s first short- and long-term development plan with achievable goals and tactical implementation plans
Energy, maturity, confidence, and expertise to serve as a subject-matter expert on foundation and corporate giving team at both the strategic and tactical levels; ability to advise on individual giving on an as-needed basis
Highly collaborative with dynamic team engagement skills; experience with and commitment to supporting the professional development and learning of diverse development team members
Success in cultivating relationships with donors
Nimble, resourceful, and responsive to the needs of DCCNY’s internal and external stakeholders
Knowledge of emerging and innovative funding sources
A commitment to centering diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in their work and possessing the cultural competencies to meet the needs of DCCNY’s diverse stakeholders
Experience with data and deadline-driven, detail-oriented project management as well as managing and prioritizing workflows
Commitment to DCCNY’s mission and ability to speak persuasively to stakeholders about the organization’s model and impact
Strong verbal and written communication skills; must be an experienced writer and editor capable of generating and finalizing error-free written content in a timely manner
Passion for DCCNY’s mission and values as well as equity in the early childhood education space
Fluency with technology, including Salesforce, Canva, Slack, and Google Suite
Flexibility to travel, especially within the five boroughs, occasionally for donor visits, events, conferences, and other development-related meetings as necessary
Core Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Chief Development Officer include but are not limited to:

Construct, articulate, and implement a comprehensive short- and long-term development strategy and implementation plan to include foundation and corporate donors
Serve as a leader alongside the Executive Director, other senior staff, and the Board on all major fundraising initiatives to help DCCNY continue innovating in the early childhood education space
Write, edit, and finalize grants, reports, fundraising materials, and other development-related communications ensuring they are error-free and delivered in a professional and timely manner
Build the portfolio of donors by envisioning and implementing strategies for qualifying, cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting foundation and corporate donors
Collaborate closely with the Executive Team to energize new and existing Board members and serve as a subject matter expert in fundraising while also mobilizing the DCCNY network as contributors
Create a long-term plan for and assist in the execution of donor cultivation and fundraising events
Develop and manage a development dashboard and other tracking systems to support donor development and overall goal setting; once developed, ensure the internal infrastructure at DCCNY is best utilized to support development operations, including the utilization of Salesforce to keep donor and stewardship details accurate
Attend and represent DCCNY at key fundraising events, meetings, and conferences as needed
Ensure the efficient and effective coordination of development workflows
Liaise frequently with program staff, keeping them apprised of key information, and to support their funder relationships
Build and maintain a strong working knowledge of DCCNY’s work in the early childhood education, advocacy, and policy space
Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $160,000-$175,000 and is commensurate with demonstrated experience and abilities. DCCNY also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical/dental/vision coverage, access to 401(k) and defined benefit plans, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays, life and disability insurance, and more. DCCNY is also committed to the professional development and advancement of its staff.

DCCNY thrives on diversity and is an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply

This search is being conducted by Challenges and Solutions, LLC. If you need accessibility modifications to complete this application, please email the address below with your needs. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to: Mo Coffey at mo@challengesandsolutions.com. No calls, please.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $160,000.00 – $175,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
Dental insurance
Flexible schedule
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Retirement plan
Vision insurance
Schedule:

Evenings as needed
Monday to Friday
Weekends as needed
Work Location: Hybrid remote in New York, NY