The Senior Vice President of Development is a critical member of the executive leadership team, responsible for leading the organization's fundraising strategy and initiatives. This role involves overseeing all aspects of development, including major gifts, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, and special events.

The SVP will work closely with the CEO, CFO, Board of Directors, and other executive and senior leaders to secure the financial resources necessary to support and advance the organization’s mission. The SVP will provide strategic thinking, effective relationship building, and advocate for the organization’s work.

Essential Job Functions

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that aligns with the organization’s mission and strategic goals.
• Serve as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO and Board of Directors on all matters related to development and fundraising.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing development team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.

Major Gifts & Individual Giving

• Oversee the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major donors, ensuring a robust pipeline of high-net-worth individuals.
• Develop and implement strategies for increasing individual giving at all levels, including major gifts, annual giving, and planned giving.
• Personally manage a portfolio of top prospects and donors, building strong, long-term relationships to secure significant contributions.

Institutional Giving

• Lead the strategy and execution of corporate, foundation and government fundraising efforts, including proposal development, grant management, and relationship cultivation.
• Oversee the preparation of grant applications, reports, and other communications to corporate and foundation partners.
• Build and maintain relationships with corporate sponsors, government agencies and foundations, ensuring alignment with the organization’s values and goals.

Fundraising Events

• Oversee the planning and execution of major fundraising events, including AIDS Walk NY, and other special events.
• Work closely with event committees, volunteers, and staff to ensure events are successful in meeting fundraising goals and engaging key stakeholders.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of events, making recommendations for future improvements and innovations.

Planned Giving

• Develop and implement a comprehensive planned giving program, including marketing, donor education, and stewardship activities.
• Cultivate relationships with donors interested in leaving a legacy through bequests, charitable trusts, and other planned giving vehicles.
• Work with legal and financial advisors to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and best practices.

Donor Stewardship & Recognition

• Ensure that all donors are appropriately acknowledged, recognized, and engaged in the life of the organization.
• Develop and oversee donor recognition programs, including naming opportunities, special events, and personalized stewardship plans.
• Implement systems for tracking donor interactions and measuring the impact of stewardship efforts.

Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate with the communications team to develop and execute integrated marketing and communication strategies that support fundraising goals.
• Work closely with program staff to understand and communicate the impact of the organization’s work to donors and funders.
• Serve as a liaison to the Board of Directors, providing regular updates on fundraising progress and involving them in development efforts.

Special Skills and Knowledge

• Energy and passion for the mission, vision, and values of GMHC, including a sensitivity to and experience with the populations served by GMHC and ability to bring GMHC’s history and mission to life in a way that connects and inspires action.
• A strong familiarity with best practices in development, particularly among peer institutions including a) a passion for seeking philanthropic support to advance the goals of the organization, b) the ability to bridge generational gaps between donors and staff, c) appeal to longstanding supporters of GMHC as well as younger generations passionate about activism and philanthropy and d) talent in fostering long-term relationships such as legacy giving.
• “Well-connected,” particularly understanding the peers, players and funders in NYC in the “GMHC space”.
• Meticulous attention to detail paired with superior organizational capabilities.
• An ability to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders, in a language that keeps parties neutral, resolves conflict and is easily understandable so that effective action can be taken.
• Exceptional writing and communication skills; the ability to write and speak clearly, cordially, and compellingly to deliver an effective, coherent, exciting, and consistent message about GMHC’s mission, history, programs, and fundamental strengths to potential funders and partners.
• A high level of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality, maintaining trusting relationships based on honesty with leadership and staff.
• Commitment to transparency, collaboration and sharing of resources, ability to work with leadership and staff communicating status on all initiatives, while remaining accessible, supportive and receptive to feedback from both leadership and staff, open to learning from both successes and “failures” – as demonstrated by willingness to develop new initiatives in line with the culture and mission.
• A “stranger to no one” - someone who is comfortable speaking with people at all levels of organizations.
• Ability to breach silos between different functions and programs – by respecting and validating the importance of all departments within GMHC and acknowledging how each contributes to the successful delivery of services to clients; ability to explain to staff what development does and why it is a critical function.
• Comfort and familiarity in using data to inform decisions, while ensuring that staff have the tools, resources and data needed to excel; tech savvy.
• Ability to impact both strategic and tactical activities; not afraid to delegate and/or “get in the mud” as necessary.

Additional Skills
In addition to the above-listed skills, the ideal candidate for this position will also have:

• Extensive project management experience, proficient in using advanced software tools to optimize operational workflows and streamline operations effectively.
• Robust project management competencies, adept at managing multiple priorities and consistently meeting deadlines in a dynamic environment.

Education and Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, or a related field with a minimum of 10 years of proven track record in Development and progressive fundraising in a nonprofit environment, including substantial experience in major gifts, capital campaigns, and donor relations or; 
• At least 15 years of equivalent professional experience in nonprofit development roles, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge and successful outcomes in fundraising and development strategies.

Technical Skills

Microsoft Office Suite

• Word: Skilled in creating and formatting professional documents, utilizing templates, and incorporating advanced features for report and proposal creation.
• Excel: Proficient in data organization, formula application, pivot tables, and data visualization to analyze and present data effectively.
• PowerPoint: Experienced in designing impactful presentations with the ability to integrate multimedia charts and transitions to effectively communicate information to diverse audiences.
• Teams: Basic knowledge of using Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings, collaboration, and file sharing to enhance team communication and project coordination.
• Outlook: Basic understanding of managing emails, organizing calendars, scheduling meetings, and maintaining contact lists to streamline communication and task management.

Donor Database/CRM Systems

• Salesforce Experience: Proficient in using Salesforce for donor management, capable of tracking donor interactions, managing donor information, and utilizing the platform to enhance fundraising strategies and communications.

Work Environment & Schedule

This is a hybrid position:

• In-Person Requirements: Must be available for executive meetings, attend GMHC events, and represent the agency at conferences and conventions as needed by specific programs and departmental requirements.
• Remote Work Flexibility: Able to perform duties remotely, with availability for in-office interactions when necessary.
• Mandatory Participation: Participation in the annual AIDS Walk New York event is mandatory for all GMHC staff.

Physical Demands

While carrying out the responsibilities of this role:

• Sitting: The position predominantly involves sitting for extended periods, which is typical for office environments.
• Communication: Regular participation in conversations is necessary. This involves both speaking and actively listening to colleagues, stakeholders, and external partners during meetings, presentations, and one-on-one discussions.
• Note-Taking: The ability to listen attentively and take detailed notes during meetings and other communicative sessions is crucial.

Successful candidates will welcome the opportunity to work in a racially and gender-diverse environment and to contribute to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Working at GMHC requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the breadth of the communities that we serve.

GMHC is committed to fostering an inclusive, racially, and gender-diverse workplace and seeks candidates dedicated to promoting equity and social justice within our community.