Development Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

The Development Specialist plays a key role in planning, implementing, and managing development activities and projects for Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York and its affiliate, St. John’s Residence for Boys. This position is responsible for supporting development efforts, cultivating relationships with mid-level donors, and ensuring that resources are effectively allocated to drive the organization’s growth, financial sustainability, and mission success.

This role will plan, organize and execute fundraising events to support development goals. This role manages event logistics and relationships with internal and external constituents. Events include but are not limited to galas, cocktail receptions, golf outings, donor cultivation events and community events to raise funds and engage community members. The Development Specialist will partner with fellow Strategy, Development and Communications team members to identify and achieve a variety of development objectives.

This role will assist in grant writing by researching funding opportunities, crafting persuasive grant proposals and managing the grant application process, including meeting deadlines and building relationships with funders.

In addition, this position manages volunteer committees organized to raise funds and community groups. This includes recruiting volunteers, providing logistical support, recognizing their contributions and hosting meetings.

The Development Specialist reports to the Director of Major Gifts and collaborates with their team members, the Senior Executive Committee (SEC), program leadership, the human resources department, board members, current and new supporters and volunteers to identify and fulfill the material and financial needs of the affiliated organization through the full range of development activities.

This position offers a full-time, 35-hour-per-week, hybrid work schedule and is based in Little Flower’s Brooklyn or Wading River office. The role requires travel to Little Flower’s Wading River campus and New York City, including the affiliated organization’s locations in Queens and Brooklyn, and other business-related locations when needed. From time to time, this position requires work outside of normally scheduled working hours to attend fundraising and donor cultivation events.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Lead and expand mid-level gifts by identifying, cultivating, soliciting and effectively stewarding donors.
• Use the team’s donor database, Virtuous, to proactively manage a gift portfolio by documenting and tracking moves, ensuring timely follow-up with prospects and contributors, and routinely reporting progress toward quarterly, annual and multi-year fundraising goals.
• Lead the planning and execution of fundraising events including the annual Golf Outing, Spring event, a new summer community event and programmatic giving campaigns.
• Support donor prospecting efforts through research and reporting and assist with donor retention strategies, including personalized outreach and stewardship plans.
• Work closely with the development and communications team and volunteer committee members to identify and secure honorees, participants, corporate sponsors and donors for special events.
• Meet with donors and supporters to cultivate and deepen relationships and increase donor retention rates.
• Assist with grant applications and reporting, and donor proposals.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success developing and managing a giving portfolio and volunteer activities and stewarding donors in a timely and tailored manner.
• Ability to effectively relate to and collaborate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and positions.
• Superior planning, project management and time management skills.
• A creative and collaborative approach.
• Proficiency using donor management software to manage fundraising efforts.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and a willingness to proactively seek to deepen individual understanding of the root causes of oppression.
• A passion for the mission of Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York and St. John’s Residence for Boys and an understanding of its key programming.

Minimum Requirements

• At least three years of relevant educational and/or professional fundraising experience
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) as well as fundraising software programs (Raiser’s Edge, Virtuous, Classy, BetterUnite etc.)
• Dependability and strong organization skills
• Be a self-starter and goal driven in order to initiate donor visits and fundraising calls

Travel Requirements

This position offers a full-time hybrid schedule and is based in Brooklyn or Wading River and requires travel to Wading River and New York City, and other locations when needed.

Disclaimer

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent in this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of a person in this position.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Statement

With more than 250 years of combined experience, Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York and St. John’s Residence for Boys have a long-standing history of serving children, youth, adults and families of color. Our mission, vision and values are grounded in elevating the shared humanity of every staff member, community partner and those with whom we engage. We recognize that our DEIB work is continuously evolving as we strive for equity and inclusion for individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, ages, abilities, religions and lived experiences.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected group status.