Associate Director of Individual Giving and Special Events

ABOUT US

Apex for Youth empowers underserved Asian and immigrant youth from low-income families in NYC to unlock their potential and a world of possibility. Through programming focusing on health and well-being, education, and community engagement, Apex for Youth creates transformative social connections and celebrates cultural identity to build the confidence and self-efficacy of future generations.

Apex serves approximately 2,000 students annually from Kindergarten through their post-secondary years. We provide children and young adults with opportunities to develop strong relationships with adults who volunteer as consistent and caring mentors and role models.

JOB OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Associate Director will focus on engaging and soliciting individual donors ranging from the annual leadership level to the major gift level. The Associate Director will coordinate with various partners including the executive director, gift officers on the development team, board members, the associate board, and volunteers to execute a robust fundraising strategy that includes one-on-one donor solicitations, fundraising events, and marketing campaigns. Key fundraising events will include an annual gala, year-round donor cultivation dinners, and Associate Board fundraising events.

Currently, Apex’s fundraising efforts with this population and these existing fundraising events result in $4M-$5M in annual revenue for the organization. 

Our ideal candidate is skilled at managing relationships, has experience maturing a portfolio, enjoys creating and implementing thoughtful fundraising strategies, is eager to grow as a fundraiser, and — most importantly — finds Apex’s mission compelling. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising – Portfolio Management (40%)

• Build and manage a portfolio of 150-200 annual leadership donors and 5-10 major donors 
• Cultivate and solicit donors through one-on-one solicitations, marketing campaigns, and fundraising events such as the annual gala, donor cultivation events, and Associate Board fundraising events, to raise at least $5 million annually to meet annual goals and objectives
• Communicate with and manage key volunteers such as the Associate Board or gala host committee, implementing an annual engagement strategy for their prospects and networks
• Increase contributions from individuals by creating and implementing tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
• Participate in regular portfolio reviews and routinely qualify donors for further engagement through discovery calls and donor visits 
• Maintains a high level of contact with prospects/donors and strengthens relationships with new, mid-level, and major donors
• Collaborates with marketing team to provide regular communication including donor reports and updates to steward donors
• Ensure all fundraising and donor activities are documented and tracked in CRM (Salesforce) database

Gala and Donor Cultivation Events (40%)

• Collaborate with Apex’s Events Manager to design and execute fundraising and cultivation events
• Drive annual Gala fundraising efforts by coordinating development officers, board members, and gala host committee to collectively solicit prospective donors
• Implement a year-round events fundraising strategy to provide discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship opportunities

Associate Board Management (15%)

• Support the Apex Associate Board to innovate and continue to improve outcomes for key fundraising initiatives including Casino Night, the marathon, and other fundraising efforts
• Attend monthly Associate Board meetings (currently, the first Sunday evening of each month) and the annual retreat
• Work closely with the Associate Board to ensure annual plans are working in tandem with the strategic goals of the organization
• Serve as a liaison between the Associate Board and operations, marketing, programs, development, and directors teams

Other Duties (5%)

• Contribute to strategic fundraising goals of the development team.
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

• Three to five years of non-profit fundraising and events management, or equivalent experience
• Experience managing volunteers, board or committee management preferred
• Experience using CRM and project management platforms
• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Creative problem-solving skills
• High motivation to pursue a collective mission
• Ability to collaborate with others on diverse teams
• High level of attention to detail
• Ability to handle multiple priorities
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Sense of humor and life balance; an optimistic personality with a dedication to the highest standards of professionalism.

Overview of Benefits:

Paid time off: In the first year of employment, employees are eligible for approximately a combined 40 days of vacation, holiday, personal, and sick leave (10 vacation days, 12 paid holidays, org-wide closures for one week over the winter holidays and one week during the Fourth of July, 5 sick days per year, 3 personal days a year). Additional vacation days accrue according to years worked in the organization.

Medical and other benefits: Employees are eligible to participate in a range of medical, dental and vision insurance plans with Apex covering the majority of the cost for employees; 401K plan with employer matching; flexible spending account; commuter benefits; paid parental leave; and professional development stipend.

Hybrid workplace: Apex provides for a flexible remote work schedule on specific days of the week and requires employees to be on-site for other days of the week, and for special events and programs.

Organizational Culture: Apex is a highly collaborative, flexible, and employee-centered workplace. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity both within our organization and in how we collaborate with others. If you love to work with a team and have exciting ideas you would like to explore and grow, we encourage you to join Apex for Youth!