Executive Director, Dress for Success Greater New York City

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt

Salary Range: Annual $130,000-$150,000 USD

Role Summary

The Executive Director, Greater New York City (GNYC) serves as the senior executive leader of Dress for Success Worldwide’s New York City hub, responsible for advancing organizational impact, market leadership, revenue growth, and long-term sustainability. As the leader of one of the organization’s flagship locations, the Executive Director drives strategic growth, expands community and corporate partnerships, increases the number of women served and engaged, and strengthens Dress for Success’s visibility and influence throughout New York City’s workforce development and economic mobility ecosystem.

Working within Dress for Success Worldwide’s centralized infrastructure, the Executive Director provides executive leadership across program strategy, external affairs, fundraising, operations, financial stewardship, talent development, and stakeholder engagement. The role serves as the principal ambassador for GNYC and a key representative of the Dress for Success brand among corporate partners, government agencies, philanthropic leaders, elected officials, and the broader nonprofit community.

Core Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership, Growth, and Organizational Sustainability
   • Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to expand GNYC’s reach, impact, revenue, and long-term sustainability in alignment with Dress for Success Worldwide’s mission and strategic priorities.
   • Identify and capitalize on opportunities for growth, innovation, program expansion, and community engagement across New York City.
   • Establish annual performance goals and key organizational metrics to drive accountability, continuous improvement, and measurable outcomes.
   • Advise Worldwide leadership on emerging workforce trends, public policy developments, strategic opportunities, and partnership priorities within the NYC market.
   • Lead long-range planning related to center capacity, facilities, technology investments, and future growth opportunities.
   • Achieve measurable outcomes related to client impact, revenue generation, operational excellence, partnership expansion, and organizational growth.
2. External Affairs, Strategic Partnerships, and Revenue Development
   • Serve as the senior external representative and public face of Dress for Success Greater New York City.
   • Build and maintain senior-level relationships with corporate leaders, foundations, government agencies, workforce development organizations, elected officials, civic leaders, and community stakeholders.
   • Partner closely with the Worldwide Development team to develop and execute a local revenue strategy, including donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate sponsorships, institutional giving, government funding, and special events.
   • Identify and cultivate transformational funding opportunities that support program growth and long-term sustainability.
   • Represent Dress for Success at industry conferences, community forums, media engagements, public events, and relevant city coalitions and government working groups.
   • Strengthen Dress for Success’s leadership position within New York City’s workforce development, women’s economic mobility, and nonprofit sectors.
3. Program Strategy, Impact, and Client Success
   • Provide executive oversight of program strategy, quality, innovation, and measurable impact across all GNYC services.
   • Champion a client-centered culture that prioritizes dignity, equity, accessibility, relevance, and positive outcomes for women served.
   • Leverage outcomes data, research, and NYC workforce-market insights to guide strategic decisions, enhance program effectiveness, and identify opportunities for innovation.
   • Collaborate with Worldwide program leadership to refine and advance program models, scale best practices, and maintain alignment with network standards and strategic priorities.
   • Ensure accurate and timely data collection, analysis, and reporting aligned with Worldwide MEL standards, and communicate impact to funders, partners, and internal stakeholders.
4. Financial Stewardship, Operations, and Talent Leadership
   • Maintain full accountability for GNYC’s financial health and sustainability, including annual budgeting, forecasting, revenue performance, resource allocation, expense management, compliance, and achievement of financial targets.
   • Build, develop, and retain a high-performing and inclusive team with clear goals, accountability, professional development opportunities, and succession plans.
   • Partner with Worldwide teams to optimize performance, manage risk, and ensure appropriate controls and compliance.
   • Ensure day-to-day operations, volunteer engagement, facilities, technology, and the client environment support excellent service delivery and reflect Dress for Success brand standards.
5. Enterprise Leadership and Network Contribution
   • Serve as a key member of Dress for Success Worldwide’s leadership community and contribute to enterprise strategy, organizational priorities, and network initiatives.
   • Translate Worldwide priorities into clear GNYC execution plans and ensure local work remains connected to network-wide strategy.
   • Engage Worldwide leadership and the GNYC Taskforce to inform long-term planning, support growth opportunities, and advance the continuing evolution of the hub model.
   • Share market insights, innovations, and best practices across the global network and represent the NYC perspective in organization-wide conversations.
   • Participate in executive leadership meetings, regional convenings, network conferences, and strategic planning activities as appropriate.
   • Work closely with Worldwide Marketing & Communications team to develop digital marketing strategy and content, including social media, e-mail marketing, and event flyers and communications.
   • Ensure all marketing communications materials adhere to brand, visual and verbal identity guidelines.
   • Lead the implementation and evaluation of pilot programs, operational processes, and organizational initiatives at the flagship Greater New York City location, providing a model for potential expansion and adoption throughout the Dress for Success network.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible executive or senior leadership experience in nonprofit management, workforce development, social impact, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading a complex organization, division, affiliate, hub, or significant programmatic operation with strategic, operational, financial, and people-management responsibility.
• Deep knowledge of and established relationships within New York City’s nonprofit, philanthropic, workforce development, government, civic, and economic mobility ecosystems.
• Proven ability to drive organizational growth, lead change, expand market reach, and build high-level corporate, institutional, community, and public-sector partnerships.
• Demonstrated success developing revenue strategies and securing significant support through corporate partnerships, foundation grants, major gifts, sponsorships, or government funding.
• Strong business acumen and a proven record of financial stewardship, including responsibility for complex budgets, forecasting, compliance, risk management, and grant oversight.
• Exceptional executive presence, communication, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to engage corporate executives, major donors, government leaders, community partners, and network leadership.
• Significant experience in workforce development, women’s economic mobility, education, social services, or a closely related mission-driven sector.
• Deep commitment to gender equity and the economic empowerment of women.

Preferred

• Experience working within a federated, affiliate-based, matrixed, or network-based nonprofit structure.
• Existing senior-level relationships with major NYC corporations, foundations, policymakers, civic leaders, and workforce-development partners.
• Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, social work, public policy, or a related field.

Success Measures

Success will be measured through progress against priorities established with Worldwide leadership, including:

• Growth in the number of women served and engaged.
• Growth and diversification of local revenue.
• Expansion of high-value corporate, philanthropic, government, and community partnerships.
• Improved program outcomes, client experience, and use of data for decision-making.
• Strong financial performance, operational effectiveness, compliance, and risk management.
• Development and retention of a high-performing, mission-aligned team.
• Increased visibility and influence for GNYC within New York City and across the global Dress for Success network.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position with a business schedule from Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Employees must work 35 hours each week to maintain full-time status. Limited travel may be required.

Work Environment

Dress for Success Worldwide offers a congenial work environment. The dress code is business smart/business casual and employees work on-site in our New York City office three days per week and remotely two days per week.

Physical Demands

Employee may need to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds in performing regular office duties and managing records, files, and materials.

Work Authorization

Employment at Dress for Success Worldwide is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background check with ClearStar, reference checks, and your ability to meet the terms of current immigration laws, which require every new employee to provide documentation that proves identity and demonstrates authorization to work in the United States.

AAP/EEO Statement

Dress for Success Worldwide is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome all qualified candidates regardless of their demographic background.

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

403(b) Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Hybrid Work Schedule

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional Development