Director of Development

Organizational Background

VOCAL-US is the national home and infrastructure hub for the VOCAL network of state-based organizations in New York, Kentucky, and Texas.

Founded in 1999, VOCAL-NY is a statewide membership organization that builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness. We do this through community organizing, leadership development, advocacy, direct services, participatory research, and direct action. VOCAL-US launched in 2022, followed by VOCAL-Kentucky that same year and VOCAL-Texas in 2023.

The Role

The Director of Development leads fundraising across VOCAL-US and its chapters. Our Co-Executive Directors and State Directors are active fundraisers themselves. This role sets the strategy, builds the systems, and leads the team that makes all of that work, while growing national support for VOCAL-US. VOCAL-NY is our largest chapter and will be a major focus.

We're looking for someone who has built or led a development function before. You think in systems, write and edit well, and are comfortable managing up and coordinating busy leaders. You're entrepreneurial and can talk about VOCAL's work, from direct services to organizing and advocacy, with pride. And you want to build a fundraising program that includes both staff and members.

What You'll Do

• Strategy: Set and track fundraising goals across foundations, government, individuals, and events, working with leadership on funder strategy across the network.
• Grants: Oversee the grants pipeline, calendar, proposals, and reporting for foundation and government funding, and carry key funder relationships directly.
• Individual giving and events: Lead the donor program and the strategy for the annual gala and other events.
• Systems: Own the fundraising database, stewardship, and the processes that keep development running smoothly.
• Team: Supervise the Development Coordinator and build out the team over time.

What You Bring

• 7+ years of fundraising experience, including leading a development function or team
• A track record of raising $5M+ annually across foundations, government, and individuals
• Experience managing government grants and multi-year awards, including reporting
• Strong writing and editing skills, and good judgment about when to delegate
• Experience managing up and keeping senior leaders on track
• Comfort making the case to funders for member-led organizing, advocacy, and harm reduction services
• A deep commitment to ending AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness, and to the leadership of people directly affected by these issues.
• A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

This is a full-time position . The position will report to the Co-Executive Director and work closely with other members of the leadership team.

The position is based in New York City, with a flexible hybrid schedule and in-person time for events, funder meetings, and team work as needed.

VOCAL-NY offers a generous benefits package of 20 days of paid vacation, 15 wellness days, summer Fridays, 2-week end of year break, 100% employer-covered health, dental & vision insurance plan, and 401k retirement plan with 5% employer match, and more.