Director of Individual Giving
New York, NY
Full Time
Experienced
OVERVIEW
A popular year-round destination, Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor located between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. For almost two centuries, the Island was closed to the public, operating as a military base for the U.S. Army and, later, the Coast Guard. Today, an award-winning new park is complemented by dozens of unique historic buildings, educational and cultural facilities, a rich arts and culture program and a 22-acre National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Looking ahead, the long-term vision for Governors Island focuses on continuing to expand year-round public access by enlivening it with transformative public art and culture, extraordinary recreational and open space, and research and education dedicated to addressing the global climate crisis.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Governors Island Foundation seeks a Director of Individual Giving to lead broad-based individual giving programs and oversee key fundraising events. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position will grow and steward individual donors through annual fund campaigns, direct mail appeals, membership programs, and digital fundraising. This position will also manage all aspects of the annual Gala and spring fundraiser. This position works closely with the Director of Major Gifts, Director of Corporate Relations, marketing/communications staff, the Trust for Governors Island team, and board members to coordinate donor engagement, messaging, and stewardship.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develop and implement strategies to increase individual giving across all channels.
• Manage and expand a portfolio of donors and prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Deliver a high-quality donor experience through personalized correspondence, timely acknowledgments and impact reporting.
• Lead planning, execution, and fundraising strategy for signature events, including host honoree selection, host committee recruitment, collateral development, fundraising, logistics, sponsorships, and ticketing.
• Oversee digital and direct mail campaigns to drive participation and revenue.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and the Trust team to develop consistent messaging and outreach.
• Support board members in donor engagement, cultivation, and stewardship activities.
• Prepare and present reports on fundraising and membership progress to senior staff and the Board of Directors.
• Guide improvements to donor and prospect database functions and tracking mechanisms, ensuring system integrity.
• Oversee the Governors Island membership and adoption programs.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
• Experience managing fundraising campaigns and membership programs.
• Proven success in meeting or exceeding annual revenue targets
• Excellent project management skills including experience managing fundraising events, ideally galas or benefit events.
• Superior communication skills with experience crafting messages for specific audiences and producing compelling written materials to bolster fundraising efforts.
• Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Proficiency with Salesforce, iWave, Mailchimp, One Cause, and other fundraising tools. Graphic design or layout skills a plus.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail.
• Creative problem-solver who anticipates challenges and proposes innovative solutions.
• Enthusiasm for Governors Island, its history, mission, and programs.
Salary Range: $110,000 to $120,000 per year and is commensurate with experience. Generous paid time off and excellent benefits package including medical/dental/vision/life insurance and retirement plan with company contributions.
Location and Schedule: All positions are located on Governors Island. This position is
in-person four days per week and remote one day a week as responsibilities allow. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.
TO APPLY
(*No phone calls please.)
You must submit a cover letter with your resume in one pdf document.
We realize that not all applicants match 100% of the qualifications for a role. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply.
The Governors Island Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, marital status, membership in an employee organization, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or other non-merit factor.
ABOUT THE GOVERNORS ISLAND FOUNDATION
The mission of the Governors Island Foundation, formerly the Friends of Governors Island, is to secure philanthropic support to strengthen Governors Island as a vibrant resource for all New Yorkers. As the dedicated fundraising partner to the Trust for Governors Island, the Foundation works with visionary supporters to fund an award-winning park and open space, arts and cultural experiences, programs that generate solutions to the climate crisis, and broader initiatives that support the Island’s continued role as a public destination.
A popular year-round destination, Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor located between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. For almost two centuries, the Island was closed to the public, operating as a military base for the U.S. Army and, later, the Coast Guard. Today, an award-winning new park is complemented by dozens of unique historic buildings, educational and cultural facilities, a rich arts and culture program and a 22-acre National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Looking ahead, the long-term vision for Governors Island focuses on continuing to expand year-round public access by enlivening it with transformative public art and culture, extraordinary recreational and open space, and research and education dedicated to addressing the global climate crisis.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Governors Island Foundation seeks a Director of Individual Giving to lead broad-based individual giving programs and oversee key fundraising events. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position will grow and steward individual donors through annual fund campaigns, direct mail appeals, membership programs, and digital fundraising. This position will also manage all aspects of the annual Gala and spring fundraiser. This position works closely with the Director of Major Gifts, Director of Corporate Relations, marketing/communications staff, the Trust for Governors Island team, and board members to coordinate donor engagement, messaging, and stewardship.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develop and implement strategies to increase individual giving across all channels.
• Manage and expand a portfolio of donors and prospects through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Deliver a high-quality donor experience through personalized correspondence, timely acknowledgments and impact reporting.
• Lead planning, execution, and fundraising strategy for signature events, including host honoree selection, host committee recruitment, collateral development, fundraising, logistics, sponsorships, and ticketing.
• Oversee digital and direct mail campaigns to drive participation and revenue.
• Collaborate with marketing, communications, and the Trust team to develop consistent messaging and outreach.
• Support board members in donor engagement, cultivation, and stewardship activities.
• Prepare and present reports on fundraising and membership progress to senior staff and the Board of Directors.
• Guide improvements to donor and prospect database functions and tracking mechanisms, ensuring system integrity.
• Oversee the Governors Island membership and adoption programs.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree is required; Master’s degree or Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification a plus.
- Minimum 5–7 years of fundraising experience, including broad-based giving and special event management.
• Experience managing fundraising campaigns and membership programs.
• Proven success in meeting or exceeding annual revenue targets
• Excellent project management skills including experience managing fundraising events, ideally galas or benefit events.
• Superior communication skills with experience crafting messages for specific audiences and producing compelling written materials to bolster fundraising efforts.
• Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Proficiency with Salesforce, iWave, Mailchimp, One Cause, and other fundraising tools. Graphic design or layout skills a plus.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail.
• Creative problem-solver who anticipates challenges and proposes innovative solutions.
• Enthusiasm for Governors Island, its history, mission, and programs.
Salary Range: $110,000 to $120,000 per year and is commensurate with experience. Generous paid time off and excellent benefits package including medical/dental/vision/life insurance and retirement plan with company contributions.
Location and Schedule: All positions are located on Governors Island. This position is
in-person four days per week and remote one day a week as responsibilities allow. Occasional evening and weekend work is required.
TO APPLY
(*No phone calls please.)
You must submit a cover letter with your resume in one pdf document.
We realize that not all applicants match 100% of the qualifications for a role. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply.
The Governors Island Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, marital status, membership in an employee organization, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or other non-merit factor.
ABOUT THE GOVERNORS ISLAND FOUNDATION
The mission of the Governors Island Foundation, formerly the Friends of Governors Island, is to secure philanthropic support to strengthen Governors Island as a vibrant resource for all New Yorkers. As the dedicated fundraising partner to the Trust for Governors Island, the Foundation works with visionary supporters to fund an award-winning park and open space, arts and cultural experiences, programs that generate solutions to the climate crisis, and broader initiatives that support the Island’s continued role as a public destination.
Apply for this position
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