Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation
Vice President of Development and External Affairs
Job Description
Background:
The Women’s Economic Development Corporation (“WHEDco”) is one of New York City's leading nonprofit housing and community development organizations, working with families in the Bronx who struggle with the multiple challenges presented by poverty. Founded in 1991, WHEDco’s first project, Urban Horizons, retrofitted an abandoned hospital in the Highbridge section of the Bronx into 132 energy-efficient, low cost units. Under the guidance of a dynamic and stable executive leadership team, WHEDco has continued to provide innovative low-income housing solutions with the opening of the 128-unit Intervale Green in 2009, the country’s largest, energy star certified, multiple family dwelling, and its newest community development project, the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC), a 293-unit complex that will include affordable apartments for elder musicians, a school, a performance center, and a museum celebrating Bronx's rich music heritage.
In addition to its transformative housing solutions, WHEDco offers innovative programs to help bring families out of poverty, including its award winning early childhood education and youth development programs; family support programs which provides legal counseling, emergency assistance and crisis intervention; and economic development initiatives, including home-based microenterprise and food-business incubation.
The Position:
With the success of current programs and many new opportunities and developments on the horizon, WHEDco is seeking to hire a Vice President of Development and External Affairs (“VP”) to foster the dynamic expansion of fundraising programs. The VP will report directly to the President and work closely with the Executive staff and the Board of Directors to carry out ambitious future plans, including the capital development of BMHC, new program expansion, and ongoing annual fundraising objectives. He or she will supervise a staff of four and work closely with fiscal, administrative and program staff.
The VP will be expected to significantly develop and implement a wide range of fund development strategies that can be activated swiftly. He or she will play a major role in identifying, cultivating and soliciting annual major donors, creating appropriate special events, and growing WHEDco’s strong corporate and foundation funding base. While the organization’s significant government funding is well established, the VP will manage these funding expectations while seeking to identify new competitive funding opportunities.
The VP will also focus on increasing the visibility and understanding of the work and mission of WHEDco i.e., building the brand and public recognition efforts through enhancing the agency's case for support and creating a proactive communications effort. The VP will capitalize on the organization’s new website, its well-attended cultural and educational programming, and the use of social media and other communications to build visibility throughout the community.
Specific Responsibilities
- Work closely with the President and Senior Management, Board of Directors, and key constituents to expand WHEDco’s current development program, setting both long and short-term goals.
- Create and manage a capital campaign initiative to raise public and private funds to support the creation of the Bronx Heritage Music Center, approximately an $8-9 million effort over the next 3 years.
- Implement and oversee the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of funders including individuals, corporations and foundations.
- Maintain current public funding streams.
- Oversee the development budget to maximize resources.
- Oversee the development and tracking of all proposals, materials, reports and correspondence for donors.
- Plan all donor and public fundraising events.
- Ensure that WHEDco is proactively cultivating ongoing media relationships.
- Create and execute a broad based marketing strategy to promote a favorable public image to internal and external audiences.
- Monitor the budget for communications and marketing efforts to maximize resources.
- Oversee media strategies including visual, web and electronic communication.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school; advanced degree in relevant field preferred.
- Minimum of eight years of professional experience with proven success in development, external affairs and/or public relations.
- Intellectual depth and curiosity about the complex social and economic issues that WHEDco addresses and commitment to mission.
- Success as an effective communicator in written and verbal form, including proven public speaking skills.
- Ability to implement and oversee the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of both private and public funders.
- Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in successfully directing others.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and an optimistic approach towards achieving ambitious goals.
- Flexibility and willingness to work as a team as well as independently.
- Strong work ethic, resourceful with a can-do attitude; excellent judgment and discretion.
- Facility with Microsoft Office and knowledge of DonorPerfect preferred but not required.
For more information about WHEDco visit their website at www.WHEDco.org
WHEDco is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to a diverse workforce.
To Apply:
WHEDco has retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to:
Jack Lusk, Managing Partner
Anne McCarthy, Senior Director
Harris Rand Lusk
261 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016
amccarthy@harrisrand.com
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