Director of Development and Communications

The Bronx River Alliance seeks a Director of Development and Communications

The Bronx River Alliance is seeking a Director of Development and Communications to guide and implement fundraising strategies to support the Alliance’s programs and activities. The Bronx River Alliance, a nonprofit incorporated in 2001, leads the effort to protect, improve, and restore the Bronx River, over 100 acres of waterfront parks alongside the river in the Bronx, and 23 miles of greenway that span the full length of the river. The Alliance serves as a coordinated voice for the river and works in partnership with many organizations to ensure that the corridor is a healthy ecological, recreational, educational, and economic resource for the communities that live along the river. Working with the Executive Director, the Development Coordinator, and other staff/consultants, the Director of Development and Communications is directly responsible for raising $2.3 million in philanthropic funds from foundations, government agencies, individual donors, corporate sponsors, membership, and earned income sources to cover the organization’s annual operating budget.

Our ideal candidate has demonstrated skill and experience in proposal writing and development, individual/major gift solicitation, corporate sponsorships, staff supervision, event planning and management, and fund development planning. Key responsibilities and skills include foundation and donor cultivation; excellent writing, communications, and organizational skills; experience leading fundraising events; and the ability and eagerness to work with diverse constituents and to thrive in a team environment. This role is ideal for a relationship-builder who is both strategic and hands-on, and who thrives in a mission-driven organization navigating growth, change, and opportunity.

How to apply

Please submit a resume, cover letter and writing sample via email to [email protected] or by mail to Executive Director, Bronx River Alliance, 1490 Sheridan Blvd, Bronx, NY 10459 (e-mail preferred). No calls or other emails, please. Applications are processed on a rolling basis.

Position Overview:

The Director of Development & Communications is a senior leadership role responsible for securing, growing, and diversifying revenue for the Bronx River Alliance, with a primary focus on foundations, government sources, individual donors, and corporate sponsors. This role strengthens internal fundraising systems, donor communications, and cross-team coordination to support a resilient, values-aligned fund development program.

The Director guides and implements fundraising strategies to support the Alliance’s programs and activities. The Director implements development communications and supports organizational messaging in close collaboration with program and organizational leaders. Working with the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, Alliance staff, and relevant consultants the Director will be responsible for generating revenue from foundation, government, individual, and corporate sources to sustain the organization’s annual budget of approximately $2.3 million.

Position Reports to: Executive Director

Job Title(s) Reporting to This Position: Development Coordinator; part-time Grants Manager (consultant), grant writing staff or consultant, communications staff or consultant

Salary Range: $100,000-$120,000, commensurate with experience

Schedule: Full-time, exempt

Primary Responsibilities: Lead team in securing $2.3M from foundations, government agencies, individual donors, corporate sponsors, membership, and earned income

• Implement proposal writing and reporting for variety of grants, contracts, sponsorships, and donations; coordinate support on proposals from program staff; manage grant writing and grants management staff and/or consultants
• Cultivate funders and donors through solicitation and stewardship, including foundations, major donors, and donor-advised funds
• Broker and manage corporate and donor sponsorships for events, public programs, equipment, and park amenities
• Lead fund development communications such as seasonal appeals, donor updates, and donor campaign messaging
• Plan, implement, and manage staff, consultants, and vendors for fundraising events such as the annual gala, on-water fundraiser, and donor cultivation events
• Own and optimize development infrastructure: CRM, donation platforms, data hygiene, reporting dashboards
• Partner with the Executive Director and Board on donor and diversification strategies. Work as part of the senior management team to track overall organizational finances and assist with overall organizational strategies

Secondary Responsibilities

• Strengthen and streamline grant application, tracking, and reporting systems working with leadership, program staff and consultants. Ensure compliance with reporting, timesheets, and other grant requirements, monitoring grant deliverables
• Maintain board relations related to donations; support overall board development, especially Fundraising Committee; prepare minutes of Board and Executive Committee meetings as needed
• Collaborate with program staff to translate impact into funder-ready narratives
• Collaborate with program staff to explore how to generate revenue during public programs and events
• Research and pursue new funding prospects
• Track and code incoming donations in coordination with the Director of Finance
• Perform any other agency-related duties or special projects as directed by the Executive Director

Skills and Qualifications:

Requirements

• 2-5 years of non-profit fund development and proposal writing experience
• Bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience required; relevant advanced degree preferred
• Demonstrated success leading a team to fundraise over $1M/year from foundations, government agencies, individual donors, corporate sponsors
• Communications, project management, and relationship building skills
• Demonstrated success cultivating and stewarding individual donors, foundation staff, elected officials, and corporate social responsibility teams
• Passion for social justice, racial equity, and the environment

Strongly Preferred

• Proficiency in digital strategy, CRM systems, and donor engagement platform
• Experience with GiveSmart and other online donation platforms (e.g. Click & Pledge)
• Development communications experience
• Ability to be self-starting, think creatively, work quickly and under pressure, and meet deadlines
• Marketing and public relations experience

Highly Valued

• Existing relationships with donors, sponsors, or philanthropic partners
• Experience improving or rebuilding fundraising systems and workflows
• Comfort using software tools to improve efficiency, reporting, and collaboration
• Interest in working in a community-based environmental justice organization
• Experience managing staff, consultants, and vendors

Work Expectations

This is a primarily in-person role based at Bronx River Alliance HQ in the Bronx, with limited flexibility for 1–2 remote workdays per week. Occasional evenings and weekends are required to meet internal and external commitments, including events, donor meetings, and board engagement.

To apply, please send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter to [email protected]