Director of Development
Date: September 1, 2026
Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
Classification: Exempt
Supervisor: President and Executive Director
Compensation: $120,000–130,000 per annum, with benefits
Position Summary
The Director of Development oversees all aspects of fundraising, including major gifts, individual giving, membership, foundations, annual appeals, special events, corporate partnerships, and government grants.
Responsibilities
- Work in close partnership with the Executive Director and the Development Committee of the Board to set and achieve fundraising goals
- Manage 2–3 direct reports in the Development department
- Direct the spring benefit, Poetry & the Creative Mind, during National Poetry Month
- Direct the fall Chancellors Reading Benefit
- Steward foundation, individual, and corporate donors and oversee appeals and proposals
- Direct the membership program and benefit fulfillment
- Supervise donor database management
- Oversee direct mail and online membership campaigns, including working with consultants
- Oversee production of monthly financial reports and perform analysis to identify trends and suggest improvements or tests
- Manage departmental budget and reconcile monthly with Finance
- Manage membership and fundraising communications and solicitations on Poets.org
- Oversee the development and production of a membership newsletter and Benefactor newsletter
- Create compelling emails, donation pages, and social media promotions
- Encourage online audiences to make a gift through targeted messaging
- Create and coordinate social media promotions for membership and development-related events
- Oversee the promotion of planned giving on Poets.org and in American Poets magazine
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications & Competencies
- 10+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience
- Strong team management skills
- Extensive experience in individual giving, membership, and major gifts
- Foundation grant writing experience
- Advanced knowledge of popular CRMs, with Raiser’s Edge experience
- Proven track record of success in organizing special events
- Commitment to providing excellent customer service
- Commitment to excellence in database administration
- Strong written and oral communications skills
- A passion for poetry, literature, and the arts, a plus
To apply, email your cover letter and resume as one PDF to [email protected], with the job title and your last name in the subject line.
Membership Manager
Date: September 1, 2026
Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
Classification: Non-Exempt
Supervisor: Director of Development
Compensation: $70,000–80,000 per annum, with benefits
Position Summary
The Membership Manager is a full-time position that reports to the Director of Development. This position is considered non-exempt and works closely with the Development team to execute the organization’s fundraising efforts, which include a membership program, online appeals, special events, and other revenue generating initiatives.
Responsibilities
- Monitor and execute annual membership calendar
- Manage CRM database, ensuring payments are logged on a weekly basis
- Process renewals, acknowledgements, special appeals and premiums along with Development team
- Ensure excellent stewardship of all members and online donors
- Coordinate direct mail and online membership campaigns, including drafting messaging and working with consultants
- Develop data-driven approaches to improve member retention and recruitment
- Assist with creating and coordinating social media promotions for membership and development-related events
- Utilize file segmentation and testing to better target offers for increased response and retention rates
- Manage membership communications platform and coordinate with CRM database
- Produce monthly membership reports and other reports as needed and maintain CRM database manual
- Liaise with finance staff to reconcile revenue on a regular basis, and on audit preparations in collaboration with the Development team
- Coordinate the design and production of new membership premiums, brochures, and other collateral materials as needed
- Create compelling emails, donation pages, and social media promotions
- Help support all aspects of fundraising events
- Assist with grants research, proposal preparation and grant reporting
- Assist with the promotion of planned giving on Poets.org and in American Poets magazine, and through special mailings
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications & Competencies
- 3+ years of nonprofit membership experience
- Proficiency with Raiser’s Edge
- Proven track record of success in helping to organize special events and work with donors
- Commitment to providing excellent customer service
- Commitment to excellence in database administration
- Strong written and oral communications skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to balance multiple constituencies and manage multiple projects
- Ability to work independently and be self-directed as well as part of a team
- A passion for poetry, literature, and the arts a plus
To apply, email your cover letter and resume as one PDF to [email protected], with the job title and your last name in the subject line.