Chief Development Officer

The 92^nd Street Y, New York, seeks a strategic, innovative, entrepreneurial, and results-oriented Chief Development Officer (CDO). The CDO will join 92NY at a pivotal time in its history as it celebrates its 150^th anniversary and concludes a corresponding $150 million campaign. 

The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is New York City’s global center for culture, connection, and enrichment. As a center for the arts and innovation, convener of ideas, and incubator for creativity, 92NY connects people at every stage of life to the worlds of education, the arts, health and wellness, and Jewish life, including Israel-themed programming. The breadth and depth of 92NY’s extraordinary programs enrich lives, create community, and elevate humanity. A proudly Jewish organization since its founding in 1874, 92NY embraces its heritage and enthusiastically welcomes people of all backgrounds and perspectives.

For 150 years, 92NY has been a cultural force anchored in the concept of community, first in New York City and increasingly in the world. In a typical year, over 700,000 participants of all ages visit 92NY in person to access an exceptional range of programming, which includes hundreds of talks, readings, concerts, and dance performances; thousands of classes in personal and professional development, the arts, spirituality, and fitness; and much more. Millions more people from over 200 countries and all 50 states access 92NY for live-streamed events, online classes, an extensive digital archives collection, and other online initiatives. 92NY has a longstanding record of community outreach, including work with thousands of public school children each year, and provides over $1 million in scholarship support annually so that children and adults of all backgrounds can experience the transformative power of the arts and community.

Reporting to President Alyse Myers and CEO Seth Pinsky and working closely with other senior leaders across the organization, the CDO will craft a comprehensive fundraising strategy for 92NY and build a development operation capable of meeting those goals. This includes stewarding existing donors, growing 92NY’s individual donor base (at all giving levels), expanding philanthropic relationships and programming, expanding planned giving opportunities, expanding corporate partnerships and sponsorships via strategic relationships, setting clear annual and long-term fundraising targets and monitoring and achieving those goals each year, and leveraging existing data pools to elevate donor identification and cultivation. The next CDO will bring creativity, innovation, and rigor to the development office by establishing a structured, proactive, best-practice organization to support the unique breadth of 92NY’s program and mission. 

In partnership with the President and CEO, the CDO will work closely with 92NY’s Board of Directors, volunteer groups, and other key patrons and constituents to advance strategic, long-term relationships for the financial health and sustainability of the institution. The CDO will serve as a change agent and holistic architect, leading and setting the policy, strategy, and execution of the work in the Office of Development across individual and institutional philanthropy. The CDO will inspire and lead by example, demonstrating the highest standards of cultivation, stewardship, and staff management.

The new CDO will benefit from a comprehensive fundraising assessment conducted by an outside firm, Creative Fundraising Advisors (CFA), which was presented to the Board of Directors in September 2024. The report highlights areas of opportunity and strengths of the existing programs, gaps in staffing and data, suggested modifications to messaging for donors and patrons, and capacity for future success. 

This role is an exceptional opportunity for a high-performing development professional to build and lead a fundraising and stewardship program in support of an iconic New York organization that is looking to aggressively expand its global reach. The successful candidate will have extensive fundraising experience across a wide range of philanthropic sources (individual, institutional, membership) as well as a demonstrated skillset in developing near- and long-term revenue goals for a complex organization with multiple programming areas. The CDO must have an appreciation for the key opportunities and challenges relevant to community, education, and cultural institutions, from changing demographics to matters of audience access, technology, sustainability, and allocation of resources. This individual will possess at least 10 years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility and demonstrated experience leading complex fundraising programs and campaigns. The CDO should possess strong strategic planning, managerial, and motivational skills; a track record of setting, monitoring, and meeting financial goals; a keen understanding of fundraising best practices; business and marketing savvy; and a track record of personal success in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at major and principal gift levels. Bachelor’s degree required.

Jack Gorman is leading this search with Elizabeth Neustaedter and Ryan Cheung. 

Bring Your Whole Self to Work: We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We believe that creating an environment where all people, regardless of background, identity, or belief, can do their best work is the right thing to do. Organizations that are diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective are proven to be more impactful.