Director of Development & Communications

R ow New York is a sports-based youth development non-profit organization founded on the premise that the discipline and teamwork that rowing instills, when combined with rigorous academic support, has the power to change lives. At full capacity, our Youth Program serves 150 high school student-athletes from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is a high-dosage, year-round rowing and academic program with a goal of ensuring that 100% of our young people graduate high school and matriculate to college or begin an alternative post-secondary plan.

In addition, we offer rowing for students with disabilities in NYC School District 75,Veterans, community organizations, and corporations looking for team-building opportunities. Lastly, Row New York offers summer camps and a fee-for-service rowing program for New York City independent high schools. Our programs are offered at two rowing sites:
Upper Manhattan and Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Row New York seeks a strategic, relationship-driven, and entrepreneurial leader to serve as its next Director of Development & Communications. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director will lead the organization's fundraising and partnership strategy to ensure that Row New York has the revenue, relationships, fundraising systems, messaging, and visibility needed to advance its mission. This new leadership role is responsible for driving contributed revenue growth, managing a portfolio of major donors and institutional funders, strengthening Row New York's external voice and case for support, and building a high-performing Development & Communications team.

The team is currently responsible for raising approximately $4 million in annual contributed revenue, capital funding for short- and long-term projects, with significant opportunity for future growth.

This is a highly visible player-coach role for a fundraising leader who enjoys both setting strategy and rolling up their sleeves to drive results. The Director will personally lead some of the organization's most important funder relationships and oversee a team whose functions include: individual giving, institutional giving, development operations, and marketing and communications. The Director will be equally comfortable developing strategy, managing people, building fundraising and marketing infrastructure, and leading donor conversations.

They bring strong judgment, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to creating clarity, accountability, and momentum across a distributed team environment.

This position is primarily remote but includes in-person work. The Director of Development & Communications will lead and participate in in-person donor meetings, board meetings, fundraising events, staff retreats, and other gatherings as needed. Local residency in the New York City metro area is required.

Responsibilities may include:

• - Lead the development and execution of Row New York's annual and multi-year fundraising strategy by establishing fundraising goals, priorities, and performance metrics across individual and institutional giving and identifying opportunities for sustainable revenue growth.
• - Partner with the CEO and leadership team to monitor fundraising performance and adjust strategies based on results, emerging opportunities, and organizational priorities.

• - Personally manage a portfolio of Row New York's highest-capacity individual donors, institutional funders, and high-potential prospects, with a particular focus on relationships requiring senior leadership, CEO, or board engagement.
• - Develop and execute cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and engagement strategies for key relationships.
• - Partner closely with the CEO on top donor relationships, major gift solicitations, and institutional funding opportunities.
• - Develop compelling proposals, presentations, reports, and donor communications that inspire investment and deepen engagement.
• - Ensure strong moves management practices and coordinated donor engagement across the fundraising team.

• - Lead, coach, and cultivate the professional growth of the Development team by establishing clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations for team members.
• - Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• - Promote strong communication and…