Director of Development

Overview of Make-A-Wish Central New York

At Make-A-Wish, we are more than a great place to work — our work is life-changing. We are an inclusive and diverse group of people who, through a mosaic of backgrounds, thought and experiences, are united in purposeful work. We are fueled and guided by our values — values that are represented in the inspired people we work with and the life-changing work we do, every day.

We are always on the lookout for great talent who share in our passion. If you are interested in a career or internship with Make-A-Wish, check out our current open positions.

Make a difference in the life of a critically ill child.

Make-A-Wish Central New York seeks an enthusiastic, collaborative, seasoned development professional with a minimum of 7 years demonstrated experience in individual, major and planned gifts to lead the Foundation’s development efforts.

This position is responsible for increasing the chapter’s revenues by achieving annually defined fundraising goals through the identification, cultivation and execution of solicitation strategies for all major, planned, and foundation gifts.

Qualified applicants will have a demonstrated ability to set strategic direction and lead the Foundation’s development department by supervising a staff of three professionals, managing multiple tasks effectively and demonstrating the ability to work with diverse groups of people, managing stressful situations, and making sound decisions in a quick timeframe. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. Proficiency with Salesforce or other donor management database is required along with some travel.

Candidates must have a minimum of seven years demonstrated success in fund development and at least five years of supervisory, training and mentoring experience. BA/BS is required. CFRE and/or CAP a plus.

Compensation: $80,000 - $90,000, generous time off policy, health insurance, retirement plan

Qualified candidates should submit cover letter and resume via email to Diane Kuppermann, President & CEO at jobsh.org

Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed or considered nor will applications without direct, demonstrated fund development experience. Please no calls.

This intern will work with the Development team to steward and recognize donors. This individual will assist with direct mail acknowledgements, research and writing of wish stories for donor stewardship, database segmentation and analysis, writing letters, coordinating donor receptions, and various other assignments as needed.

• Excellent writing and communication abilities
• Good organizational skills
• Analytical abilities to target appropriate donors based on demographic information
• Computer proficiency (Microsoft Word, Excel, Web browsing, etc.)
• Outgoing and enthusiastic to build relationships with donors
• Able to handle multiple tasks
• College coursework related to writing and communication required
• Marketing/business development skills beneficial
• Availability of 5-10 hours per week required

The Sales & Promotions Intern assists the Director of Development with securing fundraising support, assisting in the design and execution of direct mail appeals, creating and implementing communication campaigns and strategies, grant writing and submission of funding applications, and general administrative tasks. Other various tasks will be assigned according to the needs of the Foundation.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc.)
• Excellent communication skills with an outgoing personality
• Self-motivated and able to handle multiple tasks
• Candidate must be a college student with coursework relating to business administration and fundraising
• Availability of 5-10 hours per week required

The Special Events Intern supports the Foundation’s major special events. The primary responsibilities include assisting with marketing of events, facilitating the donation of auction items, and journal ads. The Special Events Intern will also provide assistance and office support to the Development…