Vice President of Development Job at Constructive Dialogue Institute (New York)

Job Description

CDI is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial leader to serve as our Vice President of Development. Reporting to the Co-Founder and Executive Director, the VP will lead the organization’s development strategy and will oversee all aspects of philanthropic revenue—including major donors, foundations, and regional funders. This is both a strategic and hands-on role. The VP will build and drive a comprehensive development function from the ground up: cultivating their own portfolio, closing significant gifts, developing systems and materials, and laying the foundation for future team growth.

Job Responsibility

Lead CDI’s fundraising strategy, with accountability for setting and achieving ambitious, sustainable philanthropic revenue goals in partnership with the Executive Director
Work closely with the Growth Team to identify and match funders to aligned programmatic and institutional opportunities
Design and lead thoughtful engagement—updates, convenings, and learning opportunities—that effectively leverages CDI team members
Represent CDI externally at donor meetings, conferences, and events
Identify, manage, and grow a portfolio of institutional and high-net-worth donors—driving cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Strategically direct the Executive Director’s involvement with funders for greatest impact
Lead development and submission of compelling grant proposals, reports, and donor materials
Maintain and refine core assets—case studies, pitch decks, templates, and messaging
Ensure all deliverables reflect CDI’s voice, strategy, and impact
Build and manage HubSpot and development systems for accurate data, pipeline tracking, and reporting
Oversee grant tracking, deadlines, and donor relationship milestones
Partner with Finance on forecasting and philanthropic reporting
Develop scalable infrastructure—workflows, tools, and documentation—to support growth
Define and execute short- and long-term staffing strategy for the development function, in collaboration with Operations

Requirements

10–12+ years of fundraising experience
at least 3 years in a leadership role shaping and executing development strategy
experience in higher education, academia, or a field related to pluralism, dialogue, or bridging divides
proven track record securing six- and seven-figure gifts from both foundations and individuals
skilled relationship-builder who earns trust with individuals across the ideological spectrum
strategic and entrepreneurial—you bring vision, take initiative, and generate ideas that move fundraising forward
strong communicator who translates complex work into compelling narratives and cases for support
equally comfortable zooming out and diving in—able to manage a portfolio, write proposals, run systems, and drive strategy
exceptionally organized and self-motivated—you keep details tight, systems running, and work moving without hand-holding
deeply aligned with CDI’s mission and excited to help bridge divides and promote constructive dialogue
strong preference for candidates on the East Coast or expertise with East Coast funders

What we offer

A Mission-Driven Culture — we practice what we preach, so our work culture is characterized by intellectual humility, continuous improvement, and open-mindedness
Remote-First — CDI was founded as a remote-first organization, and we work hard to maintain a strong team culture across vast distances
Unlimited PTO — as well as 13 company holidays
Remote Work Support — up to $500 reimbursed for home office equipment (like desks, chairs, or webcams) and up to $50/month reimbursed for home internet or cell phone expenses
Other Benefits — employer-supported health, vision and dental plans, subsidized parental leave, 3% 401k match, short- and long-term disability insurance, life and AD&D insurance, $1,000 annual professional development budget

Constructive Dialogue Institute - All Job Offers

Select Country

Vice President of Development

Job Description

Job Responsibility

Requirements

What we offer

Looking for more opportunities?

Vice President of Development

Vice President of Development

Vice President of Corporate Development

Vice President of Application Development

Vice President of Software Development

Vice President of Software Development

Assistant Vice President of Training and Development

Vice President of Product Innovation & Development

Vice President of Public Policy, Workforce Development

Our AI answers in your language