Senior Managing Director of Advancement in New York at The Chisholm Legacy Project

THE CHISHOLM LEGACY PROJECT SUMMARY:

The mission of the Chisholm Legacy Project is rooted in the Just Transition Framework. The project serves as a vehicle to connect Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice with resources to traverse the path from vision to strategy to action plan to implementation to transformation. In support of frontline leadership, the project seeks to link movements and mainstream entities with the tools necessary to advance systems change centered in equity and justice. With Black women on the frontlines of advancing systems change, this project ensures that these leaders have the support they need as they transform society from extractivism to a living economy that cares for sacred relationships between people and with Mother Earth, through regenerative, cooperative, democratic systems.

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The organization seeks a Senior Managing Director of Advancement (“SMDA”) with a commitment to supporting Black Liberation and a willingness to be on a learning journey joining an institution that is grounded in Black Liberation, Climate Justice, and Just Transition. The central focus of the SMDA is to lead the strategy and implementation of the development and communications functions of the organization within an integrated strategic framework aligned to advance systems change toward a Just Transition. The SMDA will accomplish this by increasing awareness of and engagement with TCLP’s work and by securing the financial resources required to support the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.

Strategic Planning

• Own the comprehensive advancement strategy that is in alignment with organizational values and the Executive Director’s vision.
• Design and implement a comprehensive multi-year development and communications strategy aligned with organizational values, priorities, and growth goals.
• Develop the organization’s written development philosophy with operationalized guiding principles.
• Design and implement key strategies and infrastructure to broaden the base and variety of major donors (individual and institutional) and increase donor engagement through a variety of values-aligned pathways.
• Design and implement a cultivation plan to establish TCLP’s inaugural endowment fund.
• Ensure effective budget creation for funding sources and ongoing budget management and cash-receipt forecast.

Communications and Narrative Strategy

• Lead a culturally rooted and resonant communications strategy that centers the voices of Black frontline communities and lifts narratives of abundance, cooperation, regeneration, and a caring economy.
• Oversee external communications across all platforms ensuring consistent and values-aligned messaging and strategically aligned framing.
• Lead external visibility efforts, including search-optimized digital content, to strengthen the organization’s reach and influence to advance systems change.
• Write speeches, press releases, op-eds, talking points, presentations, and other written materials that increase awareness of the organization’s mission and work.
• Oversee editing, literary review, and policy research for drafted publications, ensuring accuracy, rigor, and alignment with organizational strategy and values.
• Lead crisis and rapid response communications in coordination with executive leadership.

• Identify and pursue highly aligned funding opportunities to grow and diversify TCLP’s funding portfolio, strengthening the foundation of its financial sustainability.
• Utilize established relationships to make strategic introductions to TCLP and connect the organization with prospective values-aligned funders.
• Attend selected high impact convenings to forge new strategic connections, make strategic introductions, invite opportunities for potential funding, and raise awareness of TCLP’s work.

Prospecting and Solicitation

• Design and implement an informed cultivation plan for new and existing prospects, including actionable strategies toward solicitation and stewardship.
• Identify, research, evaluate, and manage funding prospects.
• Lead the development of compelling grant proposals, letters of intent, and other written materials, ensuring alignment with grant requirements, program goals, and strategic objectives.
• Create profile summaries of prospective funders—including intersecting interests, past giving, and suggested messaging—to guide leadership’s donor engagement.
• Regularly track progress toward budgetary and engagement goals and report to executive leadership and Board.

Relationship Cultivation and Stewardship

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective funders through strategic outreach and stewardship, including supporting the Executive Director in relationship management.
• Champion the research, selection, design, data migration, implementation, maintenance, workflow, and staff training for an inaugural high-impact CRM system.
• Maintain funder portfolio management, ensuring timely moves management, relationship tracking, and alignment with missional goals.
• Develop and implement a donor acknowledgment protocol and messaging that ensures that every donor—no matter the contribution amount or donor type (individuals, institutions)—feels seen, honored, valued, appreciated, and kept well-informed of TCLP activities, achievements, and the work ahead.
• Manage end-to-end lifecycle of grants and associated outputs, overseeing pre-award through post-award functions and programmatic alignment.

Leadership

• Lead training sessions with selected staff and executive leadership to increase the organization’s fundraising capacity in service to its mission of supporting Black frontline communities.
• Serve as an active thought leader to executive leadership as it relates to funding strategy, communications strategy and positioning, best practices, and trend analysis.
• Other responsibilities and duties that arise as TCLP grows and needs change.

Responsibilities as a Department Budget Manager

Department Budget Creation, Management, Modifications, and Spending

• Ensure that your team, division, and/or department adheres to all TCLP financial policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Provide leadership and guidance to support a collaborative development of your team’s annual departmental budget request.
• Submit a cohesive, prioritized, and mission- and values- aligned departmental budget request.
• Promptly evaluate and respond to spending requests within the department.
• Regularly review and monitor transaction-level spending and budget-to-actual spending within the Budget Manager’s purview to ensure adherence to TCLP financial policies and authorized budget limits.

Responsibilities as a People Manager

Leadership, Development, and Team Engagement

• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to support team growth and performance.
• Foster an inclusive, positive workplace culture and implement strategies to improve employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Conduct regular 1:1 meetings to understand team members' needs, set clear expectations, and provide constructive feedback.

Talent Management and Workforce Planning

• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies to attract and keep top talent.
• Align team goals and resources with organizational priorities, managing workloads and defining clear roles.

Performance, Compliance, and Problem-Solving

• Conduct performance evaluations and address issues constructively.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements while resolving conflicts and concerns effectively.

Strategic Oversight and Change Management

• Lead teams through organizational changes, ensuring smooth transitions and clear communication.
• Utilize data-driven insights to inform decisions and report progress to executive leadership.

The ideal candidate for this position will possess many, if not all, of the following qualifications and competencies:

• A passion for and commitment to advocating for the creation of progressive policies and programs as well as for the elimination of social policies and practices that lead to racial and ethnic disparities.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and accountability
• Fifteen (15) years or more of progressive experience in nonprofit development and organizational communications, including five (5) years in a senior leadership role
• Education in philanthropy, CFRE certification, or other relevant degree preferred
• Experience working in social justice/movement building systems
• Experience with environmental issues is preferred but not required. General interest is essential
• Demonstrated success leading development strategies and achieving fundraising goals for organizations with multi-million-dollar general operations budgets
• Experience supporting an executive leader with high-profile speaking engagements and other public appearances
• Significant media relations experience with proven results and experience working with reporters
• Exceptional writing skills with ability to create succinct compelling narratives
• Excellent people skills
• A collaborative and results-focused approach
• A detail-oriented and organized work style
• An entrepreneurial posture with strategic mindset and enthusiasm for creating infrastructure for a budding organization
• Proficient in managing database software (CRM), Microsoft Office, and other relevant programs

TCLP strives to provide employees with a competitive benefits package that meets a wide range of employees’ individual and family needs. These benefits include medical, dental, vision with 100% employer-paid premium for employee and a premium cost share for employees' eligible dependents. Short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and AD&D insurance are also provided to employees at no cost to the employee. These benefits become effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Comprehensive leave offerings include vacation, sick, parental, caregiver, bereavement, holidays, and office closure the final two weeks of the year.