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About the Role

The Vice President, Development serves as the Academy’s chief fundraising officer, responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive philanthropic strategy that advances the Academy’s mission to drive science, innovation and STEM education for the benefit of society. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on leadership role that combines strategic planning, operational oversight, and fundraising execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute the Academy’s comprehensive philanthropic strategy to achieve annual and multi-year revenue goals and advance strategic priorities.
• Partner with the President & CEO, EVP & COO, Board of Governors, and senior leadership to drive donor engagement, fundraising initiatives, and external partnerships.
• Partner with Academy leaders across scientific programs, education, conferences, awards, fellowships, membership and public engagement to expand and strengthen corporate, foundation, and institutional partnerships, securing multi-year funding and sponsorship opportunities aligned with mission priorities.
• Serve as the President & CEO’s fundraising partner by identifying, preparing for, and participating in high-level donor cultivation and solicitation opportunities.
• Ensure effective engagement by stewarding high-capacity donors and strategic partners, while maintaining a robust pipeline of major, principal, and planned gifts.
• Manage and expand a portfolio of key donors, with particular attention to securing ongoing unrestricted support.
• Identify and pursue new philanthropic opportunities that support program growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
• Oversee and lead the Development function, including team performance, operations, and fundraising infrastructure, ensuring accountability, efficiency, and results.
• Establish and monitor performance metrics, benchmarks, and reporting systems to track progress against fundraising goals and support strategic decision-making.
• Represent the Academy externally and position it as a leading partner for philanthropic investment in scientific research, education, and innovation.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity donors capable of making transformative philanthropic investments.
• Build and execute comprehensive donor engagement strategies that deepen relationships over time and actively manage a pipeline of major, principal and planned gifts.
• Lead select high-level corporate partnerships, sponsorships and strategic fundraising opportunities.
• Serve as a key external ambassador for the Academy with donors and corporate partners.
• Implement and operationalize the Academy’s development strategy in alignment with strategic priorities and financial goals.
• Maintain robust fundraising performance reporting and analytics for Senior Management and the Board to support strategic decision-making and revenue forecasting.
• Ensure strong fundraising infrastructure, including donor databases, prospect research, stewardship and compliance with all fundraising regulations, ethical standards, and reporting requirements.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the Academy’s mission.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressively senior advancement or fundraising leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success securing major and principal gifts and forging corporate partnerships, including six- and seven-figure commitments.
• Experience leading comprehensive advancement programs at complex nonprofit, higher education, research, or science-based organizations.
• Proven ability to build and manage high-performing development teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and deliver detailed fundraising performance reports, including tracking progress against annual and multi-year development goals, and communicating results clearly to senior leadership and board stakeholders.

Skills

• Strategic thinker with the ability to align fundraising with mission-driven programmatic priorities and to translate complex scientific concepts into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Exceptional relationship builder with credibility among philanthropists, scientific leaders, and institutional partners.
• Nimble and entrepreneurial leader who enjoys problem-solving and thrives in lean and complex environments.
• Strong understanding of philanthropic trends in science, education, and innovation sectors.
• Highly collaborative leadership style and ability to influence across diverse stakeholders.
• Experience fundraising for organizations advancing science, education, research, innovation, public policy, and / or healthcare and for complex mission driven organizations with multiple programmatic strands.
• Familiarity with global philanthropy and international partnerships.
• Understanding of the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem in New York City and globally.

Location

• New York, NY

Work Type

• Hybrid
• Full-time

Experience Level

• 15+ years of progressively senior advancement or fundraising leadership experience

Salary/Compensations

• $210,000 - $240,000 annually

Benefits

• Affordable health insurance
• Retirement plan with matching employer contributions
• Personal and career development stipend
• Generous paid time off policies

About the Company

• The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing science for the benefit of society.
• With over 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors educational initiatives.
• The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in life and physical sciences, social sciences, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability.
• The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers.

Equal Opportunity

• The New York Academy of Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
• We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination, on the basis of any legally protected characteristic.
• This includes, but is not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
• The Academy is also committed to making good faith efforts to recruit applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, including those historically underrepresented in the sciences.
• The Academy is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and employment process, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.