Development & Events Coordinator or Manager

Reports To: Executive Director

Schedule: Full time, 40hrs/week

Salary Range: $40,000 - $65,000 (Coordinator or Manager), depending upon level of experience and capabilities

FLSA status: exempt above estimated annual compensation threshold of $62,400 for New York City in 2024, otherwise, non-exempt.

Location: On-site at Museum in Lower Manhattan with some local travel. As noted below, we are willing to consider structuring work hours and schedules to accommodate an individual’s circumstances or need for scheduling flexibility, if that can be done consistent with performance of a staff member’s responsibilities.

The Development & Events Manager is responsible for identifying, maintaining and increasing support from existing and new donors—individuals, institutions and government organizations—for the mission and programs of both SRNY and its Fraunces Tavern Museum. The Manager will work with the Executive Director, SRNY Membership Manager, and various SRNY committees of the SRNY Board of Managers to manage relationships, organize meetings, and organize events.  

General development responsibilities

·        Develop and implement practices to identify, cultivate, solicit, grow and maintain an active pool of donors through the Museum’s membership program

·        Work closely with the Executive Director and SRNY Development and Long Range Planning Committee to solicit and obtain financial gifts to benefit SRNY and its Museum

·        Manage portfolio of donor relationships

·        Manage an active planned giving and charitable gifts program

·        Coordinate the general Museum annual appeal as well as endowment and capital campaigns

·        Work with the SRNY Membership Manager to coordinate the SRNY member annual appeal

·        Identify, apply to, and/or review applications for viable grant opportunities to further institutional goals & work with other staff members to this end

·        Oversee administrative system data input and reporting production including gift recording, acknowledgment letter and tax receipt distribution, and maintenance of the existing donor management system

·        Evaluate and implement a new CRM/donor management system solution

·        Solicit and obtain donations in conjunction with key SRNY and Museum events, namely the Society’s annual George Washington Birthday Ball black or white tie event to honor George Washington and benefit the Museum in February and the Society’s Flag Day Parade, Celebration and Open House in June.

·        Work with and manage a full-time Development & Events Associate staff member and part-time, seasonal intern to assist the team with their responsibilities.

Board of Managers and committee support

• Draft, edit, and/or proof internal and external Society correspondence for committee chairmen and Executive Committee members
• Maintain committee and Board of Manager records and files
• Compose and submit society news to General Society for quarterly Drumbeat magazine.
• Work with committee to produce SRNY’s quarterly society newsletter The Patriot.
• Work with the Society’s Color Guard to schedule participation, solicitations via e-mail and arrange flag access for off-site events.
• Direct all Society inquiries to appropriate person/committee chairman/staffer and maintain good relationships by ensuring timely correspondence and responses to questions.
• Work with fellow staff and members to maintain and build upon the Society’s social media presence.
• Oversee up-to-date content for Society website.

Events management

·        Work with an Associate to manage all SRNY event/program logistics and meeting arrangements in coordination with appropriate committee chairmen or Society leaders. Events include but are not limited to the following: the George Washington Birthday Ball black or white tie event to honor George Washington and benefit the Museum in February, the Tallmadge Day Stated Meeting and Optional Dinner in January, the Battles of Lexington and Concord Dinner (including the Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award Presentation) in April, the Flag Day Parade, Celebration, and Open House in June, Constitution Week Meeting and Dinner, and Nathan Hale Day, in September, Evacuation Day Dinner in November, and Annual Meeting of the SRNY Membership in December.

• Work with an Associate to oversee the recording and acknowledgement of Society income, including program/event ticket sales and donations in the Soceity’s CRM or Microsoft Excel templates, working with SRNY Membership Manager as necessary
• Assist with other special events/programs/projects as directed by the SRNY President, committee chairmen, or Executive Director.
• Coordinate with other departments on relevant events/programs.

Other miscellaneous duties as may be assigned

Desired qualifications and skills for this role include, but are not limited to the following:

·        Bachelor’s degree, ideally with a relevant concentration (such as business administration, or communications), or equivalent experience

·        Three to five years’ experience in development and/or events in a fundraising capacity, preferably with a not-for-profit museum or cultural institution

·        Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and writing skills in communicating with donors, the Board of Managers, SRNY and museum members, event attendees, museum visitors, and fellow staff members; acting diplomatically; handling sensitive information confidentially

·        Excellent written communication skills, particularly with grant writing

·        Excellent analytical and project management skills

·        Familiarity with the institutional and governmental donor landscape in the New York City metro area

·        Experience with one-on-one solicitation and presentation and track record of securing gifts and meeting annual personal fundraising goals

·        Strong organizational skills with attention to detail; able to work well in a team environment and handle multiple tasks, projects, and priorities effectively and professionally, meeting deadlines

·        Excellent computer skills, including knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite and one or more CRM/donor management systems

·        Experience in, or desire to take the next step in your career by, managing a junior staff member and intern who report directly to you

·        Willingness to work some evenings and patriotic holidays (Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day) for commemorative and fellowship events of the Society

·        Knowledge of, interest in and appreciation for American Revolutionary Era history, historic sites, and museums.

·        Knowledge of, interest in and appreciation for national and local patriot and hereditary organizations and their members

Background concerning Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York and its Fraunces Tavern Museum

The Society of Sons of the Revolution^SM in the State of New York, Inc. has been instituted:

·        to perpetuate the memory of those who, in military, naval or civil service, by their acts or counsel, achieved American Independence;

·        to promote and assist in the proper celebration of the anniversaries of Washington’s Birthday, the Battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, the Fourth of July, the Capitulations of Saratoga and Yorktown, the Evacuation of New York by the British Army, and other prominent events relating to or connected with the War of the Revolution;

·        to collect and secure for preservation the manuscript rolls, records and other documents relating to that War;

·        to inspire among the members and their descendants the patriotic spirit of their forefathers;

·        to inculcate in the community in general, sentiments of Nationality and respect for the principles for which the patriots of the Revolution contended;

·        to assist in the commemorative celebration of other great historical events of National importance;

·        to promote social intercourse and the feeling of fellowship among its members.

SRNY sponsors or participates in numerous patriotic, commemorative and/or historic events through the year. Since 1907, SRNY has furthered its mission by, among other activities, owning and operating Fraunces Tavern Museum, located at 54 Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan. Fraunces Tavern Museum preserves and interprets the history of the American Revolutionary era through public education, through the interpretation and preservation of the Museum's collections, landmarked buildings, and varied public programs that serve the community.

SRNY and its Museum staff work together as one organization, with staff members working on both SRNY and Museum projects, as necessary. Staff members are expected to assist in areas that may be outside their direct areas of responsibility when necessary, such as to provide coverage for other staff members who are on vacation or ill, or to manage special events (such as our annual George Washington Birthday Ball and our Flag Day Parade, Commemoration, and Open House).

The nature of our activities (including owning and operating a Museum) require significant on-site presence for this position. However, we are willing to consider structuring work hours and schedules to accommodate an individual’s circumstances or need for scheduling flexibility, if that can be done consistent with performance of a staff member’s responsibilities.

Members and supporters of SRNY and its Museum share a common interest in history and the purposes of SRNY and its Museum, but may hold a wide variety of views on contemporary political or social issues. The Constitution of SRNY provides that no question involving the party politics of the day shall be discussed or considered in any meeting, and both SRNY and its Museum are non-political and non-partisan.  Accordingly, whatever the personal views of individual employees may be, staff members do not engage in contemporary political or social causes or activities in their capacities as employees of SRNY and its Museum.