Location: NYC metropolitan area

Reports to: Executive Director

Compensation: $135,000 - $175,000/year

Transportation Alternatives (TA), New York City's advocate for walking, bicycling, and public transportation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a 50-year history of fighting for safer streets and better transportation in New York City. TA uses a combination of neighborhood-level grassroots organizing and city-wide advocacy to push for changes in public policy, street design, and resource allocation that transform our city’s streets for the better.

TA is a hybrid office and this role requires in office work 2-3 days per week as well as occasional nights and weekends. The Director of Development is expected to work without significant time off between early November and mid-January to ensure our End of Year Campaigns are successful with ample time given for vacation during other times in the year.

Role Overview

The Director of Development will work closely with the management team to plan and execute a robust fundraising operation inclusive of individual giving, major events, and corporate and foundation partnerships. This role will oversee a team of five and have direct management over general development operations, budgets, and strategy. The right candidate is interested in building new relationships that enhance TA’s visibility, impact, and financial resources, is dedicated to mentoring a team, and has a passion for TA’s mission.

Reporting to the Director of Development is a team that currently includes the Part-time Development Manager, Events & Partnerships Manager, Development Coordinator, Development Marketing Associate, Part-time Graphic Designer and will be supported by the Deputy Director of Operations.

Major responsibilities

Individual Giving

• Plan and implement TA’s major gifts program (donors $1K+) with the goal of expanding and diversifying the organization’s major donor base and pipeline.

• Oversee all aspects of major fundraising campaigns, including urgent campaigns and the end-of-year appeal.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to the Development Coordinator who tracks major gifts, supports major donor cultivation and stewardship activities, and maintains donor data and files.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to the Development Manager and Development Marketing Associate who oversee the operation, growth, and refinement of TA’s Membership Program (donors under $1K).

• Own and manage key relationships with major donors and potential major donors - ensuring the Executive Team is prepared for necessary discussions and asks.

Events

• Develop and implement an annual fundraising event strategy and calendar, setting well-defined deadlines and measurable goals.

• Play a lead role in designing and implementing major donor events and engagements, including the annual spring benefit, summer member party, and select stewardship and cultivation events ranging from receptions and talks to walking tours and social bike rides.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to the Events and Partnerships Manager who plays a lead role in tracking and analyzing event performance, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, managing vendors, contracts, and permits, fulfilling sponsor deliverables, and managing major event logistics and budgets.

• Work with the Communications Team to ensure cohesive production, coordination, and implementation of print, electronic, and social media outlet materials for events and other development activities.

• Continuously seek new, creative event ideas and opportunities in collaboration with TA’s Advocacy and Organizing team as well as external partners.

Corporate & Foundation Partnerships

• Manage relationships with corporate and foundation partners with the goal of strengthening, expanding, and diversifying the organization’s corporate and foundation giving base and pipeline.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to the Development Coordinator who plays a key role in managing the corporate foundation and foundation pipeline, drafting grant proposals and reports, tracking deadlines and deliverables, and general funder prospecting.

• In collaboration with the Events & Partnerships Manager, grow the Corporate Membership Program 

• Work with other teams and the Development Coordinator to identify funding priorities and craft compelling proposals.

• Review and edit grant applications and reports as needed.

Board Relations

• Work to engage the Board’s Development Committee and support their efforts to contribute, identify additional prospective major donors, and expand TA’s donor base.

• Support the ED and DD with reporting to, stewarding, and maintaining good governance for the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and the Board’s Finance Committee.

Management & Administration

• Create an annual fundraising plan and work with direct reports to create strategies and pipelines that support the annual plan.

• Serve as a member of the senior management team, working to ensure the fiscal and long-term viability of the organization.

• Prepare and monitor the departmental budget, establish forecasts, and prepare evaluations of fundraising activities for the ED, DD, and the Board of Directors.

• Maintain department policies and procedures and provide day-to-day management and leadership for the Development Team. This includes: overseeing hiring and mentoring of the team; establishing clear, accountable team priorities designed to achieve successful results; and leading regular departmental meetings.

Qualified candidates will bring

• Minimum 7 years of fundraising experience with increasing management responsibility

• Breadth and depth of experience to serve as the head of a comprehensive fundraising program that includes major gifts, an individual membership program, corporate and foundation partnerships, digital marketing and direct mail campaigns, and special events.

• Strong team management skills with demonstrated experience and commitment to being a mentor and motivator for staff

• Experienced collaborator with the ability to nurture a culture of philanthropy across teams

• Entrepreneurial disposition with a commitment to creativity and innovative problem-solving

• Superior ability to keep multiple projects in play and moving forward effectively

• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and grammar knowledge and skills

• Excellent listening and verbal communication skills

• High degree of professionalism, empathy, tact, sensitivity, and level of confidentiality

• Enthusiasm for and demonstrated commitment to TA’s mission

Exceptional candidates will also bring with them

• Familiarity with EveryAction or comparable CRM database

• Proficiency with Google suite and Microsoft Office suite

• Experience in fundraising event planning and execution

To apply:

Please send a resume and a cover letter to job_applications@transalt.org with “Director of Development” in the subject line.

Transportation Alternatives is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law. We value having diverse staff in gender, ethnicity, background and modal preference. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Reports to: Director of Communications

Salary: $80,000/annual

Transportation Alternatives (TA), New York City's advocate for walking, biking, and public transit, is seeking an Associate Director of Communications to be a member of our Communications team. This position reports to the Director of Communications and will put TA’s broad array of internal and external communications and PR tools to work, advancing our campaigns, strengthening our organization and building our movement. Your charge will be to work with our staff and partners to build and undertake communications strategies that promote biking, walking and public transit, and win safe streets and more public space.

Responsibilities include:

Digital media (50%)

• Working with Digital Communications Associate on day-to-day management of social media channels, ensuring TA and partner content is shared and distributed

• Lead and coordinate entire digital media presence, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram, in addition to finding opportunities on emerging social platforms

• Day-to-day management of website, including publishing reports, press releases, events, and building other pages as needed

• Build out interactive web projects in support of TA priorities and campaigns, in coordination with external partners and the research and policy team

• Design content for social and web projects

• Script, film, and produce videos that advance TA’s organizational goals

• Manage and approve final outgoing email communications

• Oversee and sign off on TA newsletter designs

Communications and Marketing Support (35%)

• Working with Communications Director and other staff to develop compelling narratives that help advance TA’s work

• Supervising a Digital Communications Coordinator and a Graphic Designer

• Collaborating with the Development team to ensure communications and marketing are aligned

• Providing dotted line supervision and support to a Development Associate

• Maintaining TA’s Squarespace site and other digital properties

• Editing, proofreading, and contributing to TA’s email communications, petitions, research reports, print collateral and other materials

• Identify compelling trends and opportunities to inform new/revised marketing strategy

• Work with the CRM Coordinator and the Development Manager to optimize Every Action utilization for outreach and analysis

Press (15%)

• Working with partner offices and stakeholders to collect quotes and craft/hone messaging

• Fielding and directing media inquiries, coordinating print and broadcast interviews with other TA staff

• Support the communications director in developing, pitching, and placing media stories to support TA’s advocacy goals, which includes writing and issuing press releases, statements, op-eds, and talking points

• Managing, building and maintaining relationships with media contacts

• Representing TA by speaking knowledgeably and on-the-record with reporters, including on-camera interviews

• Lead staff point person on media advisories

• Lead staff member drafting quotes for external releases

• Media-training colleagues and partners, working with others to write and place op-eds

Frequent evening and weekend engagements, and, given the 24-hour news cycle, late nights and early mornings will be a regular part of this position. Transportation Alternatives’ office is a fast-paced and collaborative work environment. 

Candidates must have:

• At least four years’ experience working in public relations, government, journalism or in a communications capacity for an elected or political official, advocacy organization or public relations or media outlet

• Knowledge of New York City’s neighborhoods and political landscape

• Ability to quickly distill complex positions into sound bite-ready talking points

• Extensive knowledge of and experience in using social media as a listening and advocacy tool

• Rock-solid writing, proofreading and copyediting skills

• Comfort under pressure, with tight deadlines and working in a highly participatory environment

• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours as a press-facing job often demands

• Commitment to reducing car use in New York City, and increasing walking, transit and bicycling

• Commitment to social justice and antiracism; nuanced understanding of the ways in which our advocacy issues intersect with race and equity

To apply:

Please send a resume and a cover letter to job_applications@transalt.org with “Associate Director of Digital Media and Marketing” in the subject line.

Transportation Alternatives is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law. We value having diverse staff in gender, ethnicity, background and modal preference. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.