Development and Communications Manager

Rooted in the Bronx, New Settlement stands with community members to break systemic barriers, advance justice, promote leadership and strengthen neighborhoods. By ensuring agency around education, employment, housing, wellness and creative expression, we help cultivate an equitable society where individuals and families have the power to use their voice to create the change they wish to see.

Since New Settlement’s inception in 1989 as a settlement house rooted in the Bronx, our organization has been a responsive community partner. Originally established to revitalize abandoned buildings into affordable housing, New Settlement has since evolved into a multi-generational, forward-looking organization. We support 15,000 members of the community annually by providing organizing in housing and schools, and programs in education, college access, youth development, arts, workforce development, wellness and more. EEO/AA

JOB SUMMARY: The Development & Communications Manager (DCM) plays a key role in advancing New Settlement’s fundraising and communications strategies. This is a strategic, content-driven position that leverages existing systems and templates. The DCM leads digital content creation, graphic/web design, and campaign messaging. This position focuses on individual donor engagement, storytelling, and coordination with program staff to support grant writing and site visits. The role reports directly to the Senior Director of Development & Communications and works collaboratively across departments. This is a full-time, exempt position.

Hybrid Work Note: This is a hybrid position. Two days a week working remotely may be offered after a satisfactory introductory period and remains at the discretion of the Senior Director. Flexibility is expected for this arrangement, as the specific days are subject to change based on on-site visits, department needs, and organizational priorities.

Job Duties include but not limited to: The Development & Communications Manager (DCM) supports the Senior Director by managing critical content, data, and processes across all fundraising and communications areas, serving as a second-in-command for execution and coordination.

1. Donor Communications & Fundraising Support

This section outlines the DCM's comprehensive support duties across all funder types (Individual, Corporate, Government, Foundation) and the direct grant writing responsibility.

• Fundraising Process Management (Across All Funders):
  • Provide overall support to the Senior Director, Board, Executive Director (ED), and Associate Executive Director (AED) in their fundraising and donor stewardship efforts.
  • Support all phases of the fundraising cycle for individual, corporate, government, and foundation funders, including:
    • Conducting donor research and qualification using tools like DonorSearch, Grants.gov, and Instrumentl.
    • Assisting in cultivation strategies and preparing necessary materials for senior staff and Board use.
    • Managing the complete process for all thank-you letters, acknowledgments, and follow-up communications.
    • Maintaining detailed funder and donor records and engagement history in Salesforce.

• Institutional Funders:
  • Conduct ongoing research into new and lapsed prospective funding opportunities.
  • Draft the first version of all grant proposals and reports for review by the Senior Director.
  • Gather program data and impact stories from program staff as the basis for all drafts.
  • Ensure program narratives are accurate and aligned with funder expectations.
  • Maintain the institutional grants calendar to ensure all deadlines for proposals, reports, and follow-ups are met.
  • Prepare materials and coordinate logistics for funder site visits.
• Individual Donor Campaigns:
  • Segment donor lists and coordinate campaign logistics for appeals (e.g., Giving Tuesday, Year-End).
  • Draft donor-facing communications including appeals and updates.

2. Digital Engagement, Design & Campaign Support

• Social Media & Digital Content:
  • Develop and execute social media strategies across platforms (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn).
  • Design and schedule posts, stories, and campaigns for events, fundraisers, and programs.
  • Engage with followers and respond to inquiries to build positive online relationships.
  • Track and analyze engagement metrics, adjusting strategies as needed.
• Graphic & Web Design:
  • Create promotional materials for digital and print, including flyers, banners, email templates, and signage.
  • Maintain brand consistency across all materials and platforms.
  • Update website content regularly, ensuring accuracy and relevance.
• Campaign & Outreach Support:
  • Maintain a master checklist of communication dates and coordinate with external media and advertising partners.
  • Manage a repository of creative assets.
  • Support emergency communications and high-priority outreach, maintaining brand voice and visual standards.

3. Team Collaboration & Meetings

• Participate in planning meetings and outreach events.
• Host regular check-ins with program leads to assess communications needs.
• Serve as a resource on nonprofit marketing trends and best practices, including the use of AI tools for content generation and design.
• Other duties as assigned by the Senior Director of Development and Communications, Associate Executive Director, or Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

The ideal candidate will be a highly organized, content-driven professional with a proven ability to manage complex projects, maintain data integrity, and support executive-level fundraising and communications.

• Education: Bachelor's degree required. A degree in Communications, Nonprofit Management, English, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in fundraising, development, communications, or a related nonprofit field.
• Cultural Competency: Demonstrated commitment to, and experience working effectively with, diverse populations across cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Must possess a high degree of cultural humility and an ability to tailor communications for varied community and funder audiences.
• Fundraising/Grants: Proven experience managing a grants calendar and working directly on the full cycle of fundraising, including donor research, list segmentation, acknowledgment processing, and drafting grant proposals/reports.
• CRM Expertise: Proficiency in donor database management, specifically Salesforce, including data entry, list pulls, and report generation.
• Executive Support: Demonstrated ability to prepare materials, conduct research, and provide effective administrative and logistical support to senior staff and Board members for cultivation and stewardship activities.
• Content & Design: Strong graphic design skills (proficiency in tools like Canva or Adobe Creative Suite) and experience creating digital and print materials.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to write compelling, accurate narratives and maintain brand voice across all platforms.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be cleared and maintain clearance throughout the duration of employment by successfully completing all required background screening processes, which may include fingerprinting (e.g., NYC DOE clearance), NYS Central Registrar Background Check, and reference checks.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

• The ability to sit, stand, walk and use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone to talk and hear.
• The ability to frequently sit and reach with hands and arms.
• The ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds (e.g., files, equipment).

Working Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Must be able to utilize office equipment such as desktop/notebook computers, copiers, printers, scanners, telephones, and calculators.
• Must be able to assist in setting up and breaking down meeting rooms for internal and external events, which may include arranging tables and chairs.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Employment is at will and employees will undergo 45- and 90-day check-ins during their 90-day probationary period.

NOTICE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the environment and level of work being performed by this job. This job description in no way states or implies that the duties and responsibilities listed are the only tasks to be performed by the employee in this job. The employee will be required to follow other instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor. This job description supersedes prior job descriptions. When duties and responsibilities change and develop, the job description will be reviewed and subject to changes of business necessity.

New Settlement is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected factor under federal, state or local law.

This job description indicates the nature and levels of work, knowledge, skills, abilities and other essential functions expected of an employee. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of you as an employee. You may be asked to perform other duties as required.