American Cancer Society - Eastern Division
Director of Major Gifts, Long Island

New York, NY
October 2008

The American Cancer Society, Eastern Division, Inc. (NY/NJ) seeks an experienced fundraiser to join its team as Director of Major Gifts, Long Island (DMG).

About ACS

The American Cancer Society is the nation's largest voluntary health organization and is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. With over 2 million volunteers and a presence in 3,400 communities across the country the American Cancer Society has a rich history of grassroots involvement in its mission and income activities.

About the Eastern Division

Last year, the Eastern Division raised over $100 million to propel the national organization past the $1 billion mark in annual income for the first time in its 94-year history. To meet its aggressive 2015 mission outcomes to measurably reduce the cancer burden and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer, the Society's leadership has expressed and evidenced an unqualified commitment to creating a Leadership Gift Program (major, planned and institutional giving) that is fully integrated with its established and extremely successful community based fundraising efforts. Building on its stellar reputation and successful history in the fight against cancer, the Eastern Division is carefully creating a team of fundraising professionals who will build this new Leadership Gift Program in the states of New York and New Jersey .

The Eastern Division is presently in the quiet phase of a $50 million capital campaign – its first significant major gift fundraising initiative. The centerpiece of this campaign is the recently opened Hope Lodge NYC which provides no-cost patient-centered lodging and support to cancer patients from around the country who, due to the prohibitive cost of staying in New York, would not otherwise be able to receive the cancer treatments available only at New York 's renowned hospitals and research centers.

This past year, the Leadership Gift Program secured the first seven and eight figure major gift commitments in the Eastern Division's history and is nearing the formal opening of the Hope Lodge facility and announcement of the campaign. The recent achievements of the Eastern Division's Leadership Gift program mirror the emerging success of major gift initiatives nationwide in other ACS divisions. The best-practice synergy and momentum that accompanies carefully executed plans is presently being realized and the national organization is fully invested in providing the necessary training and infrastructure support.

The leadership of the American Cancer Society – nationally and at the Eastern Division – recognizes that a successful leadership gift program is critical to the war on cancer and requires a commitment to donor-centric practices at all levels of the organization. Creation of a fully integrated Leadership Gift program is among the top priorities of the Eastern Division's CEO.

About the position

The DMG will report to the Senior Vice President Patrick McKenna and will work closely in a team environment with the Capital Campaign Director and other members of the Leadership Gift team including donor relations, stewardship and prospect research staff to create and advance a major gifts program for donors in Long Island . Working primarily with the leadership structure and staff in the Long Island region, the successful candidate will help regional partners identify and qualify major gift prospects; identify opportunities for, plan, and implement cultivation events; and solicit and steward major gift prospects and donors capable of giving $100,000 or more.

Successful candidates have 7+ years of fundraising experience, including: demonstrated success in raising 5- and 6-figure gifts; ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors; and familiarity with fundraising “best practices.”

Please email cover letter and resume in confidence to:

acslongisland@developmentguild.com
William M. Weber, Ed.D
President
Development Guild/DDI
233 Harvard Street, Suite 107
Brookline, MA 02446-5017

For more information about the American Cancer Society, please visit americancancersociety.org