Assistant Director of Development - Public Relations

Location: Middletown, NY Salary Range: $62,500 - $67,500 annually; based on relevant experience. Hours: Full-time position (40 hours per week), Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM. Flexibility is required to accommodate business and operational needs.   OVERVIEW OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: The Access: Supports for Living Foundation is seeking a dynamic, relationship-driven, and strategic fundraising professional to serve as Assistant Director of Development. Reporting directly to the Development & Advancement Director, this role will play a critical part in expanding philanthropic support and community engagement throughout the Hudson Valley, with a primary focus on communities west of the Hudson River. The Assistant Director of Development will help advance the Foundation’s mission by cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual donors, corporate partners, community organizations, Foundation Board members, and prospective funders. This position is ideal for a motivated professional who combines strong communication and relationship-building skills with a passion for mission-driven work and community impact. The successful candidate will support the execution of fundraising initiatives including major gifts, annual giving campaigns, donor stewardship, board engagement, events, sponsorships, grants cultivation, and community partnerships. This role requires a collaborative leader who can represent the organization externally while working closely with internal teams, executive leadership, and volunteer leadership to align fundraising strategies with organizational priorities.   PRIMARY FUNCTIONS: Fundraising & Donor Engagement Support the execution of comprehensive fundraising strategies to meet annual revenue goals and strengthen donor engagement throughout the Hudson Valley region. Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, major gift prospects, corporate sponsors, Foundation Board members, and community partners. Develop and maintain strong relationships with existing supporters while expanding new donor opportunities and funding streams. Conduct donor outreach through meetings, presentations, networking events, community engagement, and digital communication efforts. Assist with annual campaigns, capital initiatives, sponsorship development, and donor stewardship activities. Maintain accurate and timely donor records, outreach activities, and relationship tracking within the donor management system. Board & Volunteer Engagement Support engagement efforts with Foundation Board members and volunteer leadership to strengthen fundraising participation and community outreach. Assist in preparing board-related development materials, fundraising updates, donor engagement opportunities, and event participation. Collaborate with board members to identify prospective donors, sponsors, and strategic community relationships. Foster positive and collaborative relationships with volunteer committees, ambassadors, and community supporters. Community & Regional Development Serve as a key ambassador for the Foundation throughout the Hudson Valley, particularly in communities west of the Hudson River. Build relationships with local businesses, civic organizations, chambers of commerce, and community leaders to increase visibility and philanthropic support. Connect external stakeholders with the mission and programs of Access: Supports for Living. Identify emerging trends, community needs, and partnership opportunities that support strategic fundraising growth. Events & Partnerships Lead and provide on-site support for fundraising events and community engagement activities. Coordinate and support third-party fundraising events hosted by community partners and supporters. Represent the organization at community functions, networking events, professional conferences, board events, and other external engagements as needed. Collaborate with Foundation leadership and staff to ensure consistent messaging, donor experience, and organizational representation. Team Collaboration & Operations Work closely with the Development & Advancement Director, Foundation team, executive leadership, and Board leadership to ensure coordinated fundraising efforts across the Access Network. Support the implementation of the annual development plan, fundraising calendar, and departmental priorities. Assist in overseeing volunteers, interns, and event support staff as needed. Ensure adherence to organizational policies, governance standards, and fundraising best practices.   QUALIFICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTES: Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences including donors, board members, volunteers, and community leaders. Passion for mission-driven work and the ability to effectively communicate organizational impact. Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills. Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. Self-motivated and able to work independently while contributing collaboratively within a team environment. Ability to maintain professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality in donor relations and board engagement. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor database/fundraising software. Willingness to travel throughout the Hudson Valley region and attend evening/weekend events as needed.   PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to perform the job's essential functions successfully. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the position, which are reviewed in each case. IND2024