Chief Development Officer

Harlem Grown is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability and nutrition. We operate local urban farms, increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide farm-based development programs to Harlem youth.

Founded in 2011 by Tony Hillery with one school partnership, one urban farm and an idea to help Harlem children, today Harlem Grown’s farms and greenhouses are used as classrooms and as venues to cultivate a connection to the environment and food among young people. Harlem Grown operates 14 urban agricultural sites featuring soil-based urban farms, hydroponic greenhouses, and a mushroom chamber.  All of our sites are located between 122^nd and 152^nd Streets in Central Harlem, Manhattan. 

Harlem Grown cultivates deep community roots by growing fresh food, strong youth, and lasting relationships. We meet children where they live, learn, and grow—offering opportunities that extend beyond our farms to the classroom and into their futures. Through Food and Farm Education, we help youth build healthy habits, leadership skills, and a deeper connection to their community. Our urban farms provide free produce and nutritious meals for families while creating joyful spaces for connection and support. Through 14 urban farms and year-round programming, we provide free produce, nutritious meals, and cooking lessons while creating joyful spaces for connection and support. In addition, our programs increase economic opportunity for families and develop leadership and advocacy skills so participants can drive transformational change in their communities.

At Harlem Grown, we grow healthy children and communities through hands-on education, access to resources, and long-term youth support. Our Food and Farm Education —including summer camp, in-school and after-school programs, mobile education, service learning, and farm tours—delivers farm-based lessons to children in our community. We offer free community resources like farmstands, Saturdays on the farm, and events that provide fresh food and create spaces for support and connection. Through academic support, internships, and career readiness programs, we help our young people build confidence and skills to thrive from elementary school through adulthood.

Position Summary:  

Harlem Grown is seeking a Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead a critical chapter of the organization’s growth. Reporting to the Executive Director and sitting on the Executive Team, the CDO will own the strategy and execution required to grow Harlem Grown’s annual revenue from approximately $5.5M to $7M over the next three years — while actively de-risking a portfolio historically dependent on a small number of legacy donors. The CDO is responsible for developing and executing revenue, marketing, and communications strategies. The CDO will spearhead dynamic revenue growth and ongoing sustainable through: (1) management of a portfolio of leadership-level donors; (2) engaging leadership—especially the CEO—to greatest impact in those leadership-level relationships; and (3) strategically activating the External Affairs team. The CDO will work cross-functionally to build Harlem Grown’s brand and elevate storytelling. This position requires a seasoned professional with a deep understanding of nonprofit development, a proven track record of leading dynamic revenue growth, and a passion for Harlem Grown. By fostering relationships with donors and stewarding their engagement, the CDO will play a pivotal role in advancing Harlem Grown's mission and driving its continued growth.  

This is both a strategic and hands-on role. The CDO will personally manage a portfolio of approximately 25 high-capacity donors with the potential to give $100,000 or more annually — closing six- and seven-figure gifts — while providing oversight and accountability for the full advancement team of 3–5 professionals. The CDO will drive growth across individuals, foundations, corporate partners, government funding, and events, and will lead the work of identifying and cultivating a new generation of committed funders. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Revenue Accountability & Fundraising Leadership 

• In partnership with the Executive Director, the CDO is accountable for growing Harlem Grown’s annual operating budget from ~$5.5M to ~$7M over three years, with strong predictability and a progressively diversified, de-risked revenue base. 

• Own overall fundraising performance across all revenue streams — individuals, foundations, corporate, government, and events — ensuring annual and multi-year targets are met. 

• Personally manage a portfolio of ~25 major and principal gift donors, with a focus on prospects capable of investing $100,000 or more annually; personally close six- and seven-figure gifts. 

• Lead donor pipeline development to actively identify, cultivate, and acquire a new generation of funders, reducing the organization’s historic reliance on a small cohort of legacy donors who are aging out of the portfolio. 

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Director to ensure their time is deployed at highest impact in donor relationships, including preparing them for asks and stewarding key relationships together. 

• Build and execute revenue diversification strategies that increase individual and board giving, reduce funding concentration risk, and strengthen long-term financial resilience. 

Advancement Strategy & Operations 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Advancement strategy — covering fundraising, development operations, external affairs, government relations, and brand development — aligned with Harlem Grown’s vision, values, and investment priorities. 

• Own the health of the fundraising pipeline, ensuring Salesforce is a complete and accurate system of record with clean data, meaningful dashboards, and clear progress toward annual goals. 

• Leverage data and analytics to sharpen strategy, optimize team resources, and continuously improve advancement performance. 

• Build and maintain internal documentation of fundraising practices as team resources and institutional knowledge. 

Team Leadership & Accountability 

• Lead and develop a team of 3–5 advancement professionals, setting clear goals, building capacity, and holding the team accountable to fundraising targets. 

• Drive donor engagement, retention, and relationship development across the team’s collective portfolio. 

• Collaborate with the Executive Team to identify funding priorities and align donor interests with organizational needs. 

• Stay current on sector trends and best practices, incorporating innovative strategies to maximize revenue and brand impact. 

Board Engagement 

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Team, collaborating on annual plans, strategic priorities, budgets, and critical decisions. 

• Liaise with board members as funders and ambassadors, ensuring they have the materials, talking points, and support needed to meet their funding commitments and leverage their networks. 

• Draft slides and supplemental materials for board, committee, and partner meetings; present department updates to the Board of Directors in quarterly meetings. 

External Affairs & Brand 

• Manage government relations and advocacy through a lobbyist, maximizing public awards and reimbursements. 

• Oversee Harlem Grown’s brand, ensuring guidelines are current and applied consistently across the organization. 

• Collaborate with all functional teams to develop and implement marketing, communications, and PR strategy — including mass emails, social media, mailers, Google ads, and print materials. 

Qualifications:  

• Minimum 8 years of demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising, with experience in principal and major gifts and foundation relations. 

• Proven track record of personally closing six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and/or corporate partners. 

• Experience managing and growing a major gifts portfolio, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. 

• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing advancement teams, with a player-coach orientation. 

• Ability to develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies across multiple revenue streams. 

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling fundraising materials and deliver persuasive presentations to diverse audiences. 

• Experience working collaboratively with executive leadership, program staff, board members, and volunteers. 

• Proficiency with Salesforce or comparable CRM platforms; comfort using data to drive strategy and accountability. 

• Strong analytical and project management skills, with a focus on measurable outcomes. 

• Deep alignment with Harlem Grown’s mission and a commitment to youth development, urban agriculture, and community. 
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% for donor events, engagements, and meetings.