Vice President of Development

ORGANIZATION MISSION:

Founded in 1976, the French-American Foundation (FAF) is the primary non-governmental organization linking France and the United States. Our mission is to promote a dynamic French-American partnership and to advance the values of these two countries. We provide high-level policymakers, academics, business leaders, and other experts on both sides of the Atlantic with a platform to share knowledge and best practices on a wide range of policy issues. Our goal is to inform debate and identify solutions to shared global concerns. We accomplish this mission through conferences, breakfasts, workshops, exchanges, and study tours on such subjects as national security and defense, business and the economy, immigration and integration, education, employment, health care, sustainability, media, and culture. Our sister organization is the Paris-based French-American Foundation France.

POSITION MISSION:

The Vice President for Development (VPD) is a new position created to ensure that adequate funding, as determined by the French-American Foundation's President and Executive Committee, is available to carry out the Foundation's mission. To do this, the VPD will help lead, design, plan, and execute a comprehensive revenue- generation strategy and will lead the organization's donor engagement in order to diversify revenue beyond its annual gala and grants from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

The Vice President of Development will report to the President and is responsible for the performance of all development team members which include, in year one, a development officer. It is anticipated that the VPD may hire an additional associate in the second year. The VPD will work closely with the Foundation's volunteer leadership, including the Board of Directors and the Board's Membership and Development Committee.

Principal Roles and Responsibilities:

• Corporate Campaign – Establish and implement strategies to secure corporate revenue from Board members and the existing contributor base. Identify and secure both renewed and new support.

• Leadership Recruitment – Help recruit new Board members and secure contributions from high net worth individuals

• Gala Event Fundraising – Work with Gala Committee to identify affinity relationships and secure event revenue, as well as recruitment leads.

• Foundation Relations – Establish and maintain strong relations with existing foundation supporters in order to meet existing fundraising goals from foundations. Work with the President to develop new foundation prospects to support the Foundation's programs.

• Personalized communications – prepare such communications to/for Chairman, Executive Committee of the Board, President, and Board members. Develop affinity campaign and expand the involvement of Board members who are participating (sending letters, making calls, and taking meetings with prospective new Board members and supporters).

• Direct the creation and distribution of all revenue-focused internal and external materials, including the Foundation's Report of Activities, with a focus on the Foundation's impact or social return on investment.

• Collaborate with Program Officers and Chief Administrative Officer on developing marketing and other printed and electronic collateral and in other areas as requested by the President

• Recruit, train, develop, mentor, and retain skilled development staff committed to the Foundation's mission

Goals:

Ensure that the French-American Foundation meets or exceeds fundraising revenue goals

• Successfully deploy and support staff to ensure general support, gala, and foundation revenue goals are met or exceeded
• Provide strategic counsel on fundraising systems, planning, and priorities
• Provide strategic counsel on communications relating to development and recruitment
• Develop relationships with individual and institutional funders, cultivating and soliciting annual, major, and planned gifts
• Develop and implement systems based on best practices in fundraising to ensure success
• Build and enrich relationships with key constituencies, including Board members, foundations, corporate representatives, and partner organizations
• Handles all foundation outreach.

Ensure that the French-American Foundation is positioned for long term growth and success

• Build and strengthen a pipeline of strategic partners and relationships to broaden and deepen the pool of candidates for engagement and funding
• Develop and implement systems based on best practices in fundraising to ensure maximum long term success
• Ensure the development and maintenance of a healthy capital structure
• Build a donor-centric culture of accountability and excellence through mentoring, team building, professional development opportunities, goal setting, and support within the development team
• Ensure transparency and smooth flow of information within the team and throughout the Foundation, building a healthy collaboration to maximize both effectiveness and morale

SUMMARY

- Works with executive staff and Board members in developing organizational plans and foundation proposals.

- Secure meetings for self and/or executive staff and Board members with relevant foundation officers.

- Research and produce pre-meeting materials.

- Submit all proposals and reports to foundations on time and with all relevant documents included.

- Work with foundation representatives and Foundation staff in advance of proposal and report submissions to ensure highest quality and success of award or renewal.

- Provide accurate information on foundations or Foundation-related deliverables to executive staff and Board when necessary.

- Communicate regularly with CFO/Admin/Development on foundation deliverables, proposals, and reports.

- Communicate with staff regularly about prospective Board members who attend events and other interactions with current Trustees.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Professional experience: Minimum 7-10 years of development experience (including at least five at a university, internationally- focused think tank, or a medical or scientific institute).
• Track record of successful major gift fundraising, donor cultivation, and stewardship; history of having forged and managed significant relationships with multiple donors.
• Proven ability to recruit, train, mentor, and manage a high-performing development team delivering results and increasing donor support.
• Experience with large, high-profile fundraising events
• Knowledge of contact, especially donor, management software – and ability to leverage its use.
• Education: Bachelor's degree (minimum)

COMPETENCIES

• Efficiency: Able to produce significant output with minimal wasted effort
• Humility: Practice intellectual honesty. Seek to understand and constructively deal with reality to create real value.
• High Ethical Standards: Does not cut corners ethically. Earns trust and maintains confidences. Speaks plainly and truthfully.
• Organization and Planning: Plans, organizes, schedules and budgets in an efficient, productive manner. Focuses on key priorities.
• Aggressiveness: Moves quickly and decisively without being overly abrasive.
• Follows through on Commitments: Lives up to verbal and written agreements.
• Intelligence: Learns quickly, manipulates and synthesizes new information effectively.
• Analytical Skills: Able to structure and process qualitative and quantitative data and draw insightful conclusions.
• Attention to Detail: Does not let important details slip through the cracks.
• Persistence: Demonstrates tenacity and willingness to go the distance to get things done.
• Proactivity: Acts without being told what to do. Brings new ideas.
• Listening Skills: Lets others speak and actively seeks to understand their viewpoints.
• Communications Skills: Speaks and writes articulately and clearly without being verbose.
• Persuasive: Able to persuade others to pursue a course of action.
• Teamwork: Reaches out to peers, shares information, and collaborates without being territorial.

QUALIFICATIONS PREFERRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Graduate Degree in a relevant field
• Knowledge of French or another foreign language
• Experience living abroad