Vice President of Development

Ready to Spark Big Change in the Bay Area?

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area (BBBSBA) is seeking a strategic, creative, and relationship-driven Vice President of Development to help grow our community of supporters and raise the resources that power life-changing mentoring relationships.

This is an opportunity to join a collaborative, mission-driven team at one of the Bay Area's leading youth-serving nonprofits. Your work will directly support young people across nine counties by strengthening the philanthropic partnerships, community connections, and financial resources that make our mission possible.

We are looking for a leader who is energized by philanthropy, major donor relationships, storytelling, strategic events, and building a strong culture of fundraising. The ideal candidate brings fresh ideas, sound financial and strategic judgment, and the ability to translate an ambitious vision into measurable results.

ABOUT BBBSBA

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. For nearly 70 years, we have connected young people with caring adult mentors who help them build confidence, navigate challenges, and realize their potential across nine Bay Area counties.

As we advance our strategic plan and enter an important period of growth, BBBSBA is focused on expanding access to mentoring, strengthening our organizational infrastructure, and ensuring long-term sustainability.

We are currently in the quiet phase of Reach Big, our multi-year capacity-building campaign, which is designed to expand our reach and impact while strengthening the organization's long-term financial health. This is a pivotal opportunity for a development leader to help shape the next chapter of a legacy organization and mobilize philanthropic investment in the power of human connection.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the President and CEO, the Vice President of Development is a senior leader responsible for advancing BBBSBA's fundraising strategy, revenue growth, marketing, and communications. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ET), this individual will contribute to organizational strategy, financial sustainability, and the execution of agency-wide priorities.

The VP of Development will lead the strategy and execution of a comprehensive fundraising program that includes major gifts, individual giving, corporate partnerships, foundation and institutional giving, planned giving, and special events. This leader will also oversee marketing and communications to strengthen BBBSBA's brand, elevate its impact, and support fundraising, mentor recruitment, program visibility, and community engagement.

A central priority is advancing the Reach Big Campaign in close partnership with the CEO, Board of Directors, Campaign Committee, and key philanthropic partners. The VP will help build a robust donor pipeline, strengthen Board engagement in fundraising, cultivate transformational gifts, and establish the systems, metrics, and relationships needed to achieve ambitious revenue goals.

The successful candidate will be both a strategic leader and an active fundraiser who can build meaningful donor relationships, lead a high-performing team, manage budgets and forecasts, and translate strategy into measurable outcomes.

As BBBSBA continues to evolve, senior development responsibilities and portfolios may be organized in collaboration with other senior leaders to best support the organization's fundraising strategy, campaign priorities, and operational needs. The CEO will establish leadership responsibilities, reporting relationships, and areas of accountability to ensure clear ownership, effective collaboration, and strong results.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Fundraising Strategy and Campaign Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with BBBSBA's strategic plan, operating budget, campaign objectives, and revenue goals.
• Lead and oversee fundraising across individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation and institutional giving, planned giving, and special events.
• Partner with the CEO, Board leadership, Campaign Committee, and external consultants to advance Reach Big, including campaign strategy, case development, prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Manage an active portfolio of 60 to 75 major donor prospects, with a focus on cultivating and soliciting gifts of $10,000 or more, including leadership-level and transformational gifts.
• Develop and maintain a strong major gift pipeline, with clear prospect strategies, next steps, solicitation targets, and accountability for progress.
• Build and strengthen relationships with individual donors, family foundations, corporations, institutional funders, and other philanthropic partners.
• Oversee institutional giving strategy, including foundation, corporate, public, and government funding opportunities, proposal development, reporting, and relationship management.
• Develop and implement strategies to diversify revenue and strengthen the organization's long-term financial sustainability.
• Partner with the CEO and Board to engage trustees and other volunteers in donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and prospect introductions.
• Lead the development team's contribution to annual fundraising events, ensuring events support revenue goals, major donor cultivation, community engagement, and long-term donor development.
• Analyze fundraising performance, donor trends, pipeline activity, and revenue forecasts to inform decisions, identify gaps, and recommend corrective actions.
• Establish measurable goals and performance indicators for fundraising activities and regularly communicate progress, risks, and opportunities to the CEO and Board committees.

1. Financial Management and Development Operations

• Develop and manage the Development & Marketing budget, including revenue projections, expense forecasts, and resource allocation.
• Monitor monthly fundraising performance against budget and goals, providing timely and accurate forecasts and recommendations to the CEO and finance leadership.
• Use data and financial analysis to evaluate fundraising effectiveness, prioritize investments, and improve revenue performance.
• Oversee development operations, including CRM systems, gift processing, donor records, reporting, and data integrity.
• Ensure consistent donor acknowledgment, stewardship, and relationship management practices that strengthen trust and long-term philanthropic investment.
• Establish clear systems, processes, and accountability measures that support a scalable, effective fundraising operation.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to ensure alignment between fundraising projections, cash flow planning, budget assumptions, and organizational priorities.

1. Marketing, Communications, and Brand Strategy

• Provide strategic leadership for Marketing & Communications, ensuring alignment with fundraising, programmatic, recruitment, and organizational priorities.
• Guide the development of compelling donor communications, impact stories, annual reports, digital campaigns, fundraising collateral, and other materials that inspire philanthropic investment.
• Strengthen BBBSBA's brand positioning and ensure consistent, mission-centered messaging across the website, social media, email, print, and other communication channels.
• Partner with program leadership to communicate mentoring outcomes, elevate youth and volunteer stories appropriately, and demonstrate the organization's impact.
• Collaborate with Partnerships and Recruitment to support mentor recruitment, community engagement, institutional relationships, and agency-wide visibility.
• Use communications and storytelling strategically to deepen donor relationships, strengthen engagement, and expand BBBSBA's reach among prospective supporters.
• Evaluate marketing and communications effectiveness through measurable goals and performance indicators.

1. Executive Leadership and Team Development

• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning, organizational decision-making, financial sustainability, and shared accountability for agency-wide goals.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Development & Marketing team with clear expectations, measurable goals, and a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
• Establish priorities, delegate effectively, and ensure appropriate coordination across fundraising, marketing, communications, and other organizational functions.
• Develop team capacity, strengthen systems, and align staff resources with the organization's most important fundraising and campaign priorities.
• Foster productive relationships across departments, recognizing that fundraising success depends on the engagement and contributions of the entire organization.
• Represent Development & Marketing in cross-functional planning, budget discussions, and organizational initiatives.
• Exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and model BBBSBA's values of connection, adaptive growth, resourcefulness, empathy, safety, and access.

1. Board and External Relations

• Partner with the CEO and Board leadership to strengthen a culture of philanthropy and shared responsibility for fundraising.
• Serve as the staff lead, in collaboration with team members and organizational leadership, for the Development Committee, Gala Committee, Campaign Committee, and Associate Board.
• Ensure Board committees receive timely reports, donor pipeline updates, campaign progress, and clear opportunities for meaningful engagement.
• Prepare and present fundraising updates, performance reports, and recommendations to the CEO, Board, and relevant committees.
• Represent BBBSBA at donor meetings, community events, corporate engagements, and philanthropic gatherings.
• Build and sustain relationships with key donors, foundations, corporate partners, community leaders, and other external stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to expand BBBSBA's philanthropic network and strengthen the organization's visibility and credibility across the Bay Area.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic and entrepreneurial leadership: Translates organizational priorities into actionable strategies and measurable results.
• Fundraising and financial acumen: Demonstrates strong judgment in major gifts, campaign strategy, pipeline management, revenue forecasting, budgeting, and resource allocation.
• Relationship-building and influence: Builds trust and credibility with donors, Board members, colleagues, and external partners.
• Executive presence and communication: Communicates with confidence and clarity, makes compelling cases for philanthropic investment, and represents BBBSBA effectively with external stakeholders.
• People leadership: Develops talent, sets clear expectations, provides constructive feedback, and builds a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Data-driven decision-making: Uses metrics, forecasting, and performance analysis to identify opportunities, assess progress, and adjust strategies.
• Project management and execution: Balances competing priorities, follows through on commitments, and maintains attention to detail.
• Adaptability and sound judgment: Navigates change, exercises discretion, and makes thoughtful decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Mission and values alignment: Demonstrates cultural competence, integrity, empathy, and a commitment to youth development and the power of mentoring.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including major gifts, donor cultivation and solicitation, and campaign management.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing fundraising strategies that achieve multi-million-dollar revenue goals.
• Experience leading, managing, and developing fundraising professionals and cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts of $10,000 or more, along with corporate and foundation partnerships.
• Experience overseeing marketing and communications functions or partnering effectively with marketing and communications professionals.
• Strong financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, pipeline analysis, and performance reporting.
• Exceptional written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to engage confidently with senior executives, major donors, Board members, and philanthropic partners.
• Familiarity with the Bay Area's philanthropic and corporate landscape.
• Proficiency with fundraising CRM systems and data-driven fundraising practices; Salesforce experience preferred.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Direct experience leading or managing a capacity or capital campaign.
• Experience securing transformational gifts and developing major donor and planned giving programs.
• Experience with corporate philanthropy, institutional giving, public funding, or diversified revenue strategies.
• Experience in digital fundraising, brand strategy, and donor communications.
• CFRE certification or equivalent professional credential.
• Advanced degree.
• Experience in youth development, mentoring, education, or a related mission-driven organization.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BBBSBA provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or non-disqualifying physical or mental handicap or disability.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Applicants as well as employees who are or become disabled must be able to perform the essential duties & responsibilities either unaided or with reasonable accommodation. The organization shall determine reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.

Job Responsibilities

The above statements reflect the general duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential duties & responsibilities of the job and should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. BBBSBA may change the specific job duties with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.

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