Vice President of Advancement

STATEMENT OF VISION FOR THE ROLE:

Episcopal Relief & Development is in the middle of a 10-year Strategic Plan, which calls for growth at all levels of the organization. The Vice President of Advancement is expected to play a catalytic role in scaling of the organization’s mission by increasing the annual fundraising target of $21M to $30M or more by 2030.

Working strategically in concert with key internal stakeholders - Marketing & Communications, Faith & Community Engagement, Business Development, and Program - the Vice President of Advancement will forge philanthropic relationships and key networks to build the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. The VP will expand and diversify the organization’s donor base, building a robust pipeline that can deliver resources in the face of external challenges and market competition for dollars.

This highly strategic and hands-on leader will oversee all aspects of philanthropic giving, including major gifts, foundation relations, planned giving, direct response, and donor relations. They will be a passionate advocate for the organization's mission, effectively communicating its impact to a diverse global donor base, and inspiring deep engagement and financial support. This role requires a leader with a strong commitment to the organization's faith-based values and the ability to articulate that foundation effectively in fundraising efforts.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE: The Vice President of Advancement is a critically important role at Episcopal Relief & Development, responsible for unlocking long-term and predictable sustainability for the organization and developing a healthy file of committed donors and friends. Reporting directly to the Chief External Relations Officer, the Vice President of Advancement works very closely with the Chief Executive Officer and select board members. They also serve as a leader in the External Relations department, alongside the Vice President for Marketing & Communications and the Vice President for Faith & Community Engagement. Finally, the Vice President for Advancement is also an important member of the organizational Senior Leadership Team, along with Vice Presidents and other leaders of the organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: A successful Vice President of Advancement will develop a dynamic and results-driven comprehensive individual donor fundraising program encompassing mass market/direct response, including digital giving and direct mail, as well as major and planned gifts. Additionally, they will help the organization move towards opportunities in corporate giving and matching gifts. In partnership the Program and Business Development teams, a successful Vice President of Advancement will raise funds from major, mid and minor foundations as well. In collaboration with the Faith & Community Engagement team, assist in growing giving from congregations, dioceses, and affiliated church entities.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Team and other leadership

• Develop, implement, and continually refine a multi-year comprehensive fundraising strategy with ambitious goals, aligned with the organization's strategic plan and budget.
• Stay abreast of fundraising trends, best practices, and innovative approaches within the international NGO and faith-based fundraising sectors.
• Provide strategic counsel to the President & CEO, the Chief External Relations Officer, and the Board of Directors on all fundraising matters.
• Collaborate closely with global program, finance, marketing & communications, faith engagement teams to ensure alignment of messaging, impact reporting, and resource allocation.
• Work with the program team and affiliated colleagues in Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning to identify funding opportunities and develop compelling narratives.
• Engage, train and guide Board members to secure their active participation and personal involvement in Episcopal Relief & Development’s advancement activities, providing fundraising training to Board members and other senior staff as needed.
• Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Advancement team, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented culture.
• Set clear performance goals and provide regular feedback and professional development opportunities for team members.
• Lead the annual planning and budgeting process, as well as managed the budget and resources effectively for the Advancement department.

Fundraising and strategy

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-net-worth individual donors, securing significant gifts of five to 7-figures
• Build a successful major gifts program in which all solicitors develop, manage, and forecast from a defined robust pipeline of major and principal gift donors and prospects.
• Partner with the President & CEO, Board members, and program leadership on top-tier donor cultivation and solicitations.
• Oversee the development of compelling proposals and donor communications for major gift prospects.
• Develop and promote a planned giving program to encourage bequests, charitable gift annuities, and other deferred giving vehicles.
• Working with the Director of Direct Response, oversee and guide the development and execution of integrated direct response fundraising campaigns (mail, email, digital, social media) to acquire, retain, and upgrade donors.
• Strengthen the current Sustainers Program for monthly donors
• Identify and pursue opportunities to leverage the President & CEO, Board members, program staff and other stakeholders including clergy in the cultivation of donors and volunteers to increase support for Episcopal Relief & Development.

Donor relations

• Ensure a best-in-class donor experience through personalized communication, recognition, and impact reporting.
• Represent the organization, mission, and impact to donors, partners, and the public.
• Actively engage in networking opportunities to build relationships and enhance the organization's visibility.
• Oversee donor events, trips, and other engagement opportunities.

Operations

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in the CRM system
• Leverage data analytics to optimize performance and donor giving results
• Build predictable and effective reporting mechanisms for the Advancement team
• Strengthen research and donor modeling for Advancement
• Work with the Advancement team to build a coherent and powerful strategy that is implemented through formal annual planning and execution; track progress regularly and build a culture of continuous learning around results and patterns.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:

• The Vice President of Advancement is responsible for overseeing a team of nine, working in the areas of direct response, major gifts, planned giving and donor services. Directly supervises three (3) staff members: Director of Direct Response, Direct of Major Gifts, and Director of Donor Services.

EDUCATION:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and/or equivalent experience. Master’s preferred

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of successful fundraising leadership in a non-profit, community, or faith-based setting.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of direct supervisory experience, managing a team of fundraising professionals.
• Experience with moves management and building systems for others to follow proper staging and related documentation of donor relationships over time
• Proven experience closing five, six, and seven-figure gifts as well as personally carrying a portfolio of donors

RELATED SKILLS:

• An excellent coach, mentor, and team builder
• Demonstrated ability to construct, articulate and lead others in annual planning, strategy development, and implementation, and strong project management.
• Hands-on experience with donor databases (Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge/RENXT, etc)
• Tangible experience of having expanded existing donor relationships over time
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of internal and external audiences and apply sound judgment regarding sensitive situations with discretion and confidentiality.
• A systems thinker with strong business operational skills to create efficient workflows, processes and procedures for others to follow
• Comfort and experience with data, analytics and reporting; utilizing data to drive strategy and inform decisions; ensuring that setting and monitoring metrics and targets are a part of the culture of the team.
• Flexible and adaptable style; can positively impact both strategic and tactical.
• A self-starter who takes initiative, brings people together, and gets things done.
• Proven experience as a leader who is open to viewpoints of others yet can also make courageous and tough decisions when needed
• A working knowledge of trends in the philanthropy sector, including emerging vehicles for giving and patterns in the donor market
• An enthusiastic team member with a track record of intra and cross-departmental engagement and is excited to work cross-functionally with other departments, partners, donors, volunteers, and vendors with tact, diplomacy, sensitivity to cultural diversity and good humor.
• Strong organizational and time management with exceptional attention to detail
• A detail-oriented multitasker who is adept at managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• High energy and passion for the mission of Episcopal Relief & Development
• Comfortable working in a faith-based environment

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

May be required to work long hours and a varied schedule including evenings and weekends, as well as travel on occasion.

SALARY & BENEFITS:

• Annual salary range of $190,000-$195,000 Per year
• Competitive, comprehensive benefits package offered

How To Apply:

• To be considered for the Vice President, Advancement position, please email your resume and cover letter to careers@episcopalrelief.org with the subject line " Vice President, Advancement".
• Applications missing either a resume or a cover letter will not be considered.
• For more information, visit our website at www.episcopalrelief.org

The position description is a guide to the critical duties and essential functions of the job, not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities and/or qualifications. Position descriptions are reviewed and revised to meet the changing needs of Episcopal Relief & Development at the sole discretion of management.

Episcopal Relief & Development is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (EEO). All employment practices will be administered without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived protected characteristic(s) - race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other legally protected status.

Episcopal Relief & Development offersreasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. You may requestaccommodation at any time.