Senior Vice President, Advancement

STATUS: Regular, Full-time (Exempt)

REPORTS TO: President and Chief Executive Officer

ABOUT NLIHC: The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) is dedicated to achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice.

Through research, advocacy, organizing, coalition-building, NLIHC advances solutions that address the nation’s most urgent housing challenges—from the national shortage of affordable homes to disaster recovery and resilience. We center the leadership and lived experience of low-income renters and tenant leaders and work across sectors to build the political will necessary to achieve housing justice.

At a critical moment for housing and economic equity, NLIHC is expanding its reach, influence, and impact by strengthening its national movement, deepening engagement with partners, and advancing bold, actionable solutions.

POSITION OVERVIEW: NLIHC seeks a dynamic, strategic, and visionary leader to serve as Senior Vice President of Advancement. Reporting directly to the President and CEO, this executive will lead the organization’s comprehensive advancement strategy, overseeing all philanthropic revenue and donor engagement efforts to sustain and grow NLIHC’s impact.

This position is responsible for designing and executing a multi-year resource development strategy aligned with NLIHC’s strategic priorities. The role will lead all aspects of development, including major gifts, planned giving, institutional fundraising, sponsorships and fund development campaigns. The SVP will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy and ensuring alignment between revenue generation and programmatic goals.

The salary range for this position is contingent upon experience and is from $165,000 - $185,000. This is a remote position with regular travel to Washington, DC being required. Regular travel to Washington, DC is required for senior leadership retreats, board meetings, and key organizational events. The SVP is expected to travel significantly for face-to-face cultivation and solicitation of principal and major gift prospects across the country. The nature of the role also requires a proactive communication style to maintain a deep integration with the DC-based staff and the organizational culture.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Executive Leadership & Organizational Strategy

• Serve as a senior advisor to the President & CEO and a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, helping shape and execute the organization’s strategic vision, growth trajectory, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead the development and implementation of an integrated advancement strategy aligned with organizational priorities, including policy impact, field building, and systems change.
• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organizational priorities.
• Identify and pursue new revenue and partnership models that support scale, innovation, and long-term impact.
• Define and implement a structured donor tiering system and portfolio management framework to formalize the organization’s engagement across all levels of giving.
• Provide the Board and CEO with high-level forecasting, trend analysis, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Ensure revenue strategies are integrated with programmatic goals and racial equity commitments.

Fundraising and Strategic Partnerships

• Lead strategy and relationships for foundation, philanthropic, and institutional funders, including national foundations and aligned grantmaking entities.
• Oversee the development of compelling, forward-looking proposals that position the organization for large, multi-year, and strategic investments, partnering with the Director of Fund Development and team to guide proposal strategy and complex grant narratives.
• Anticipate and respond to shifts in philanthropic trends, aligning organizational opportunities with funder priorities.
• Ensure strong stewardship, reporting, and long-term partnership development with institutional funders.
• Set ambitious revenue goals and ensure strong forecasting, pipeline development, and performance tracking across all funding streams.
• Oversee and coordinate with events and communications teams to elevate the organization’s brand, visibility, and donor experience through events, including the Leadership Awards Reception.
• Identify opportunities to innovate event models (e.g. curated salons, donor briefings, strategic roundtables).
• Ensure events are designed not only as revenue drivers but as platforms for influence, storytelling, partnership-building, and member engagement.
• Partner with the President & CEO and senior leadership to deepen relationships with key donors and expand funding aligned with strategic priorities.

Major Gifts, Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• Design the organizational road map for prospect identification, cultivation and stewardship and personally manage a select portfolio of high-capacity principal and major donors.
• Oversee organizational major gifts strategy, including prospect identification and stewardship.
• Lead expansion of planned giving initiatives and long-term donor engagement.
• Ensure consistent donor recognition and stewardship practices.

Board & Senior Leadership Collaboration

• Partner with the Board of Directors, especially fund development leadership, to strengthen board engagement in fundraising, relationship-building, and strategic growth.
• Support and coach board members and senior staff in donor engagement, cultivation, and solicitation strategies.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure alignment between programmatic priorities and advancement efforts.
• Participate actively in senior leadership meetings, contributing to organizational strategy, decision-making, and resource allocation.
• Advise on emerging opportunities, potential risks, and innovative approaches to strengthen NLIHC’s influence and reach.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing advancement/fund development team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
• Ensure the development team operates with clarity, accountability, and high performance through clear goals, metrics, and processes.
• Support professional development and capacity building.
• Partner closely with the Director of Fund Development to translate strategy into execution.

Development Operations and Systems

• Oversee advancement operations, including CRM systems, data integrity, reporting, and analytics.
• Build and maintain systems for pipeline management, donor tracking, and revenue forecasting.
• Partner with the finance team on gift processing, reconciliation, and financial reporting.
• Monitor fundraising pipelines and revenue projections.

Organizational and Team Support

• Participate in staff meetings, retreats, trainings, and Coalition events.
• Promote a culture of philanthropy across the organization, ensuring all staff understand their role in advancing relationships and impact.
• Champion equity and inclusion in advancement strategy, ensuring fundraising approaches reflect and support the organization’s values and mission.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred, along with 10-15 years of progressive, senior-level experience in advancement, fundraising, or external affairs, ideally within a national nonprofit or advocacy organization.
• Unwavering commitment to racial and social equity in all aspects of work, and a demonstrated ability to develop strategies and tactics to create equitable and inclusive outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including the media, policymakers, funders, and supporters.
• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and leading multi-million-dollar fundraising strategies.
• Strong proficiency with Salesforce or comparable CRM systems.
• Proven ability to lead and manage complex fundraising portfolios and teams.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution and results.
• Familiarity with housing policy, social justice, or advocacy landscapes is strongly preferred.
• Highly adaptable, proactive, and strategic, with the ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.

An equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, NLIHC offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter (including salary requirements), writing sample, and a portfolio of advancement accomplishments, to Jamaal Gilani, Director of People and Culture, via email at jgilani@nlihc.org.