Director of Advancement

PowerCorpsPHL (PCPHL) connects people to careers and advances community. We do this through authentic relationships, continual self-reflection, and hard work.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Advancement is a newly created location-flexible senior leadership role responsible for helping PowerCorpsPHL (PCPHL) sustain and grow its work by building the relationships, resources, and public understanding that make that work possible. The Director will have the rare opportunity to shape how the organization tells its story and builds support for programs that consistently deliver clear and impactful outcomes at the local and national level.

The Director of Advancement will strengthen existing fundraising efforts, and in particular develop a fundraising program, with a focus on building new strategies and relationships with individual and institutional partners. This critical foundation will determine how PCPHL raises funds and communicates its impact externally and will engage the Board in fundraising for the first time. It is a “build-and-lead" role for a seasoned professional who thrives with creative freedom and is motivated to implement structure, systems, and strategy within an organization that already delivers real results.

PCPHL operates at the intersection of workforce development, environmental sustainability, and community-based violence prevention. Experience in any or all of these areas is welcome but not required. More importantly, the ideal candidate learns complex projects quickly, asks thoughtful questions, and communicates with authenticity and respect for the people and communities at the center of PCPHL’s work.

WHAT SETS THIS ROLE APART?

Advancement professionals are equipped and empowered to do their best work at organizations that are 1) clear about their purpose, 2) deliver real results, and 3) sure of where they are headed. PowerCorpsPHL has all three, with strong leadership, proven data, and a clear understanding, and proof, of how its work creates impact—ensuring the person hired for the role will benefit from the critical success factors that so many organizations can’t offer and that fundraisers often lack control over.

The position offers a competitive salary, location flexibility, and the opportunity to broaden one’s experience by working across both local, place-based, direct service programs and nationally relevant field-building and replication initiatives, with ample room for creative and strategic ownership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

• Communicate PCPHL’s complex work to a variety of audiences in ways that connect and distinguish its local, place-based impact in Philadelphia and the national relevance and replication value of its model.
• Develop and lead a clear, realistic fundraising and communications strategy aligned with PCPHL’s mission and growth goals.
• Set annual fundraising goals, forecast revenue, and track progress over time.
• Serve as a steward of PCPHL’s voice, values, and brand, ensuring communications are authentic, respectful, and aligned with organizational culture.
• Work with department leaders to support existing programs, explore growth opportunities, and advance strategic priorities.
• Thoughtfully engage and involve the Board of Directors directly in strategic fundraising and outreach activities.

FUNDRAISING & EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• Map and build relationships from the ground up: understand networks, stakeholders, and donor ecosystems; cultivate board, individual, philanthropic, corporate, and government partners; and steward existing relationships.
• Lead proposal development and manage relationships with institutional funders.
• Design and grow an individual donor program, including year-end fundraising efforts.
• Lead and support PCPHL fundraising and engagement events.
• Ensure accurate donor records and timely acknowledgement of gifts.
• Thoughtfully engage and involve the Board of Directors directly in strategic fundraising and outreach activities.

COMMUNICATIONS & BRAND

• Write and oversee the distribution of stories and digital content that help people understand and support PCPHL’s work.
• Manage the organization’s website, social media, and digital presence with consistency and care.
• Work with designers, artists, and consultants as needed to support communications goals.

TEAM & INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING

• Help colleagues understand the “why” behind fundraising and communications decisions—not just the outputs.
• Supervise and support development and communications staff, as applicable.
• Build and leverage systems, software, and processes that make fundraising and communications more effective and sustainable over time.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A genuine connection to PCPHL’s mission and the people it serves.
• Strong writing and communication skills, paired with the ability to listen carefully, ask clarifying questions, and adjust language (tone and case-making) effectively for many audiences.
• Specifically, the Director must be adept at toggling back-and-forth between articulating the value proposition of the on-the-ground direct service work and articulating the value proposition of the nationally-relevant technical assistance and replication support.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in nonprofit fundraising, communications, or related social impact work, with at least 2 years in a supervisory role.
• At least 3 years of experience leading donor conversations, including making direct funding requests asking individuals for five figure gifts.
• At least 2 years of experience building relationships with a board or committee, including engaging volunteer leaders in meaningful fundraising and ambassador roles.
• Experience building or significantly shaping fundraising systems, strategies, or functions.
• Comfort leading through consensus-building, coaching, and collaboration.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn.
• Familiarity with workforce development, sustainability, anti-violence, public-sector work, or systems-change efforts is helpful but not required.
• A demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and respect in how work is done.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Director of Advancement reports to the Executive Director and works closely with the senior leadership team and Board of Directors. The role will receive ongoing administrative support and may supervise one or more staff members. The organization is ready to support this role with enthusiasm, partnership, and trust.

LOCATION

Location is flexible. The role may be structured as fully in-person in Philadelphia, fully remote (open to candidates in any U.S. time zone) with required quarterly travel to Philadelphia, or hybrid.

ABOUT POWERCORPSPHL

Mission: PowerCorpsPHL (PCPHL) connects people to careers and advances community. We do this through authentic relationships, continual self-reflection, and hard work.

Values: PCPHL is grounded in dignity, authenticity, and opportunity. We believe in meeting people where they are, honoring lived experience, and building pathways to economic mobility through meaningful work. Our culture values collaboration, reflection, accountability, and a commitment to community-rooted solutions.

Action: PCPHL was founded in Philadelphia, PA in 2013 to address three deeply interconnected challenges facing Philadelphia and cities across the country: youth unemployment, youth violence, and environmental sustainability. These challenges are concentrated in communities where economic opportunity is limited, and the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, flooding, and inadequate green infrastructure, are most acute.

PCPHL connects young people to careers while helping cities build the workforce capacity needed to advance climate resilience. Through paid, immersive, project-based work experiences, PCPHL prepares out-of-school or out-of-work young adults ages 18 to 30—particularly those most impacted by gun violence and justice-system involvement—for living-wage careers in clean energy, green infrastructure, and community-based fields. In doing so, PCPHL addresses critical workforce gaps that limit the scale and sustainability of public infrastructure and climate investments by preparing technically proficient, community-rooted workers and strengthening public systems.

PCPHL’s impact is both local and national. More than 1,000 young people in Philadelphia have engaged with PCPHL, with 92% transitioning to career pathway employment and justice-involved participants averaging under a 10% one-year recidivism rate. Nationally, PCPHL strengthens the field of community-rooted, industry-responsive workforce development for energy and infrastructure careers by providing intensive technical assistance to communities interested in adapting its model to their region. This work has resulted in a growing network of 10 communities across the country—Boston, New Orleans, and Buffalo, NY among them—advancing economic opportunity and community resilience.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & ACCOMODATION

PCPHL is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Please note that this job description is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of required activities, duties, or responsibilities, and is subject to change at any time with or without notice.

Salary for this position is $125,000 annually. PCPHL offers a competitive benefits package including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) with employer match; employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance; generous paid time off; and professional development assistance.