Opportunity for Impact
Coming out of the recent merger, Heights Philadelphia finds itself at an exciting inflection point poised to drive tremendous impact at scale for the students of Philadelphia. As they move into this next chapter of growth, they are seeking a Chief Advancement Officer to provide strategic direction and leadership across fundraising, communications, and alumni/volunteer engagement. This pivotal role will lead the charge in shaping compelling external messaging, cultivating relationships that matter, and unlocking new funding opportunities in service to helping Heights evolve its revenue model and in doing so serve even more students. Reporting directly to the President & CEO this leader will manage a ~12-person team and collaborate extensively with other leaders across the organization. This is an ideal opportunity for a proven, strategic fundraiser who is energized to help an organization build momentum and expand their reach.
Executive Leadership:
- Set a clear vision for fundraising, communications, and engagement, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
- Collaborate with the leadership team and Board to refine and implement the organization’s advancement strategy in support of the evolving funding model.
- Partner with the VP of Strategy and Partnerships to integrate external relations and earned revenue efforts into the advancement strategy.
- Provide mentorship and strategic direction to the advancement team, including areas such as individual giving, foundation relations, corporate partnerships, and development operations.
- Assess and evolve team structure and capacity to meet ambitious fundraising goals and organizational needs.
- Lead a strong advancement team; mentoring and developing staff to ensure growth/development while also holding the team accountable to strong outcomes.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to and collaborator with the senior leadership team, helping to develop and execute plans and strategies that advance mission priorities and impact.
Fundraising:
- Design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to meet the annual revenue goal, with an emphasis on diversifying funding streams.
- Cultivate relationships with key funders, including foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations, to drive sustained and new revenue growth.
- Serve as a lead representative in high-stakes meetings with major funders and stakeholders, effectively communicating the Heights mission and vision.
- Collaborate with the Board and senior staff to deepen their engagement in fundraising efforts.
- Oversee donor stewardship efforts to ensure meaningful and impactful relationships with supporters.
Engagement:
- Assist in the creation and implementation of a strategic communications plan that raises the organization’s visibility and enhances brand recognition.
- Ensure consistent messaging and storytelling that inspires and engages key audiences, including key stakeholders- students, parents, donors, and partnerrs.
- Provide oversight and guidance ensuring Heights’ alumni program informs, engages, and involves alumni in a meaningful way with the organization.
- Provide strategy and direction in support of recruiting, equipping, mobilizing and engaging a volunteer base representative of the gender, racial/ethnic, and professional interest diversity of our student community
Professional Qualifications
- ~7+ years of leadership experience with a significant portion of that being in or around the fundraising/development space and with evidence of hitting comparable annual fundraising goals (~$10M)
- Strategic thinker with a track record of building and implementing innovative advancement strategies.
- Strong relationship-building skills with funders, volunteers, team members, and Senior Leadership Team.
- Exceptional communication and storytelling abilities, with experience crafting compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
- Entrepreneurial spirit, with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and navigate complex challenges.
- Proven ability to lead, retain, and mentor a high-caliber advancement team .
- Strong interpersonal and written communications skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of staff, as well as Board members and constituents.
- Collaborative team player, committed to working with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
- Bachelor’s degree in related fields required; Master’s degree highly desirable.
Personal Characteristics
- Passionate about creating pathways to educational and workforce success for low-income, Black and Latino and first-generation-to-college students
- Analytical by nature with a proven capacity to think strategically and make data-driven decisions that increase efficiency, sustainability, and drive impact
- A big-picture thinker who can take a systems view, while also able to implement and “get in the weeds”.
- A collaborator with strong relationship-building, able to effectively engage and influence internal and external stakeholders at all levels and across lines of difference.
- Consultative in their approach to problem solving. Though they bring subject matter expertise, they lead with curiosity, demonstrating empathy for others’ challenges, and help to build the capacity of others to take action.
- Inclined to take an active role in building community at work and ensuring Heights Philadelphia continues to be a great place to work.