Vice President, Development

Accountabilities

• Build and lead the Development function: Design and implement an organization-wide fundraising strategy, establishing the systems, donor pipeline, portfolio practices, and moves-management processes needed for a sustainable contributed revenue program.

• Secure operating support: Lead efforts to raise unrestricted and broadly restricted funding that supports organizational capacity, innovation, and long-term priorities.

• Grow philanthropic investment in strategic initiatives: Develop and execute fundraising strategies for pooled grantmaking initiatives in democracy, climate justice, immigration, gender equity, and reproductive health, in partnership with senior leadership and Program Officers.

• Deliver major and transformational gifts: Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual and institutional donors, with particular emphasis on major and principal gifts and donors of color. Establish donor onboarding, giving, engagement, and retention strategies.

• Build and manage the donor pipeline: Set ambitious, data-informed fundraising targets; establish rigorous systems to track donor progress and portfolio performance; and work toward at least doubling the major donor pipeline by activating the organization's partner database.

• Strengthen donor relationships and engagement: Build authentic relationships across high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, donors of color, foundations, corporate philanthropies, and other philanthropic stakeholders. Support funder learning and long-term engagement.

• Mobilize senior leaders and board members: Partner with the CEO, Executive Director, executive team, and Board of Directors to prepare for high-value donor engagements, develop cultivation and solicitation plans, and turn networks and introductions into funding opportunities.

• Develop the wider fundraising network: Mentor Philanthropic Strategists and Program Officers, building their capacity to contribute to donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship alongside their existing advisory and program responsibilities.

• Lead and develop a high-performing team: Manage the existing development team, including a Major Gift Officer and Prospect Researcher, establish additional roles as needed, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, excellence, and follow-through.

• Contribute to organizational leadership: Participate in the Senior Leadership Team, align fundraising goals with organizational strategy, and collaborate with Marketing, Business Development, Programs, and the future External Affairs and Strategic Communications leadership.

• Improve fundraising effectiveness: Monitor philanthropic trends and donor behavior, strengthen processes and reporting, and ensure the organization can adapt to changing political, economic, and funding conditions.

• Establish early momentum: Work with the Executive Director during the first 90 days to define portfolio size and revenue goals, while delivering credible near-term progress and meaningful gifts within the first several months.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in philanthropy, strategic partnerships, or major and principal gifts fundraising within a complex organization.

• Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding fundraising goals and advancing through increasingly senior leadership roles.

• Comprehensive knowledge of fundraising programs, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and long-term relationship development.

• Strong track record engaging high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, institutional funders, foundations, and corporate philanthropies.

• Direct experience engaging donors of color, with an understanding of the philanthropic behaviors, motivations, and relationship dynamics relevant to these communities.

• Experience developing fundraising campaigns and programmatic strategies in partnership with organizational and program leaders.

• Significant experience building, managing, hiring, supervising, and developing high-performing teams in organizations of comparable scale.

• Demonstrated ability to engage board members and senior volunteers as active partners in fundraising.

• Understanding of nonprofit organizational structures, financials, and management; experience with multi-entity structures, including 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities, is strongly preferred.

• Credibility and sophistication when working across progressive philanthropy, including major donors, foundation officers, movement leaders, and institutional partners.

• Strong strategic planning, project management, decision-making, and change leadership capabilities, with a focus on measurable outcomes.

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to navigate complex partnerships and build trust across functions.

• High integrity, emotional intelligence, political acuity, discretion, and sound ethical judgment.

• Entrepreneurial, self-directed approach, with the ability to prioritize effectively, maintain momentum, and deliver results in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.

• Genuine commitment to social justice, progressive social change, and values of respect, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and equity.

• Proficiency with Salesforce or a similar CRM platform. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and NetSuite is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive starting salary based on geographic pay tier:

  • National GeoTier: $191,200–$238,800.

  • Moderate GeoTier: $208,400–$260,500.

  • High GeoTier: $229,100–$286,400.

  • Remote work arrangement across the United States.

  • Location-based compensation structure that considers skills and relevant experience.

  • Pay equity commitment, with no request for salary history.

  • Opportunity to establish and lead a new Development function and shape long-term organizational fundraising strategy.

  • Executive-level collaboration with senior leaders, board members, philanthropic partners, and influential networks.

  • Opportunity to contribute to social justice initiatives and support funding for systemic change.

  • Reasonable accommodations available for applicants with disabilities during the interview process.