Vice President, Advancement

Description

Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence 

Position: VP, Advancement  

Location: Philadelphia, PA (Hybrid - three days on-site weekly) 

Job Status: Full-time, exempt  

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer  

Salary Range: $130 to $150k  

AGENCY OVERVIEW: 

JOIN A FORWARD-THINKING AGENCY THAT SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence (BBBSI) is the largest BBBS agency in the state and one of the largest in the nation. Our mission is to create and  support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth, while  working collaboratively to strengthen the quality of the mentoring field and close the mentoring  gap.  You will love it here if you set the bar high, approach your work with intention and thoughtfulness, collaborate to create meaningful community solutions, bring a positive, can-do, and solution-oriented mindset, actively embrace justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and hold yourself accountable for getting results and following through 

 JOB DESCRIPTION: As BBBSI grows in scale, complexity, and impact, we seek a VP, Advancement. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the incumbent serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting BBBSI. The VP, Advancement grows existing relationships and forges new ones to build the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. The VP, Advancement designs and implements a comprehensive advancement strategy built on the cultivation of key individuals, institutions, and partners that increases philanthropic support and advances a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization. The VP leads and manages the fundraising strategy for the entire organization, rigorously engaging individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government partners to grow overall financial resources and secure sustainable funding aligned with program relevance and expansion. The VP is responsible for planning, directing, and implementing a comprehensive, multi-million-dollar development program while developing and mentoring a high-performing advancement team. BBBSI seeks a seasoned leader to drive sustainable growth in partnership with the CEO, VP of Operations & Integration, Senior Leadership, the Governing Board, and the Board Advancement Committee. This role focuses on stewarding existing donors, expanding and diversifying the donor pipeline, driving new revenue, and strengthening advancement infrastructure for one of the nation’s leading BBBS agencies.  Candidates with strong ties to the communities BBBSI serves and to Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey are strongly preferred. Moderate travel to branch offices, community partners, and corporate partners is required, along with occasional evening and weekend work for fundraising and related events. 

 JOB RESPONSIBILITIES  

Leadership, Management & Accountability (35%) 

• Lead, manage, and inspire a staff toward accountable, goal-oriented outcomes.  

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising and marketing plan to advance revenue  goals, working closely with the CEO, VP Operations & Integration, consultants, and internal stakeholders.  

• Provide strategic leadership and hands-on oversight of Marketing and Communications functions to execute fundraising campaigns and secure high-level major gifts.  

• Partner with the CEO, VP Operations & Integration, and contracted lobbying support, as appropriate, to identify, pursue, and support federal, state, and local grant opportunities.  

• Serve as staff liaison to the Board Advancement Committee; partner with the CEO and VP Operations & Integration to keep the Governing Board informed of fundraising progress; support board onboarding, engagement, and fundraising capacity-building.  • Strengthen and ensure dynamic advancement processes across donor identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and pull-through, both within the Advancement team and across the agency.  

• Oversee the maintenance and effective use of Indyforce (Salesforce CRM); partner with Finance to ensure strong gift processing, reconciliation, and reporting practices.  

• Establish, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for Advancement. 

• Ensure compliance with all gift acceptance and fundraising regulations; proactively identify and mitigate compliance risks.  Fundraising (40%) 

 • Maintain and grow a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, securing major, principal, and planned gifts in support of $6.5M+ in annual fundraising, including at least $1M in new revenue annually through disciplined donor identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies. 

 • Expand major, corporate, and foundation giving in partnership with the Board Advancement Committee and senior leadership.  • Steward relationships with civic, business, corporate, government, and foundation leaders, serving as a visible and effective ambassador for BBBSI. 

 • Ensure accurate and timely donor data entry and portfolio management in Indyforce  (Salesforce).     Lead and support execution of the agency’s major signature fundraising events, including sponsorship development, donor cultivation, run-of-show planning, and post-event stewardship.  Strategy & Planning (25%)  

• Advance BBBSI’s mission and vision through an integrated advancement strategy, donor campaigns, and special events. 

 • Oversee all advancement channels, including annual giving, major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation relations, special events and sponsorships, alumni and donor relations, stewardship, and advancement services. 

 • Develop annual advancement plans and budgets; ensure alignment with organizational priorities and best practices. 

 • Develop and execute an integrated advancement marketing strategy leveraging internal capacity and external vendor support.

 • Perform all duties ethically and with integrity; maintain confidentiality and professionalism in all donor, board, and internal interactions.  

Requirements

Academic Requirements  

Bachelor’s degree preferred.  

Professional Requirements: Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, ideally within a human services or nonprofit environment; minimum of 5 years of people management experience.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office and donor CRMs required (Salesforce preferred).

Demonstrated ability to: 

• Collaborate with diverse constituencies  

• Build and lead comprehensive advancement programs  

• Develop and execute major fundraising events and campaigns 

• Develop and maintain government relationships 

• Cultivate and solicit major and principal gifts

• Oversee marketing and communications strategy, including brand management and revenue generating events  

• Lead cross-functional creative teams focused on storytelling and audience growth  

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES: A collaborative, results-driven leader with strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complexity with clarity. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence and engage diverse donors and stakeholders. Approachable, organized, adaptable, and able to work independently while contributing effectively as a senior team member.