Chief Philanthropy Officer (Development)

Key Responsibilities

The CPhO’s specific areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership

• Design and oversee the execution of a comprehensive donor-centric fund development strategy to grow and sustain various funding streams, expand institutional giving, and continue to build out individual giving, major gifts, and digital campaign programs.
• Monitor and analyze fund development metrics and financial data to evaluate progress toward goals and provide detailed reports on performance, revenue projections, and budgetary requirements to the Executive Director, senior leaders, and Board of Directors.
• Establish and monitor performance metrics and support the Executive Director and Board in evaluating development strategies and programs while also building and nurturing a culture of fundraising across the organization
• Collaborate with the Chief Communications Officer to create strategies, systems, and processes for cross-departmental partnerships in order to advance shared development and communications goals.

Fund Development

• Identify, cultivate, and enhance relationships with institutional funders and major donors in line with the overall development strategy, including establishing a donor progression track to encourage increased giving over time.
• Strategically solicit and secure revenue from individuals and foundations.
• Support the Executive Director and other senior leaders to engage with top prospects, conduct due diligence, and manage the preparation of briefing materials for in-person and virtual meetings.
• Assess the opportunity for growth of the nascent Individual and Corporate Giving program, alongside continued focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with institutional supporters.
• Ensure effective grant application processes, compliance with funder requirements, and accurate reporting.
• Collaborate with the Programs and Communications teams to craft clear narratives centered around organizational mission and impact, tailoring messages to high-net-worth and institutional prospects and donors.

Team and Organizational Leadership

• Supervise Philanthropy team staff and provide regular management and performance feedback and support, ensuring team members are best positioned for success.
• Provide professional development guidance and growth opportunities to all Philanthropy team staff, serving as coach or mentor.
• Lead regular team meetings to review team progress towards annual goals and plans and monitor capacity in alignment with Vote Solar’s Managers’ Vision of Excellence.
• Work with the Executive Director and other senior leaders to set annual goals; track and report fundraising progress on a regular basis.
• As a member of the senior leadership team, collaborate with other senior leaders to inform the direction and strategy of the organization and develop a culture of philanthropy among all staff.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

• Continue personal learning and contribute to organizational work on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Work to embed equity in all organizational internal practices and culture, as well as our programs.
• Bring openness and engagement to personal, professional, and organization-wide learning on race, class, gender, justice, and equity.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate for this role will have experience leading fundraising strategies for a growing organization and managing a team of fundraising professionals. This established leader will have expertise around fund development and cultivating relationships with donors in non-profit, environmental, climate change, and/or environmental justice spaces. The ideal candidate for this role will also have experience collaborating with other department leaders to set, implement, and track philanthropic and organizational goals as well as progress towards those goals.

This leader must have in-depth knowledge of the environmental and/or non-profit funding landscape and show proficiency in aligning the organization’s goals and impact with donor interests. The candidate should have a proven track record of monitoring results and key objectives, crafting effective and engaging fundraising communications, and collaborating with colleagues on strategy development for a dynamic organization. The ideal candidate will have successfully overseen multiple and varied fundraising initiatives, including grant proposals, digital campaigns, events, and engagement with individual and major donors. They should also possess strong management skills, creativity, attention to detail, excellent writing and editing abilities, and a solid knowledge of environmental justice issues. The CPhO will bring the ability to build and maintain donor relationships and develop compelling narratives while also diversifying and increasing funding streams.

Qualifications

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:

• 10+ years of nonprofit fundraising; experience in a leadership role at clean energy or environment focused organizations preferred
• 5 years of management experience and a collaborative and inclusive approach to team development.
• Proficiency in effectively collaborating with an Executive Director/CEO, senior leadership members, and staff across the organization to develop and implement fundraising strategies and processes.
• A visionary mindset capable of spearheading innovative approaches and engagement strategies, with a talent for adapting to rapidly changing external environments and capitalizing on new opportunities.
• Highly skilled in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and transformational gifts with a proven track record of successful revenue generation; possesses extensive knowledge and expertise in all core areas of fundraising including foundation proposals, digital campaigns, major gifts, individual giving, corporate giving, and events.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate the organization’s mission and impact to diverse audiences.
• Ability to incorporate equity and justice into successful fundraising strategies.
• Demonstrated leadership ability, with experience managing and coaching staff while also collaborating with other senior leaders on organization-wide strategies and initiatives.
• Technological savvy, with proficiency in multiple platforms and a background in implementing new software and tools. Salesforce experience preferred.
• Proven ability as a creative and compelling storyteller, adept at blending research and data with powerful narratives to effectively convey organizational impact and objectives.
• Proven track record in creating, monitoring, and reporting on metrics and key performance indicators to assess and track the success of fundraising strategies and implementation.