Vice President of National Philanthropy

Description

Reading Partners is changing the education landscape. We are a leader in working to solve the literacy crisis in our country by leveraging community volunteers in under-resourced schools.

Our diverse and expansive volunteer base provides one-on-one tutoring to students twice weekly, and our program is proven to help children master the reading fundamentals they need to unlock their potential as successful, happy, and confident readers in school and in life.

Our people are our heartbeat and our greatest resource; we are all passionately rallied around our mission to help children become lifelong learners by empowering communities to provide individualized instruction that truly works.

Join our stellar, committed team leading the charge to deepen our impact and expand our service. to learn more about the mission and core tutoring work of Reading Partners.

The High Level :

Reading Partners is actively seeking a dynamic and innovative professional to join our team as the Vice President of National Philanthropy (VPNP).

This newly established leadership position offers an exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual driven by a deep commitment to raising resources for literacy and advancing race, equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI).

If you are passionate about fostering equal access to literacy instruction for students through fundraising initiatives, this role presents a compelling prospect to make a meaningful impact.

Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer (CGO), the VPNP will play a critical role in leading fundraising efforts for Reading Partners by increasing support from corporate and individual donors for long-term funding sustainability.

The VPNP will develop and execute a strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity individuals and corporate partners to support Reading Partners’ overarching fundraising strategy.

The VPNP will supervise a team of two and partner with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Growth Officer (CGO), national board members, and other national and regional development staff to raise more funds.

Location : This position is remote but requires candidates to reside within one of Reading Partners’ regions. Reading Partners markets include : Baltimore, MD, Denver, CO, Charleston, SC, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, North Texas (Dallas and Fort Worth), San Francisco Bay Area, CA, Seattle, WA, Silicon Valley, CA, Twin Cities, MN, Tulsa, OK, and Washington,

What you’ll do :

Lead Corporate and Major Gifts Strategy - 80%

• Curate and elevate a successful org-wide corporate engagement strategy that supports development at the national and regional levels.
• Develop and execute a strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity individuals and corporate partners to support Reading Partners’ overarching fundraising strategy.
• Cultivate existing and new donors to achieve annual fundraising targets, aiming for a total of $ from corporate and individual donors in FY25, and planning for a minimum growth rate of 14% annually to align with the organization’s three-year strategic plan.
• Identify, secure, and renew a portfolio of high-net-worth individual donors giving
• Strategize and partner with the CEO, CGO, and board members to create compelling pitches and proposals for major donors and corporate partners.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to develop impactful materials and collateral for corporate and major donor prospects.
• Partner with regional development teams to create and execute major donor and corporate strategies for national / regional collaboration gifts.
• Oversee the measurement and tracking of performance metrics against corporate and individual giving goals and strategic initiatives.
• Collaborate with VP of Strategic Partnerships & Growth (VPSPG) on strategic ways to increase philanthropic support for our partnership model, while leading on outreach to corporate and individual donors for this body of work.

Leadership & People Management (10%)

• Support and manage a team of three fundraisers who specifically focus on increasing corporate and or individual giving.
• Participate in leadership teams for high-priority projects, initiatives, and strategies for the organization.
• Develop and implement best-in-class standards for individuals and corporate donor stewardship across the network.
• Reinforce and lead National Development culture and values and ensure alignment with organizational strategy within the organization-wide development network.
• Ensure there is a deep commitment to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI) across the team and development network and help lead the incorporation of key principles of REDI work into fundraising policies and practices.

Board Engagement (10%)

• Support the CGO and CEO in executing stewardship and development plans for the Board of Directors.
• Work with the CEO to identify and recruit national board members from strategic corporate spaces and explore other corporate advisory opportunities.

How you’ll do it :

Leadership & Management :

• Serve as a member of the national development leadership team to drive decisions on future strategy, team culture, internal communications, and inter-departmental or organizational-wide fundraising initiatives.
• Lead your team members toward meeting and exceeding the aggressive fundraising goals set by the organization.
• Supervise a team of three (with two- direct reports), ensuring they work efficiently and meet their targets.

Relationship Development

Externally :

• Cultivate and manage external relationships, driving successful external relations and partnership development.
• Deliver compelling messaging and customized experiences that resonate with diverse stakeholders, resulting in enhanced engagement and support.
• Exude genuine enthusiasm and passion for connecting with donors and external partners, fostering meaningful and enduring connections.
• Excel in building deep relationships with corporate partners and donors, leading to increased contributions and expanded networking opportunities.

Internally :

• Foster a collaborative and positive work environment by establishing strong relationships with all team members, with a focus on regional development staff.
• Drive successful collaborative fundraising efforts through effective teamwork and relationship-building within the organization.
• Display a thirst for knowledge, growth, and making valuable contributions, actively seeking to understand all facets of our program model to effectively communicate externally.

Revenue Generation :

• Demonstrate extensive expertise in conducting comprehensive research, effectively identifying prospective donors / corporate partners, and driving ongoing development efforts in rapidly growing organizations.
• Exhibit genuine enthusiasm for cultivating and maximizing relationships to bolster both regional and national expansion efforts.
• Display a skilled ability to nurture, develop, and steward donor relationships to drive revenue growth on both regional and national scales.
• Embody an entrepreneurial mindset and exhibit creativity, resulting in the integration of innovative ideas and ultimately the strengthening of a relatively new funding stream for Reading Partners.
• Demonstrate an ability to close gifts and successfully make asks that advance Reading Partners’ mission.

Communication :

Serve as an ambassador of Reading Partners, effectively communicating the organization’s mission through captivating written and verbal communications.

Skillfully convey complex ideas through concise, impactful materials.

• Quickly establish credibility when engaging external audiences to promote Reading Partners, exhibiting a high degree of comfort and poise with donors and Board members.
• Internally, adeptly communicate donor strategy, progress, and next steps to colleagues and supporters involved in fundraising, ensuring clarity and alignment across the team.
• Regularly maintain the portfolio management system (Salesforce) with comprehensive donor information, including action items and historical data.

Strategic Thinking :

• Demonstrate an ability to develop innovative strategic fundraising plans for major gifts, create action steps, and mobilize many stakeholders to achieve fundraising goals.
• Build sustainable strategies to maximize individual giving, surpass fundraising targets, and substantially expand funding opportunities.

About you!

You’ll be successful in this role if you :

• Reside within one of Reading Partners’ regions. Reading Partners markets include : Baltimore, MD, Denver, CO, Charleston, SC, Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY, North Texas (Dallas and Fort Worth), San Francisco Bay Area, CA, Seattle, WA, Silicon Valley, CA, Twin Cities, MN, Tulsa, OK, and Washington,
• Have 8+ years of professional and progressive fundraising experience with managing a large portfolio of donors and securing six and seven-figure gifts.

Experience as an executive director or a nonprofit leadership team member is preferred.

• Have specific experience with soliciting and stewarding high net-worth individuals and corporate partners.
• Have experience managing a layered fundraising team.
• Are an energetic professional with a demonstrated track record of building and maintaining successful senior stakeholder management.
• Have exceptional written and verbal communication skills appropriate to engage an external audience.
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills.
• Have experience navigating relationships with high-level stakeholders to problem-solve and lead in challenging and intricate situations.
• Are a self-starter with a focus on results and the ability to persevere through challenges to reach goals.
• Possess a proactive and optimistic mindset, always ready to take on challenges and find solutions.
• Have a Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, or equivalent experience in the fundraising field.
• Boast a deep belief in our mission.
• Are dedicated to promoting and upholding the principles of race equity, diversity, and inclusion in your leadership and fundraising approach.
• Demonstrate a deep belief in our mission, and commitment to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and root your work in our .
• Ability to prove eligibility to work legally in the

Bonus Points if you :

• Have an MBA, MPA, or similar degree.
• Have a high degree of comfort with Salesforce.
• Have experience fundraising in growing, national nonprofit organizations.
• Are an AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, or other national service alum / alumna.
• Have experience working in the launch or growth phases of organizations.

What we offer :

Reading Partners’ compensation and benefits programs are designed to attract, motivate, engage, and retain top talent to propel our mission forward.

We aim to set salaries based on objective, external, high-quality market data. Our salaries are adjusted for candidates in different geographic regions.

We do our very best to ensure that we’re bringing our best offer - therefore we do not engage in salary negotiations.

We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. The pay range for this position is $170,723 - $200,850 per year and is contingent on geographic location.

After applying, candidates who move forward in the hiring process are provided with the salary for their geographical location.

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, generous paid time off, commuter benefits, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and currently a 403(b) match option.
• Professional development reimbursement fund up to $1,000 per year.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) benefits for regular employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week.
• We offer an exciting and dynamic culture, and we commit to investing in and supporting our amazing people to grow their careers with us.

The other things you need to know :

• This role is remote-based.
• Travel : This position will travel approximately six times per year. This includes travel to meet with Reading Partners’ donors an average of four to five times per year;

plus team-based retreats, which could be one to two additional trips per year.

What’s Next?

If you’re interested in joining our Reading Partners team, please submit the following application materials to our online job posting :

A cover letter describing your interest in Reading Partners and how your past experience has prepared you for this role.

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