POSITION SUMMARY:
The Vice President of Philanthropy is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and leading the YMCA’s philanthropic strategy, with a primary focus on growing major gifts and planned giving. Reporting to the CEO and serving as a key member of the executive team, the VP of Philanthropy will deepen donor relationships, expand philanthropic support, and build the relationships, systems, and readiness needed to support future strategic and capital priorities.
Working in close partnership with the Director of Development, as a direct report, the Vice President will help create a coordinated approach to annual giving, major gifts, donor stewardship, events, and legacy giving. The Vice President of Philanthropy will personally manage relationships with the YMCA’s highest-capacity donors and prospects and serve as a key philanthropic partner to the CEO, Board of Directors, and volunteers.
OUR CULTURE:
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger beginning with you.
REPORTS TO:
Chief Excecutive Officer (CEO)
PAY:
$145,000/annual
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Major Gifts Strategy and Donor Leadership
- Develop and lead a comprehensive major gifts strategy designed to increase philanthropic support from individuals, families, foundations, corporations and other community partners.
- Build and manage a focused portfolio of major gift prospects and donors.
- Personally cultivate, solicit and steward significant five- and six-figure gifts, managing key donor relationships, and when appropriate, providing the CEO, Board members, and other organizational leaders with the strategy, preparation, and follow-through needed to participate effectively.
- Develop individualized strategies to advance the YMCA’s highest-priority donor and prospect relationships.
- Establish consistent prospect management and moves-management practices, including portfolio review, activity tracking, revenue forecasting, and progress reporting.
- Ensure major gift opportunities are grounded in the YMCA’s strategic priorities, program impact, financial assistance needs, facility needs, and long-term vision.
Planned & Legacy Giving
- Develop and grow a planned and legacy giving program aligned with the YMCA’s donor base and long-term philanthropic goals.
- Identify and cultivate donors with the interest and capacity to make bequests, beneficiary designations, gifts of appreciated assets, charitable trusts, and other planned gifts.
- Work with donors and their professional advisors to facilitate planned gifts.
- Integrate planned giving into major donor cultivation, recognition, and long-term stewardship.
Strategic & Capital Priorities
- Build the philanthropic relationships, prospect pipeline, internal systems, and volunteer engagement needed to support future strategic and capital priorities.
- Partner with the CEO and Board leadership to identify and cultivate donors whose interests align with the YMCA’s long-term vision.
- Contribute fundraising expertise to organizational planning, case development, donor communications, and the identification of compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Support future campaign planning and implementation in coordination with organizational leadership.
Board & Volunteer Engagement
- Help strengthen a culture of philanthropy among the Board of Directors, senior leadership, staff, and key volunteers.
- Equip and support the Board of Directors and volunteers to participate in donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Staff the Board's philanthropy/resource development committee and provide regular reporting on fundraising activity, donor engagement, pipeline development, and revenue progress.
- Match Board members and volunteers with appropriate donor and community engagement opportunities based on their relationships, interests, and comfort level.
Team & Organizational Leadership
- Provide strategic leadership, supervision, and support to the Director of Development and other development staff, ensuring alignment and coordination across the YMCA’s fundraising program.
- Partner with the CEO to prioritize and advance the YMCA’s most important donor relationships, providing the strategy, preparation, and follow-through needed for effective engagement.
- Work across departments to translate the YMCA’s programs, impact, and funding priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop donor-facing materials, proposals, cases for support, and stewardship communications.
Fundraising Operations
- Develop and manage the philanthropy budget, revenue projections, and progress reporting to the CEO and Board.
- Ensure consistent use of the donor database (CRM) for prospect tracking, relationship management, gift documentation and reporting; establish KPIs for portfolio activity and dollars raised.
- Strengthen fundraising policies and practices related to gift acceptance, acknowledgment, stewardship, donor recognition, and confidentiality.
- Represent the YMCA at community, donor, and public events, effectively communicating its mission, impact, and philanthropic priorities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFRE certification preferred.
- Minimum 7 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including significant experience in major gifts, donor cultivation, and relationship-based fundraising.
- Demonstrated track record of personally closing five- and six-figure gifts.
- Prior capital campaign experience strongly preferred.
- Experience building or scaling a planned giving program preferred.
- Experience supervising, coaching, or leading development staff strongly preferred.
Skills & Attributes
- Exceptional relationship-building skills and the ability to develop strong, authentic relationships with donors, community leaders, corporate partners, foundation representatives, Board members, and volunteers.
- Strategic and hands-on leader who can build systems, manage priorities, and personally advance important donor relationships.
- Skilled at engaging Board members and volunteers in fundraising roles that reflect their relationships, interests, and comfort level.
- Collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively with the CEO, senior staff, program leaders, development staff, and volunteers.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including donor correspondence, proposals, cases for support, presentations, and stewardship communications.
- Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple relationships, priorities, and deadlines with consistency and attention to detail.
- Proficiency with donor database systems, prospect management, fundraising reporting and moves-management practices.
- High emotional intelligence, discretion, and integrity in handling confidential donor and financial information.
- Alignment with and enthusiasm for the YMCA mission, cause-driven work, and community impact.
Other Requirements
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evening and weekend commitments, as well as limited overnight travel for YMCA conferences and professional development.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer for extended periods of time and be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
- The employee frequently is required to sit and reach, and must be able to move around the work environment.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
- Ability to work in excess of a 40-hour week with irregular hours.
SALARY/BENEFITS:
- Salary is competitive and based on experience.
- The YMCA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance, retirement plan, generous vacation, and paid holidays.
I understand and agree to perform all duties listed above. In order to enhance the overall operation of the YMCA of Greenwich and to support teamwork, I will accept additional responsibilities as assigned.
