Position Summary: United Way of Allegheny County seeks an individual to lead the organization as their chief fundraising strategist and provide overall direction to workplace giving, major gifts, marketing, communications, corporate relations, and planned giving. The person must formulate growth in fundraising and develop new revenue streams with a special emphasis on growing the Tocqueville campaign (Gifts of $10,000 or greater) including gifts of $100,000 or more. The person should be effective at meeting with and influencing corporate leaders, foundations and high-wealth individuals. The person will be responsible for planning and formulating growth oriented fundraising strategies for campaigns and the development of new revenue streams. Provide leadership, direction, and evaluation of staff in meeting the goals and objectives of the United Way of Allegheny County. Enhance relationships with existing corporate partners and donors, and engage new and prospective partners and donors to maximize donations. Reports directly to the President and CEO and is a member of the Senior Management Team.

Proven success in securing six figure gifts and managing a major gifts team. Experienced mentor who can provide vision and motivation, and has proven success securing and increasing revenue from multiple sources. Bachelor degree in sales, marketing, communications or business administration or a related field; at least ten years of sales or fundraising, and management experience in either for profit public/private companies or nonprofit organization.

Major Responsibilities

Fundraising

• Developing, recommending, and implementing strategic and entrepreneurial fundraising tactics designed to maximize campaign results.
  • Analyzing current business trends and previous campaign results and recommending changes in fundraising strategies and tactics as needed.
• Providing direct management of relationships with key corporate leaders and highest-level donors and developing new relationships with prospective partners.
• Develop major gifts of over $50,000 that can help United Way advance it community change agenda. This will be done by: identifying corporate prospects and highest level donors, researching their areas of support, cultivating relationships with key gatekeepers, preparing proposals, making the case for their participation, and managing the relationships.

Managing and Leading

• Maintaining a climate to attract, motivate, develop and retain a high caliber fundraising team as well as providing appropriate coaching and mentoring.
• Leading staff in the development of individual annual work plans outlining goals, key strategies, and tactics and holding staff accountable for executing and achieving UWAC resource development goals.

Collaborating

• Actively participating and collaborating on UWAC's leadership team.
• Partnering with staff and other UWAC departments to make the best case for successful fundraising.
• Effectively partnering with the Board of Directors and other volunteers leaders to successfully design and achieve the agency’s fundraising goals.

Marketing and trends

• Oversee and manage the creation and development of all solicitation, marketing, media and collateral materials related to workplace, fundraising, and corporate partnerships.
• Keep abreast of current economic, philanthropic, political, legislative, technical, and general community and business trends that may affect the organization and its relationships in the community. Recommend appropriate organizational responses to conditions.

Key skills, experience, and capabilities

The ideal candidate will have proven success in securing six figure gifts and managing a major gifts team. This person will be an experienced mentor who can provide vision and motivation for the fundraising/development department and who has proven success securing and increasing revenue from multiple sources. He or she should have at least ten years of sales or fundraising, and management experience in either for profit public/private companies or nonprofit organization. Educational credentials should include a Bachelor degree in sales, marketing, communications or business administration or a related field.

The SVP will be an energetic, persuasive, confident, salesperson and leader who has an understanding of and passion for the mission of UWAC and can sell community change. This person will be creative with an entrepreneurial and competitive spirit and a desire to win; be self motivated, have exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills; preferred candidates will have experience in working with a Board of Directors to further fundraising goals. In addition, the ideal candidate should demonstrate the following:

Sales and Business Development: This candidate will have significant (ten or more years preferred) experience in fundraising or corporate sales, including demonstrated success in asking for and closing major gifts and maintaining long-term relationships with individuals and corporations. Will have record of achievement as a major gift fundraiser, including the identification, solicitation, and stewardship of $10,000+ donors; Must have exceptional consultative sales skills and experience including ability to network and strong sales management, coaching, and motivational skills. Will not be shaken by rejection and can take personal responsibility when things don’t go well.

Managing and Leading: The ideal candidate should have a transparent leadership style and be good at delegating and highlighting the work of others. Must be comfortable making decisions within a consensus building culture, but will also have the ability to prioritize and push back when necessary in order to meet ambitious growth goals. Requires an extensive supervisory experience of professional staff – demonstrating an ability to effectively lead, inspire, mentor, and develop a goal-oriented staff to achieve optimal results.

Proven Results-Will have: a proven track record of exceeding sales goals and a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; persistence and problem solving and creative resourcefulness.

Action Oriented-enjoys working hard and looks for challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available; a bold risk-taker who is not afraid to take charge of a situation; can overcome resistance and is willing to take an unpopular stands when necessary

Strategic Vision and Agility-ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the fundraising plan

Leadership and Organization-exceptional capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder and team player with the ability to connect to staff and board both on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to enforce accountability, develop and empower top-notch leaders from the bottom up, cultivate entrepreneurship, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team so as to put people in a position to succeed.

Performance Objectives

It is anticipated that once the person hired into this position has been fully trained and acclimated to the organization they will be able to achieve goals similar to those indicated below:

• Provide strategic leadership for the major gifts and workplace team; create an environment of success for major gifts that includes effective management of staff, strong follow up with donors and identifying new opportunities for giving.
• Development and execution of a strategic plan for multi-year growth of revenue generated from major gift donors.
• Personally manage a significant portfolio of leading major gift donors/prospects. Develop and manage the fundraising strategy for these donors with primary responsibility for cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to Jody Berbach at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .