Remote location in Atlanta, New York City, Miami or hybrid role in Los Angeles or Bay Area preferred.
THE ORGANIZATION:
Small business owners uplift communities and anchor local economies, while creating opportunities for themselves, their families, their employees, and our neighborhoods. Yet entrepreneurs who are people of color, women, and immigrants often struggle to secure capital and resources, as they are systematically shut out from traditional financing.
Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) Community Development is an unparalleled financial support system that provides these small business owners with access to capital, networks, and coaching. We work to build inclusive and accessible options for these determined business owners. For over 25 years, we have served a client base that is nearly 90% women, people of color, or immigrants.
In addition to providing resources and loans to small businesses, we also conduct original research, advocate for policy changes, and finance community construction projects in low-income neighborhoods through our New Markets Tax Credit program.
Together, we are building a diverse, vibrant community where opportunity, knowledge, and access to capital are within reach.
For more information about us, visit https://aofund.org/
ROLE SUMMARY:
AOF seeks an experienced and dynamic fundraising team leader. This is an exceptional opportunity for an energetic professional with strong frontline fundraising skills to play a key role in advancing the development function and galvanizing nation-wide donor engagement in support of our mission. Reporting to the SVP of Strategic Partnerships and Programs under the Chief Revenue Officer, The Vice President of Development will manage a team responsible for prospect research, identifying and securing fundraising from institutional and individual donors, as well as the infrastructure and operations required to support the fundraising line of business for AOF. The VP of Development will serve as an essential thought partner to the CEO and Chief Development Officer by helping to develop and implement strategies that will enable AOF to maintain and increase funding from existing donors and identify new donors for the organization.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- In cooperation and collaboration with other members of the Development team and the Chief Development Officer, plan, direct, and coordinate development activities for AOF.
- Oversee fundraising for individual and institutional audiences, including HNW individuals, wealth advisors and family offices, foundations, impact investors, and annual donors.
- Develop, implement, and achieve best practices and strategic plans for engaging institutional and individual donors in long-term, meaningful relationships, to increase and sustain private support from institutional and individual donors and investors.
- Identify, qualify, engage, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors and prospects with the potential to make a gift of $25K +, or have capacity to increase their giving.
- Ensure that the team is positioned and capable to help plan donor visits for the CEO and Chief Development Officer and the required follow-up including, but not limited to, prospect research, call plans, grant proposals, thank you letters, marketing materials, etc.
- Activate new leads from a robust prospect pool and from new prospect lists generated from research.
- In partnership with Marketing, design, oversee, and lead implementation of compelling and effective prospecting events in local markets.
- Be directly involved in the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts and investments; effectively communicate the mission, values, and impact of AOF.
- Collaborate with marketing team members to develop communication materials and donor engagement strategies to solicit, engage and cultivate, and retain donors.
- Identify and develop diversification and fundraising revenue initiative including annual giving and estate/planned giving.
- Partner with program directors and staff to craft compelling proposals, presentations, and impact reports that can be consistently used for multiple solicitations to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the group.
- Partner with and equip the Board Development committee, CEO, Chief Development Officer, and other executive staff to deliver and activate fundraising leads.
- On a weekly basis, ensure that the Donor Tactical meeting is taking place to ensure solicitation and fundraising goals are on track and, together with the SVP Strategic Partnerships, Chief Development Officer and/or CEO, recommend activities to course correct.
- Manage Development Operations team to ensure strategic and optimal use of our data, systems & support function.
MUST HAVES:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and accomplishments
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in fundraising or advancement, with at least three years of national fundraising, and seven to ten years of management experience.
- A persuasive, intuitive, and persistent team collaborator who takes initiative and has incredible follow-through, organizational skills and who shares a passion for AOF’s vision and mission.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment and demonstrates flexibility in meeting shifting demands and priorities.
- Demonstrated success in building long-term relationships with donors, foundations, and corporate audiences at a national level.
- Strong analytic and strategic-thinking skills, with a demonstrated ability to create, implement, and monitor complex plans, then translate those plans into attainable goals and actionable strategies.
- Demonstrated experience with data analysis and donor databases/CRM systems, Salesforce preferred.
- Demonstrated track record of management and leadership with a progressive level of responsibility, a proven ability to work cross functional within units, as well as across an institution to achieve/exceed annual strategic goals.
- Track record of successfully establishing and nurturing effective working relationships with organizational leadership, Board members, committee, donors, prospects, and team members.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
NICE TO HAVES:
- Experience in working with and building relationships with wealth advisors, charitable giving organizations and family offices serving high-level-capacity donors.
- Experience in fundraising for economic development, financial health and/or Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), the latter at a large scale CDFI.
- Experience in impact investing.
- CFRE certification.
PERKS AND BENEFITS:
Our mission is what motivates us to come to work each day. We know that happy employees are productive employees, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- An environment that values work-life balance and monthly remote work reimbursements
- 100% company-funded Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability coverage for employees (Based upon your plan selection). 90% company-funded dependent coverage (Based upon your plan selection) as well as Flexible Spending Accounts
- Voluntary benefits with payroll deduction for Supplemental Life & AD&D insurance and legal plans
- Tax deferred & Roth 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
- Unlimited vacation policy, 12 paid holidays, 10 sick days, and paid parental leave
We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion at AOF. AOF does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
Salary Range*: $151,604 - $201,182
*Please note that the above salary range is a national range, and compensation is dependent upon the candidate’s experience and skill level.
