Vice President, Institutional Development

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks a Vice President, Institutional Development (ID), to lead agency-wide institutional fundraising, developing and implementing a strategic vision for the department in line with HIAS’ 2030 Strategy. The Vice President, Institutional Development will oversee the day-to-day operations of the team, driving growth from public and private funders, including foundations, corporations, government, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors. They will represent HIAS at external institutional donor and partnership meetings, cultivating and stewarding donors and partners for pre-positioning, capture and solicitation purposes.

The Vice President, Institutional Development will lead the ID team in developing and submitting high-quality proposals, reports, and funding requests, working closely with Programs, Finance, Operations and other internal departments to produce proposals that are in line with HIAS polices and donor guidelines. They will identify potential new institutional donors, expanding funding opportunities for all of HIAS’ signature approaches both in the US and globally. The Vice President, Institutional Development will guide the ID team in building the capacity of program and country-level colleagues to engage in business development processes, including proposal development and cost-recovery guidelines.

They will report directly to the Chief External Relations Officer (CERO) and manage and mentor ID staff as they contribute to diversifying the agency’s funding portfolio and promoting financial sustainability. They will be a critical piece of the team infrastructure within the External Relations Division, working across departments to help inform and build bridges between departments to ensure and implement a clear external relations strategy.

Note, the salary range for this position is $170,000.00-200,000.00. This position can be based at our headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland or our office in New York, New York, or it can be remote for applicants who live outside of commuting distance to either of our offices and are based in other states in which we are registered (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

STRATEGIC VISION & LEADERSHIP

• Lead the execution of the team’s strategic plan for institutional development in coordination with the CERO.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align ID initiatives with the organization’s 2030 Strategy.
• Provide forward-thinking leadership on fundraising strategies, partnerships and institutional donor engagement across an array of funders, including foundations, corporations, government, bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions.

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the ID department, providing supervision, guidance, support, and professional development to staff.
• Implement systems and processes to streamline operations, track progress, and assess performance.
• Ensure quality information management related to grants by leveraging advanced knowledge management tools and overseeing the regular maintenance of grant files, reporting calendars, and updating of internal HIAS records.
• Working alongside divisional leadership to ensure operational excellence across external relations departments.

FUNDRAISING & DONOR RELATIONS

• Lead the development and coordination of proposals for institutional funders, working closely with Program and Finance teams to ensure quality and consistency across the organization, and adhere to donor/HIAS guidelines and policies.
• Represent the organization with key donors and stakeholders through cultivation, solicitation and stewardship to increase HIAS’ profile and funding portfolio.
• Support Country Directors and other country office staff to research and identify potential funders, contributing to HIAS’ national, regional and global fundraising strategies.
• Maintain ongoing familiarity of specific opportunities within US and international OECD/DAC donors and UN organizations that align with HIAS’ priorities.

COLLABORATION & COMMUNICATION

• Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams, including Programs, Finance, Operations, and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen country offices’ capacity to follow agency-wide business development processes and cost-recovery guidelines through training and workshops.
• Ensure ID activities are fully integrated with other external relations departments, including Marketing/Communications and Development.

DATA ANALYSIS

• Monitor team performance and adjust strategies as needed to ensure success.
• Prepare and present regular reports for the Chief External Relations Officer and other executive leadership on ID progress, challenges, and financial outcomes, drawing on data from CRM system.
• Analyze trends in philanthropy and institutional giving to inform decision-making and identify new opportunities; ensure the opportunity vetting process runs smoothly across the ID team.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Undergraduate degree required; graduate degree in International Relations, Communications, or other relevant social science preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in institutional development, fundraising or a related field, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
• A proven track record in proposal development, grant writing and relationship and partnership management.
• Significant experience in researching and identifying major new foundations, corporate and government funding prospects. Successful experience obtaining grants from institutional donors including private foundations, corporations, and government agencies such as PRM, USAID, GAC, FCDO and other OECD/DAC donors.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working with a CRM to input and analyze data.
• Significant financial and budget management experience and skills.
• Previous professional or volunteer work in refugee assistance and/or international development; knowledge of social service and social justice programs in the Jewish community a plus.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills; must demonstrate a strong sense of vision, a collaborative work style, and the capacity to engage support for HIAS.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment; able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
• Travel, to include travel to insecure operating environments, may be required.

EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION:

All employees are expected to represent the organization in alignment with HIAS' mission, vision and values. Some employees of HIAS are expected to speak externally on behalf of the organization with clients, donors, affiliates, partners, etc. as part of their work-related responsibilities. Applicants for these roles acknowledge and accept the inherent risk associated with external representation of HIAS.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts and history of the Jewish people—a history of oppression, displacement and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation or other legally protected status.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We strongly encourage applicants of diverse identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply even if you do not meet all required qualifications but have other qualifications relevant to the role that would make you a great fit for this role with HIAS!

SAFEGUARDING:

HIAS is committed to the protection of children, vulnerable adults and any other person from any harm caused directly or indirectly due to their coming into contact with HIAS. We will not tolerate sexual exploitation, abuse or any form of child abuse or neglect by our staff or associated personnel. Any candidate offered a job with HIAS will be expected to sign and adhere to HIAS’ Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policies. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records. HIAS also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. Likewise, HIAS will share this information when other organizations inquire about current and former HIAS staff as part of their recruitment process. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.