Senior Vice President of Development

  • League of Conservation Voters
  • Washington, DC
  • Jan 02, 2022
Full time Management Nonprofit-Social Services

Job Description

Title: Senior Vice President (SVP) of Development

Department: Development

Status: Exempt

Reports To: President

Positions Reporting To This Position: VP of Development Partnerships, VP of GiveGreen, VP of Membership & Direct Response Fundraising, VP of Membership & Development Operations, VP of Marketing and Engagement, Special Assistant to Development

Location: Washington DC preferred. Other locations considered.

Union Position: No

Job Classification Level: M-V

Salary Range (depending on experience): $140,000-$250,000

 

General Description:

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) believes our Earth is worth fighting for because everyone has a right to clean air, water, and a safe, healthy community. To ensure those rights are protected, we help people use their power to shape policy, hold politicians and polluters accountable, and influence elections.

 

For more than 50 years, LCV has grown into a potent political force for protecting our planet and everyone who inhabits it. We work to elect climate and democracy champions, and hold elected officials accountable to deliver on the ambitious change the public wants and science demands. We have built a powerful national movement with 30 state affiliates, with highly effective and impactful grassroots and community organizing programs across the country. Core to all of this work is our commitment to advance racial justice and equity.

 

At LCV, we approach our work through our organizational values -- accountability, anti-racism, community, innovation, learning, and sustainability -- and we are seeking a leader who will help us maintain and expand our fundraising efforts with a deep commitment to these values.

 

The SVP of Development is a key leadership position that reports to the President, works closely with the Board of Directors and serves on the Executive Team. The SVP of Development will have the exciting opportunity to lead the largest department at LCV in raising over $100 Million+ annually through a combination of membership, major gifts, institutional giving, and special events fundraising.

 

The SVP is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of our fundraising efforts, ensuring that we set ambitious yet achievable goals by providing leadership, vision, and evaluation of the Development department's performance, as well as managing relationships with some of our most important donors. The SVP will lead a skilled and growing team of over 40 development professionals in achieving the organization’s revenue goals, increasing income, and engaging more individuals and institutions in the work and values of LCV (501c4) and related entities, including LCV Education Fund (501c3), LCV Victory Fund (SuperPAC), LCV Action Fund (PAC), GiveGreen (Candidate fundraising), and the broader network of 30 state affiliates collectively called the Conservation Voter Movement (CVM).

 

The ideal candidate will bring a strong track record of overseeing sizable fundraising departments with varied and complex revenue streams, be a creative and thoughtful leader with demonstrated skills as a strong manager of people and systems, and have the ability to plan for and respond to growth. The SVP will need to have a deep commitment to protecting the environment and democracy and a dedication to centering racial justice and equity in all aspects of their work.

 

Responsibilities:

Development Department Management

  • Set and drive a clear vision for the Development department that advances organization-wide strategies, goals, and change processes.
  • Provide leadership, strategic direction, oversight, and the efficient coordination for the development team to execute the development plan and to monitor progress toward these goals.
  • Lead the fundraising team's creation of a strategic vision for advancing our deep commitment to anti-racism.
  • Manage, develop, and retain a growing team of 40+ development professionals and actively cultivate a culture of collaboration, openness, trust, equity, inclusion, and support within the department, and in its work with other departments.
  • Lead the building, implementation, and adoption of systems and practices that support intra- and inter-departmental collaboration, integration, communication, and relationship building. Across functions, programs and campaigns, promote a fundraising culture of trust, support, resource sharing, and transparency.
  • Prepare yearly and mid-year budgets in collaboration with the Development department leadership team and Finance department, sign invoices and contracts for the department, monitor revenue and expense budgets.

 

Fundraising Strategy and Implementation

  • Plan and direct a comprehensive, complex fundraising operation that includes maintaining and growing annual revenues of $100M+ from membership, mid-level donors, major donor principal giving, planned giving, foundations and other institutional funders.
  • Lead the department’s focus on expanding the racial diversity of the donor and activist base at all levels, and ensure fundraising strategies foster inclusion of donors and activists of color.
  • Own, manage, and grow a select portfolio of principal gift individual donors, institutional funders, and prospects.
  • Develop a vision and practices that increase integration and coordination of fundraising across the CVM, which is our network of 30+ state affiliates.
  • In coordination with NRDC Action Votes & NRDC Action Fund PAC, ensure that GiveGreen, a multi-million dollar candidate fundraising program, is staffed, resourced, and set up to succeed.
  • In collaboration with the Executive Team, Communications Department, and other senior development staff, create unified and inclusive messages and marketing frames to motivate and inspire individual and institutional donors and prospects at all levels to support LCV and LCVEF’s missions.
  • Coordinate with operations and campaigns teams to boost the use of data to inform goals and priorities. Work with the development team on short-and long-term revenue forecasting for membership, mid-level and major donor (individual and institutional) programs.

 

Executive Team Leadership and Organization-wide Goals

  • Instill a culture of philanthropy throughout LCV.
  • In collaboration with the Board of Directors and other senior leaders of the organization, help to develop and execute the overarching organizational direction, goals and strategies.
  • Cultivate strong relationships with the Boards of Directors to drive deeper engagement in stewardship and the fundraising process. Collaborate on recruitment of new Board members with an eye towards creating more age, race, and gender diversity.

 

Qualifications:

  • Work Experience: Required - Minimum of 15 years experience leading a robust and complex fundraising operation, with direct experience and knowledge of the full spectrum of development, including planned giving, gift solicitations, institutional fundraising, stewardship, digital and membership, as well as significant staff management. Experience utilizing analytics, data segmentation and reporting to leverage and maximize growth, including retention, upgrade and lapsed strategies. Senior leadership experience and track record of working across multiple program areas and legal entities. Preferred - Electoral campaign experience. Familiarity with grants management and tracking across a large and growing organization. Experience in securing support for 501 (c)(3), 501(c)(4), PAC, and Super PAC contributions. Experience with operationalizing equity and developing equity and justice rooted fundraising strategies. Experience working in and raising money in organizations with an affiliated network structure.
  • Skills: Deep commitment to the organization's mission and values. High level of cultural competence and ability to lead on issues of racial justice and equity. Proven track record leading a diverse and large team -- including deep experience overseeing staff, hiring, nurturing and developing talent. Proven track record utilizing innovative strategies to maximize fundraising efforts. Proven ability to personally cultivate, solicit, and steward individual and foundation donors at five to seven figure levels. Demonstrated strength in prospect discovery and in building effective strategies to compel new major donor investments. Experience integrating giving programs at various levels to cultivate greater donor commitments. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with various constituencies, including the Board of Directors and various Board committees, other department heads, program directors, staff, and donors. Strong track record of developing and building out effective fundraising infrastructure, including operational systems and processes for fundraising team, financial management, administration, grant and contract management, CRM work, and membership/development administration. Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to work in a dynamic, high-pressure, and reactive environment. Ability to be decisive while balancing input against deadlines. Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines while handling multiple projects. Understanding of power, racial, sexual, economic, and gender inequities and their intersection with climate justice. Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with different personalities and balance sometimes competing internal constituencies. Flexible and adaptable style; a leader who can positively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising initiatives and create a results driven culture. Articulate and persuasive communicator in both the spoken and written word; must be adept at crafting case materials and making presentations to a variety of audiences.
  • Cultural Competence: Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture. Understands how environmental issues intersect with racism, economic and social inequality in the US and has a passion for working to dismantle these systems.
  • Working Conditions: This job operates in a professional office environment, and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and audiovisual systems. This position is largely sedentary, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods. The person in this position frequently communicates with Board members/major donors/foundations and must be able to exchange accurate information. Ability to travel regularly and frequently (up to 2-3 times/month post-pandemic) for meetings, training, affiliate engagement as well as internal staff meetings and LCV events. The preference is for the position to be based in Washington DC but other locations will be considered. Applicants need to be located in and legally authorized to work in the United States. Please note that most LCV staff are currently working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, through February 28, 2022.

 

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to hr@lcv.org with “SVP of Development” in the subject line by February 21, 2022. No phone calls please.

 

LCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a racially just, equitable and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected status. LCV is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact hr@lcv.org.

Salary

$140,000-$250,000