Senior Head of Advancement

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership & vision
• Develop and execute a comprehensive advancement strategy that aligns with Urban Ventures' mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Serve on the Executive Leadership Team, alongside the CEO, COO, and Marketing & Communications Leader, to maintain progress on Urban Ventures' vision, mission, and values, and to ensure that internal procedures and policies contribute to outstanding service to our community.
• Provide supervisory leadership, coaching, and development for advancement staff, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, accountability, and mission alignment.
• Fundraising & revenue generation
• Lead all fundraising efforts, including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, sponsorships, campaigns, and special events.
• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and prospective supporters, cultivating meaningful relationships that result in increased philanthropic investment.
• Partner with program and finance leadership to develop compelling funding proposals and grant applications.
• Prepare individual and grant-specific impact reports in partnership with program leadership.
• Donor & board relationships
• Partner closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and strategic partners.
• Own donor relationships and stewardship strategy, including personal, one-to-one donor communication, so that supporters are known, appreciated, and connected to the impact of Urban Ventures' work.
• Represent Urban Ventures throughout the community and at donor meetings, church partnerships, fundraising events, and other external engagements.
• Translate the nonprofit's faith-based mission into compelling, culturally responsive messaging that deeply respects and resonates with both the communities served and the broader donor base.
• Performance & operations
• Establish fundraising goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and metrics to evaluate advancement effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• Own donor data integrity and CRM stewardship, ensuring accurate gift tracking, moves management, and reporting infrastructure across the advancement function.
• Develop and oversee advancement department budgets, revenue forecasting, and reporting processes to ensure strong financial performance and accountability.
• Prepare and deliver regular advancement and fundraising updates to the Board of Directors and relevant committees, and ensure adherence to gift acceptance policies and ethical fundraising standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, marketing, or a related field preferred; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive fundraising and advancement leadership experience, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and leading comprehensive fundraising strategies in a nonprofit environment.
• Prominent experience building and maintaining strong donor, corporate, foundation, and community relationships.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills with experience managing and motivating diverse teams.
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial management, and revenue forecasting within a nonprofit or similarly sized organization.
• Demonstrated experience maintaining CRM data integrity and reporting infrastructure in a donor database (Salesforce experience strongly preferred).
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including public speaking and donor engagement abilities.
• Strong strategic thinking, organizational, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) accreditation preferred but not required.
• Experience with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) preferred but not required.
• Passion for Urban Ventures' mission and commitment to serving the South Minneapolis community.