Senior Vice President, Advocacy & External Engagement

About the role

The Senior Vice President, External Affairs (SVP) serves as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, providing strategic direction and executive oversight for AgeOptions' advocacy, public policy and planning, public presence and resource development efforts. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the SVP leads a total team of 10 staff members—including 3 direct reports—and serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors, driving advocacy, planning, resource development, external communications and public relations in support of the organization's mission and strategic priorities. This executive leader advances organizational impact by strengthening AgeOptions' visibility, partnership, and influence while aligning external affairs and strategies with community needs, emerging trends, data, and the evolving priorities of older adults and caregivers.

Responsibilities

Executive & Strategic Leadership

• Serve on the Senior Leadership Team and advise the CEO on strategy, emerging trends, and organizational alignment across all verticals.
• Represent the organization with local, state, and federal agencies, healthcare partners, funders, and key stakeholders.
• Build high-performing teams, drive continuous process improvement, and foster cross-departmental collaboration to achieve strategic goals.

Functional Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for AgeOptions' External Affairs, Development, Communications, Advocacy, Planning and Evaluation, and Avisery (Health Care Education and Counseling) functions, ensuring alignment with mission, strategic plan, and organizational priorities.
• Lead AgeOptions' advocacy and planning strategy in partnership with the CEO and Board to monitor federal, state, and local policy, legislation, and regulations affecting older adults, caregivers, and AgeOptions; use that information collaboratively across the organization to shape actions, service design, community engagement, and delivery and distribution of funds and resources.
• Develop and implement an integrated external affairs strategy that connects fundraising, advocacy, planning, communications, community engagement, and external partnerships around a consistent organizational message and strategic priorities.
• Provide strategic leadership for resource development, overseeing individual, corporate, foundation, government, and other philanthropic fundraising; establish goals, performance measures, pipelines, and reporting systems to support sustainable revenue growth.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with the SVP of Programs to advance resource development and business development initiatives by sharing corporate connections and advancing those relationships.
• Partner with other members of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organization-wide strategy, policy, operations, decision-making, and organizational positioning.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships and coalitions that advance AgeOptions' mission, expand its reach and influence, strengthen funding opportunities, and promote systems-level change for older adults and caregivers.

Requirements

• Mission-driven individual with social services, advocacy, or policy experience who is passionate about service to older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers and committed to continuous improvement.
• Values diversity as an organizational strength and actively seeks perspectives and experiences that differ from their own.
• Connects DREI (Diversity, Racial Equity, and Inclusion) to AgeOptions' mission, service, employee experience, and community impact.
• Demonstrated leader of people and programs who builds, develops, and inspires high-performing teams by establishing clarity, accountability, trust, and shared purpose.
• Proven relationship builder who builds authentic, professional relationships across cultures, identities, communities, and lived experiences.
• Develops and sustains trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government, healthcare, community, philanthropic, and organizational partners.
• Builds coalitions around shared goals, navigates competing interests, and leverages relationships to expand AgeOptions' reach, influence, and impact.
• Ability to travel within suburban Cook County on a regular basis and outside Cook County occasionally; travel is approximately 20% of the role.