Vice President, Individual Giving

About the role

Autism Speaks is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial fundraising leader to develop and implement a strategic revenue expansion plan focused on major, intermediate, and planned giving. This role will guide the Individual Giving team’s revenue growth and mission impact, with the potential to hire additional revenue-generating team members as budgets allow. The organization has invested in an operations team providing data management, analytics, prospect research, and donor communication support, working closely with all institutional fundraising departments.

The Vice President, Individual Giving will provide strategic direction to generate revenue in excess of $6–$8 million annually and lead the program toward long-term significant growth. This is a remote position; the individual may work from home anywhere in the United States, ideally near an airport.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of Autism Speaks’ senior leadership team, collaborating with the CDO, CEO, board of directors, and volunteer leadership to execute a strategic fundraising plan engaging business and community leaders, philanthropic individuals, families, and family foundations across North America.
• Design, develop, and implement a comprehensive strategy to innovate and expand giving for intermediate, major, planned, and board giving.
• Lead the major gift development team to maximize donor opportunities and guide their professional growth.
• Build a reporting and support structure with matrixed field leadership to grow major and intermediate giving portfolios.
• Develop a sophisticated moves management and stewardship system to engage and grow donor relationships at local, regional, and national levels.
• Provide strategic counsel and actively manage a core portfolio of top individual/family relationships held by the CDO and CEO.
• Work across the organization to build pipeline/portfolio and maximize individual, family, and board relationships, partnerships, and philanthropy.
• Leverage the fundraising operations team’s data analytics, donor communications, stewardship, and prospect research to support the growth plan.
• Identify opportunities to engage consultants or outside expertise to achieve robust portfolio development and revenue growth.
• Recruit, motivate, organize, manage, train, and lead the individual giving staff to promote professional development while meeting and exceeding revenue and institutional goals.
• Collaborate with VP peers across fundraising departments to foster a culture of effective fundraising, increasing revenue and new donor cohorts.
• Work with the CDO and CEO to identify future board members.
• Manage the revenue/expense budget and financial reporting for all relationship development activities.

Requirements

• BA degree; advanced degree and/or CFRE certification a plus.
• 15+ years of major and leadership gift experience.
• 10+ years of experience in a fundraising management/leadership role.

Skills

• Proven track record in leading successful growth expansions in major, planned, and board fundraising.
• Strong skills in recruiting, hiring, and retaining high-performing fundraising staff and leaders.
• Leadership skills conducive to complex matrixed team management.
• Understanding of major/principal gift relationship building and strategic solicitation.
• Experience directing innovative fund development in a complex and rapidly changing environment.
• Experience building programs, not just leading thriving ones.
• Extensive experience working with C-suite executives, volunteer boards, and high-level staff and volunteer leadership.
• Operational efficiency and optimal use of resources.
• Successful track record translating strategic thinking into action plans and results.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to influence and inspire while respecting Autism Speaks’ culture.
• Collaborative and effective working relationships with senior volunteer and staff leaders across North America.
• Understanding of working in a field-based, non-profit corporate structure.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends, and travel domestically (including NYC, Dallas, LA) and to Canada.
• Self-starter with initiative and proactivity in identifying opportunities.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and customer relations skills; ability to manage multiple projects and troubleshoot.
• Superior oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks’ mission is to promote solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of people with autism and their families. This is achieved through advocacy and support, increasing understanding and acceptance, and advancing research into causes and better interventions. The organization strives to create a world where all people with autism can reach their full potential, celebrating every success and working collaboratively to find solutions that benefit the autism community.

Pay

Salary range is $180,000–$185,000, depending on relevant years of experience.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and vacation package.
• Flexible work hours.
• Weekly training sessions.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Summer bonus Fridays.
• Creative, innovative, collaborative, inclusive, and fun work environment.