chief advancement officer LIFT, chief advancement officer nonprofit, national nonprofit search

LIFT’s Chief Advancement Officer

No Comments

Pillar Search & HR Consulting is pleased to have been selected to manage LIFT’s search for their new Chief Advancement Officer.

ABOUT LIFT
Founded in 1998, LIFT is a national nonprofit that empowers families to break the cycle of poverty. LIFT operates program sites in four major cities – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. – where they connect hardworking parents and caregivers of young children to the people, tools and resources they need to achieve greater economic security and well-being. LIFT believes that by investing in families during children’s earliest years they can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. To learn more, visit www.WhyWeLIFT.org.

LIFT seeks to hire individuals who are inclusive, results-oriented, and skilled at communication, teamwork, fostering positive working relationships, and problem-solving.

POSITION OVERVIEW
This is an exciting opportunity for a proven nonprofit leader to manage and build the development and communications functions at a high-impact organization, and to serve as a critical member of the organization’s executive team. Success for this role will be defined by LIFT’s fundraising success in the short and long-term, and LIFT’s national visibility as a leader in the anti-poverty space. The position may be located at any of the LIFT offices (Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, Washington, DC, or Chicago, IL).

The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) is responsible for increasing LIFT’s fundraising capacity to achieve its vision and strategic goals. Working closely with LIFT’s CEO, the CAO will be charged with establishing and executing a compelling strategy for revenue generation at LIFT and for leading both national and regional fundraising teams to achieve ambitious development goals. Specifically, the CAO is responsible for the vision, successful organization and execution of all development initiatives including major gifts, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, public funding, and capital campaigns.

The CAO will also lead all marketing, and communications initiatives to ensure cohesive and impactful messaging that aligns with LIFT’s mission and strategic goals. The CAO is a chief spokesperson representing the organization to both internal and external constituencies.

With that, this position will lead and manage the National Communications and National Development teams.  This includes six geographically dispersed team members (with two directly reporting to this position) as well as dotted-line responsibility for other team members at the regional level. This individual will be a mentor and provide oversight of fundraising and communications efforts as well as identifying growth and learning opportunities for all members of the team.

The CAO will report directly to LIFT’s CEO, Michelle Rhone-Collins, and will serve as a member of LIFT’s executive leadership team. They will work closely with the Board of Directors, other senior staff and key stakeholders.

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES:
Lead Fund Development Strategy:

  • Provide strong, strategic leadership of LIFT’s development function by setting ambitious, attainable goals that will increase annual operating funds; aligning fundraising strategies with LIFT’s strategic plan; and managing the development team to achieve and exceed their revenue targets.
  • Provide oversight of all development-related activities and lead coordination with the CEO, Regional Executive Directors, Chief Financial Officer, other senior staff and appropriate Board committees.
  • Manage and strengthen LIFT’s existing development strategies including major gifts, foundation and corporate funding, and special events.
  • Manage the expansion of the major gifts program, implementing systems and processes to build and sustain an effective pipeline.
  • Coach senior staff (Executive Director, Program Directors & Managers, etc.) and Board members on effective fundraising practices, helping them to identify, cultivate, and steward donors.
  • Collaborate across departments and regions to create an environment that nurtures a fundraising mindset throughout all levels of the organization.
  • Partner with the Chief Financial Officer for budget development and management; assure sound fiscal operation of the development function including timely, accurate and comprehensive development income and expense budgets, reporting, monitoring and implementation. Ensure strategic plans for fundraising and communications are integrated with LIFT’s near- and long-term strategies and priorities.

Lead Communications and Marketing Strategy:

  • Lead the Communications team in defining and building an aggressive marketing strategy that ensures consistent institutional messaging and strong branding aligned with LIFT’s core values.
  • Oversee the development and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies including brochures, annual reports, social media, and websites.
  • Actively seek opportunities for LIFT to share insights through media, conferences, and other public forums and serve as primary point-person for all opportunities and requests.
  • Provide messaging strategy and support for all brand ambassadors, public events and engagements.

Manage Performance:

  • Build a strong and nimble Development and Communications team through strategic recruitment, professional development, performance management, and motivational leadership.
  • Oversee performance measures and monitor results to help the CEO, Executive Directors, and Board of Directors evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s fund development, communications, and marketing.
  • Foster an environment of cohesiveness, collaboration and achievement, develop and implement best practices, and ensure staff accountability for excellence through clearly defined and measurable goals.

Lead External Relationships with Current and Potential Donors & Partners:

  • Alongside the CEO, serve as LIFT’s lead fundraiser, generating significant, renewable funding.
  • Serve as an ambassador for LIFT and its programs, representing LIFT to external supporters, partners and donors and at the highest level in public forums.
  • Maintain a significant portfolio of principal donors, and facilitate relationships between donors and LIFT’s leadership team.
  • Lead relationship-building strategy and activities with major individual, foundation, and corporate donors, developing relationships with key partners and prospective donors.

LIFT’S IDEAL CANDIDATE

  • You are committed to LIFT’s mission and organization’s core values of equity, diversity, excellence, relationship, and hope.
  • You have 10+ years of non-profit development/fundraising and internal/external communications experience with 3-5 years of executive level experience. Experience working within an organization with a national/regional dynamic is strongly preferred.
  • You have a track record of success in raising significant amounts of money through major gifts from individuals, businesses, foundations, or corporations.
  • You possess a strategic understanding of various development campaign activities, including proposal and grant development, annual fund and planned giving, public funding, direct mail, event planning and management, direct solicitations, and more.
  • You have demonstrated experience building or strengthening the structures, supports, and teams required to support a high-performing development team.
  • You possess demonstrated experience securing and managing both restricted and unrestricted grants.
  • You have exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, and are able to use words to inspire in multiple formats.
  • You are committed to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse team, and you possess the foresight and ability to delegate appropriately.
  • Experience managing remote teams is strongly preferred.
  • You are able to operate with flexibility, creativity, fearlessness and determination while maintaining respect for others’ concerns.
  • You are resourceful in finding alternative ways of reaching funding objectives when barriers arise.
  • You are able to travel up to 50%.

WHAT LIFT OFFERS:

  • Competitive annual salary
  • Employer-paid healthcare coverage
  • 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer matching contribution after 1 year of employment
  • Employer-paid short- and long-term disability coverage
  • Pre-tax benefits for transit, health and childcare
  • Monthly cell phone reimbursement
  • Generous paid-time-off policy. Employees may accrue up to 4 weeks of paid time off during their first year at LIFT, and all employees receive a one-week company-wide vacation over the winter holidays.

TO APPLY
LIFT has partnered with Cindy Joyce of Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the search for its new Chief Advancement Officer. Qualified individuals, please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter to cindy@pillarsearch.com. Please include your full name in the subject line.

LIFT and Pillar Search & HR Consulting believe that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success. LIFT and Pillar do not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, disability, religion, political affiliation, or ideology.