Position Description
Position: Chief Philanthropy Officer
Organization: United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Hartford, CT
Website: unitedwayinc.org
Organization Overview
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut (UWCNCT) is one of more than 1,100 autonomous United Ways in our nation and nearly 1,800 community-based United Ways in 45 countries and territories. We have the unique ability, vision and resources to bring together diverse stakeholders to create positive change and achieve long-lasting results for children and families. It is a Metro 1A United Way with a population of approximately one million people in its service area.
Our Equity Statement
United Way’s mission is to bring together people and resources for the well-being of children and families, by meeting immediate needs and finding long-term solutions to challenges facing our community.
Structural racism has contributed to persistent disparities in our region. We recognize that centering race and ethnicity in United Way is critical to ending the historical and social inequities that continue to exist in central and northeastern Connecticut.
Current and future community leaders live in every town in our service area. We are committed to authentically engaging with them as partners, donors and volunteers. We can only eliminate disparities when everyone has the opportunity to create new solutions to challenges facing our region.
Our Mission
To engage and bring together people and resources committed to the well-being of children and families in our community.
Our Vision
A community where opportunities are available for every child to succeed in school and for every family to achieve financial security.
Our Values
In pursuing our mission, the following principles guide our relationships with constituents, including our donors, volunteers, partners, employees and the communities we serve: A belief that respect, equity, diversity and inclusiveness make us stronger; engaging others with professionalism and quality support; seeking creative and sustainable solutions to pressing social challenges; maintaining the highest standards of personal and organizational honesty in order to ensure stewardship of donors’ dollars; being proactive and responsive through consistent communication; and, delivery of high-quality services and effective measurement of results to ensure efficiency and innovation.
Role Summary
UWCNCT is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Chief Philanthropy Officer who will understand the community and foster relationships with a wide range of constituents. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Philanthropy Officer will be part of the senior management team. The Chief Philanthropy Officer is a visionary leader of a highly successful dedicated team of development staff who will have responsibility for the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individuals, corporations, and foundations. This individual will manage the 100th Anniversary campaign and endeavor to position the organization as a community leader, convener, and positive change agent for long-term solutions to the community’s greatest needs. The Chief Philanthropy Officer will build a major gifts program by establishing strong relationships with donors who can generate major gifts, endowment gifts and deferred gifts. The organization will endeavor to position endowment as a critical strategic element of its community strategy. This position will be central to the UWCNCT’s mission "to engage and bring together people and resources committed to the well-being of children and families in our community."
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
- Leading a strong individual giving team with experience in relationship-based fundraising.
- Driving campaign, individual donor, major gifts and deferred gifts strategy.
- Ensuring UWCNCT has essential gift services, such as stewardship, prospect research, wealth screening, proposal writing, the ability to accept and process non-cash gifts, grant writing, and clear processes and procedures for data management.
- Managing the Centennial Campaign and oversee a personal portfolio of major gift donors.
- Establishing a robust major gifts program to diversify the organization’s revenue, fund programs and sustain its operations.
- Creating updated donor privacy policies, long-term investment policies, and basic endowment policies.
Required Qualifications
- A personal passion for and commitment to the mission and vision of UWCNCT.
- Proven ability to cultivate, solicit and steward major and institutional donors at six and seven-figure levels.
- The ability to inspire high net worth individuals and major foundations to financial leadership.
- A track record of success in major gift fundraising and capital campaign management.
- Demonstrated ability and experience building on an existing development program, including institutional and individual philanthropy.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications, proposal and presentation, organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to translate UWCNCT’s mission and programs into fundraising initiatives that garner financial support.
- Demonstrated ability to establish strong working relationships with multiple constituents, including high-level volunteers and Board members.
- A Bachelor’s degree is required, advanced degree is preferred.
Candidate Profile
While no one candidate will possess every quality outlined for this position, strong candidates will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:
Passion for the Mission:
- All candidates must demonstrate enthusiasm and passion for UWCNCT’s mission; and
- The Chief Philanthropy Officer will be a leader in making sure that all fundraising initiatives will align with the mission and goals of UWCNCT.
Strategic Orientation:
- Outstanding planning skills with the ability to manage and implement short and long-term goals; strong strategic fundraising manager with a demonstrated track record of getting the job done and creating impact; and
- Passionate about leading a high-performing team to achieve a measurable outcome while guiding the development of staff. Demonstrated experience with Board management and development.
Relationship Building/Communication Skills:
- This individual must be able to connect and engage with all constituents and successfully convey UWCNCT’s objectives and goals; and
- Skilled at building and sustaining strong relationships with various constituencies, including donors, the Board, the executive team, community and key constituents.
People Management Experience:
- Demonstrated success in managing across institutional constituencies to advance fundraising priorities; and
- Ability to motivate a committed team of development professionals, while increasing the effectiveness of development staff through established objectives, performance standards and quantifiable benchmarks.
Fundraising and Development Leadership:
- At least 10 years of significant fundraising experience, which includes a track record of collaborating with executive leadership, high profile donors and volunteers, finance, program, and development staff to identify fundraising needs and create fundraising strategies; and
- Knowledge of all aspects of development, with an ability to manage an extensive fundraising program, including principal and major gifts, annual giving, events, planned giving, institutional and corporate giving, as well as public funding.
The United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability.
Compensation & Benefits
The annual salary for this role will be based on a range starting at $150,000 -$170,000 and will be commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills and experience. UWCNCT also offers a generous benefits package.
Contact Information
Diversified Search Group, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Alicia Salerno, Managing Director and Karen Yetman Rea, Managing Director of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
Diversified Search Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.