Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (“CFMT”) is building a world-class team dedicated to serving donors and our community by using philanthropy and community leadership to tackle the most pressing issues facing our region.
We are seeking a Vice President of Philanthropy & Development who is passionate about our mission and is a dynamic, collaborative leader with the ability to inspire others.
This senior role reports to the CEO and serves on the executive leadership team, playing an integral part in defining CFMT’s overall strategic direction and priorities. The VP will manage a team of seasoned professionals dedicated to ensuring we fulfill our core value proposition of tailored donor support services and deep community leadership and impact. This role will serve as a standard-setter, ensuring the highest level of stewardship of our donors, civic partners, nonprofit organizations, and those new to philanthropy.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced and skilled fundraising professional or philanthropic advisor with a deep commitment to improving the quality of life and well-being for those who call Middle Tennessee home. An understanding of planned giving vehicles is essential, as is experience collaborating across organizations to deliver the highest quality service.
The VP's overarching goal is to lead a department committed to driving the growth of endowed gifts and establishing new funds; inspiring and connecting existing donors with community investment opportunities; and building trust-based relationships with professional financial and estate advisors.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership:
- Develop and deliver strategies to inspire greater philanthropic giving that makes a difference in the communities served by CFMT.
- Provide inspiring servant leadership for the Philanthropic Services team, setting clear expectations and high performance standards.
- Serve as the staff leader for the Donor Relations Committee.
- Work with the Marketing & Communications team to develop compelling messaging and stories that inspire and demonstrate the power of philanthropy.
- Partner with the Community Impact team to create effective strategies for fundholders to consider, such as co-investment opportunities.
- Serve as a spokesperson for the work and mission of CFMT before audiences that have the potential to give or influence giving.
Management:
- Lead the team of Philanthropic Services professionals to deliver world-class services to existing and prospective donors and our philanthropic partners.
- Engage in team building, facilitating and monitoring department goals and objectives, completing written performance evaluations, and assisting staff with individual development plans.
- Integrate various information systems and sources, employing data to support the highly efficient delivery of services by the Philanthropic Services team.
- Establish clear performance metrics and gain customer feedback to ensure that donors are extremely satisfied by their philanthropic experience with CFMT.
- Plan and administer the department budget for the Philanthropic Services team.
Fundholder Relationship Development:
- Serve as a public face of CFMT with the ability to articulate the value of investing in CFMT to diverse audiences.
- Lead fund development by identifying and cultivating prospective fundholders, maintaining relationships with existing fundholders, and overseeing initiatives to enhance engagement and customer satisfaction.
- Establish measurable outcomes for fundholder acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.
- Educate and engage with professional advisors and their firms to support their services with philanthropic solutions and strategies that meet their clients’ goals.
- Lead the development of compelling programming of fundholder events and other opportunities to deepen engagement with CFMT and the Middle Tennessee community.
- Oversee the development and stewardship of a planned giving society that provides CFMT with endowed funds.
- Promote and support family philanthropy and multi-generational services.
- Develop strategies to effectively engage those new to the Nashville area and next-generation philanthropic leaders.
- Provide planned giving expertise to existing and prospective donors to establish funds and/or create future funding commitments through estate plans.
Qualifications:
- 15+ years of successful professional experience in fundraising and development or as a professional advisor helping donors fulfill their philanthropic goals.
- 10+ years of professional leadership experience, including senior leadership role(s), with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Proven experience managing teams and leading high performers to exceed their goals.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to envision and effectively describe CFMT’s mission, long-term vision, and value proposition.
- Ability to quickly develop trust-based relationships.
- Demonstrated ability to work well in a team environment that promotes inclusiveness and communication among team members.
- Strong commitment to cross-departmental collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Recognized for exceptional personal presence and the natural ability to comfortably connect and influence individuals.
- Ability to accommodate a flexible schedule to manage and attend events, both internal and external, outside of traditional business hours.
- Willingness to lead by “rolling up your sleeves” and creating a sense of urgency.
- Comfortable in a work setting that is open to the community and hosts frequent gatherings.
- A strong network of relationships in Nashville and Middle Tennessee is desired.
- Working knowledge and/or connections with financial services firms serving high net-worth individuals is desired.
Benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% employer-paid for individual employees)
- Disability and life insurance, paid family leave (100% employer paid for individual employees)
- 403(b) retirement plan
- 15 paid days of accrued PTO
- 11 Paid Holidays
Our Mission Statement: “To build a more thriving and inclusive community – today and for generations to come – by transforming thoughtful generosity into positive change.”
Our Core Values:
· Listen and learn.
· Ground the work in trust.
· Show up for each other and the community.
· Find the good and praise it.
Questions are welcome! Contact: Benja Hutchens, VP of Human Resources and Administration (benja@cfmt.org)
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, volunteers, and interns.