Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is seeking a senior level Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer who is a proactive entrepreneurial talent, equally able to represent the organization on a local and national stage at the highest levels, and manage the day-to-day operations of a small, growing, and promising fundraising program.  Over the last several years, our contributed revenue sources have steadily grown from less than $1 million annually to more than $3 million this year, as we have expanded relationships with key funders nationally and regionally, along with growing individual support.

The VP/CAO will be responsible for the development, implementation, and management of all aspects of community and national stakeholder engagement integral with the fundraising strategies for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, including increased annual unrestricted and restricted support; the execution of a strategic growth campaign with a potential goal of at least $15 million; and the identification and engagement of new prospective donors at all levels – including at the highest level of leadership giving. 

The VP/CAO will manage their own portfolio of individual and institutional major gift donors and prospects.  The VP/CAO will partner with the President and CEO on his fundraising priorities and donor and prospect portfolios, and support and oversee the fundraising activities and donor and prospect portfolios of the Board of Directors, campaign volunteer leadership, and staff. 

The VP/CAO will also play a key role in strengthening the Foundation’s presence in multiple strategically determined regional, national, and potentially, international sectors and regions. 

THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION

Over a 70-year career, Frank Lloyd Wright created a modern American architecture that advanced the way we build and live around the world.  More than a designer of buildings, he was an architect of ideas about innovative design, building in ways that make our lives better.  Transforming architecture through sustainable, organic design, he is considered America’s greatest architect. 

The work of Frank Lloyd Wright is more relevant today than ever before.  His ideas teach us ways to live more beautiful lives—and lives that are healthier and sustainable through authentic connection with the natural world all around us.  Through our preservation work, we invite the world to experience his two homes—Taliesin (Wisconsin) and Taliesin West (Arizona) and understand how Wright’s work can be made a part of their lives.

VISION

Inspire the world through beautiful spaces that are thoughtfully designed and experienced.

MISSION

Preserving Taliesin and Taliesin West for future generations, and inspiring society through an understanding and experience of Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas, architecture, and design. 

HOW WE DO OUR WORK

We accomplish this mission by focusing our efforts around three core pathways: 

• Preservation: We steward Wright’s work and collections at Taliesin and Taliesin West to provide the experience of Wright’s ideas.
• Innovation: We continue Wright’s legacy of innovation to create a more beautiful and sustainable future.
• Education: We educate professionals, students, and lifelong learners through programs ranging from field trips and summer camps to lectures and salons. Our campuses are offered to professional development programs in architecture and design that are in keeping with the spirit and tradition of Wright’s apprenticeship program.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer will be responsible for the following:

• Plan, implement, and provide oversight of a comprehensive fundraising and membership program that secures financial resources to support the multi-faceted goals of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
• Develop annual and campaign cases for support detailing leading fundraising priorities, goals, and messages.
• Increase and maintain annual operational (unrestricted) and preservation and capital, programs and services, and special initiatives (restricted) support to approximately $2 million per year, while concurrently securing new investments for at least a campaign of $15 million in support of programs, preservation, and capital.
• Personally maintain, manage, and raise funds from a significant portfolio (likely up to 100 prospects and donors) of high-potential major gift donors and prospects.
• Strategically grow the prospect and donor base at all levels, especially leadership level donors.
• Work closely with the President and CEO, Board of Trustees, executive leadership team, and staff to establish and meet/exceed fundraising priorities and goals.
• Provide leadership and coordination to the President and CEO, Board of Trustees, executive staff, and others in their fundraising activity.
• Provide staff support to the Board of Trustees Advancement Committee and related Campaign Committees.
• Represent the Foundation with high-level constituents in partnership with the President and CEO and Trustees, or independently.
• Align fundraising and membership priorities and goals with the current and long-range strategic goals of the Foundation.
• Coordinate with Taliesin Preservation, Inc., a support organization based in Wisconsin, on development activities.
• Develop and manage the fundraising and membership staffing and operational budgets.
• Work closely with marketing and communications to maximize the opportunities for fundraising, membership, and stewardship through all Foundation messages and collateral materials.
• Hire, train, and manage fundraising and membership staff and volunteers.
• Oversee consultants and vendors related to fundraising and membership activities.
• Coordinate the fundraising and membership team and activities to meet strategic and annual fundraising goals.
• Develop systems and manage resources needed to carry out fundraising and membership plans and activities, using industry best practices as a guide.
• Develop, implement, and ensure compliance with gift- and membership-related policies and procedures.
• Coordinate fundraising and membership activities with all areas of the organization, as well as any partner organizations.
• Work closely with the public engagement division, especially event management and tour programs, to optimize membership development and potential donor cultivation.
• Ensure that Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation fundraising activities meet ethical fundraising standards and are conducted with confidentiality and respect for prospects and donors.
• Work according to Foundation policies, processes, and protocols to ensure the appropriate delivery of outputs and outcomes.
• Supervise the effective utilization and accuracy of the Foundation's Raiser's Edge development database; prospect and donor analytics, research, and screening; prospect and donor tracking, strategy development, and management; and prospect and donor cultivation/stewardship plans.
• Regularly monitor and evaluate fundraising and membership performance, including revenue, prospect and donor management, moves management, etc.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES

The ideal candidate for the position of Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer will have:

• A minimum of seven years of progressive experience in a similar leadership role, including at least five years in the national fundraising arena.
• A minimum of seven years of development experience in arts, culture, or educational institutions, including proven major gifts success with six- to eight-figure donors.
• A Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree desirable.
• Experience in building and managing a comprehensive fundraising operation, including:
  • Fundraising from individuals, foundations, corporations, governmental organizations, and international development organizations;
  • Special events, annual fund/direct response, leadership annual giving/recognition societies, major gifts, grants, planned gifts, and major campaigns;
  • New prospect identification, engagement, and cultivation;
  • Donor stewardship;
  • Fundraising operations and infrastructure, financial management, and budgeting.
• Prior experience working on a significant capital campaign, including campaign planning and management experience.
• Broad knowledge of the principles of fundraising and membership with a track record of building new donor relationships with prospects, Trustees, and volunteers, that result in gifts.
• Ability to develop and implement effective prospect donor strategy and messaging.

• Working knowledge of charitable giving vehicles.
• Experience in connecting philanthropy with social enterprise and/or retail programs.

• Experience in developing, managing, and supervising a multi-disciplinary staff team.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Effective and diplomatic communication skills.
• Knowledge of non-profit financial management, project and budget analysis, and evaluation.
• Interest in and dedication to promoting the Foundation's mission and priorities.
• Experience working in a complex organization.
• Background in architecture and the arts is highly desirable, as is knowledge of the Phoenix philanthropic community and the national community of architects, designers, and others aligned with Frank Lloyd Wright’s philosophy and vision.
• Technological savvy, including knowledge of Excel, Word, Outlook, internet research, social media, and donor software. Prior experience with the Raiser's Edge fundraising software is preferred. 

The successful VP/CAO will be very people-oriented with a highly entrepreneurial drive, an empathetic disposition, and a donor­-focused approach. They will expend considerable energy understanding the needs of donors and will actively advocate for their interests. They will be a skilled communicator who exhibits a level of sophistication, comfort, and engagement with and are able to generate enthusiasm among diverse stakeholders for the Foundation's many programs. The successful candidate should demonstrate the ability to initiate and sustain momentum without close supervision and must exhibit a polished, professional presence; diplomacy; discretion; and a deep respect and understanding of donor and Trustee relations.

THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

The Advancement Office of the Foundation includes fundraising, grants (corporate, foundation, and government), and membership.  In addition to the VP/CAO, its staff currently consists of a Director of Development, primarily responsible for major gifts and donor relations; a Membership Manager and staff; a grant manager; and a data manager who maintains our Raiser’s Edge NXT database.  An administrative assistant also works on scheduling and following up with donors and other participants.  The Foundation is currently planning to add new positions to the Advancement Office.

KEY COLLEAGUES

Stuart I. Graff, President & CEO

Joy Hanson, Vice President of Finance & COO

TK McClintock, Chair, Board of Trustees

LOCATION

This position is located in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Travel within the US is associated with this role.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

• Physical demands: While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; occasionally climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and consistently talk or hear; and rarely taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Travel: Up to 50% within and outside Arizona.