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Vice President, Foundation Relations

Employer
National Park Foundation
Location
District of Columbia, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Closing date
Jun 4, 2021

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The National Park Foundation (NPF) is seeking a results-oriented, entrepreneurial, and collaborative Vice President of Foundation Relations to strategically plan and direct a proactive Foundation fundraising program that promotes the priorities of the National Park Foundation. The VP of Foundation Relations will have the opportunity to build and shape the program as the organization prepares to launch its next capital campaign. Proven experience in securing 6-, 7-, and 8-figure Foundation gifts, s/he will focus on identifying, cultivating, and managing key relationships with large national foundations and select HNW family foundations. This position will report to the Senior Vice President Major Gifts and Foundation Relations and manage a team of two foundation relations staff members. A culture of philanthropy, teamwork, and accountability is required, as is the ability to cultivate new philanthropic relationships for the benefit of our national parks.

 

Working at NPF

The National Park Foundation (NPF) works in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to enrich America's national parks through private support, safeguarding our heritage and inspiring generations of national park enthusiasts. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation is founded on a legacy that began more than a century ago, when private citizens from all walks of life took action to establish and protect our national parks. 

 Today, the National Park Foundation carries on that tradition as the only national charitable nonprofit whose mission is to directly support America's 420+ national park units. As the National Park Service's official nonprofit partner, the National Park Foundation supports projects and programs across the system. We protect our natural, cultural, and historical heritage and connect people to all that the parks have to offer through our work.

For more information on the full range of programs and projects supported by the National Park Foundation, please review our website at www.nationalparks.org

 

Position Responsibilities

  • Lead and oversee the comprehensive Foundation program, development and execution of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for new and existing Foundation funders.
  • Actively solicit, manage, and expand a portfolio of top Foundation relationships, aligning Foundation’s mission elements with the priorities of NPF and our national parks.
  • Proactively build the pipeline of Foundation donors, evaluate prospects, and utilize data, trends and research to inform strategies and create opportunities to meet and exceed revenue goals.
  • Design and implement creative engagement opportunities to cultivate prospects that lead to solicitation. Utilize donor-centric strategies to steward current funders and highlight the impact of philanthropy.
  • Identify  strategic approaches to engage senior leadership and key volunteers with priority institutional foundations.
  • Draft and manage letters of inquiry, briefing documents, grant applications, proposals, stewardship reports, and other correspondence, as appropriate.
  • Collaborate with External Affairs on brand alignment, ensuring written and presentation materials meet NPF’s high standards.
  • Establish annual performance and metric goals that align with NPF’s strategic growth rate; formulate the annual Foundation plan and share progress with internal stakeholders.
  • Develop reports for internal and external use including pipeline,  proposal and reporting deadlines, leading toward goal attainment.
  • Plan and direct grant procurement; oversee and enhance grant stewardship, and compliance requirements.
  • Utilize Raiser’s Edge NXT database, electronic and paper files, and other systems; deploy exceptional record-keeping in line with  industry best practices.
  • Build strategic relationships with parks and park partners; keep current with trends in the national park community.
  • Oversee, coach, mentor, train, and evaluate staff.

 

Required Experience

The Vice President, Foundation Relations must have a minimum of 10 years of fundraising or comparable experience with foundations and/or the non-profit sector, and will be knowledgeable about the latest trends influencing Foundation philanthropy. This individual will be a self-starter with excellent time-management skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to articulate philanthropic priorities. S/he must have a strong background as an executive leader with experience motivating staff, working collaboratively across an organization, and maintaining strong relationships internally and externally. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker who has developed, implemented, and overseen large-scale fundraising efforts in large or complex organizations.

 

Desired Skills and Abilities

  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • A proven track record with an emphasis on Foundation Relations. Success in Foundation fundraising, including securing six, seven and eight-figure grants from national foundations.
  • An organized and strategic approach to fundraising, with the ability to engineer and build a successful, well-designed Foundations program for a national organization.
  • Strong planning and prioritizing skills, with experience handling both strategic and day-to-day function, including managing multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines.
  • Excellent writing, public speaking skills, and familiarity with technical applications of all types.
  • Willingness to travel domestically, with international travel possible, for cultivation or solicitation purposes.
  • Demonstrated success working with Board members and a Senior Leadership team.
  • Demonstrated success leading teams, building consensus, and inspiring confidence and respect.
  • Strong business acumen and fiscal management skills.
  • Strong affinity for national parks with the ability to serve as a compelling ambassador for the National Park Foundation.
  • Proficiency and natural ability to take NPF’s complex subject matter and describe to institutional funding community.
  • A deep, broad knowledge of industry best practices, standard operating procedures, and new approaches to system integration, staff training, and organizational efficiency, including all aspects of Foundation giving.
  • Creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit; someone who is willing to try new ideas and think “outside the box,” and can motivate their team to do the same.
  • Exceptional organizational, analytical, strategic planning, and research skills.
  • Strong attention to detail with the ability to solve problems and excel in a high-performance culture.
  • Ability to maintain professionalism while completing responsibilities in a precise, dedicated, and flexible manner.
  • A positive, enthusiastic attitude and proven success as a strong, diplomatic mentor.

 

Compensation and Benefits:

The National Park Foundation offers a competitive salary and benefits program. Starting salary for this opportunity will be commensurate with the level of experience of the candidate. Based in Washington DC at NPF’s newly designed headquarters, this position will also have access to an onsite fitness facility, exciting downtown DC community and a nearby metro stations. 

 

Description of physical demands and work environment:

  • Position is currently remote, with an expected return to office pending the ongoing pandemic.
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