VP of Development

The Organization: The Human Vaccines Project

The Human Vaccines Project (HVP) is a small, dynamic, and ambitious global non-profit organization moving full-speed-ahead on our mission to accelerate the development of vaccines and immunotherapies against major global infectious diseases and cancers by decoding the human immune system. The immune system is at the core of our ability to adaptively respond to an ever changing and evolving world of disease threats. By decoding the human immune system, we can empower scientists to design more effective vaccines and immunotherapies for an almost limitless range of diseases -- potentially transforming public health in the 21st century.

The Role: VP of Development

Location: Remote

Salary Range: $100,000 - $110,000

The VP of Development reports directly to the CEO while serving this mission-critical leadership role within the Human Vaccines Project. The primary responsibilities of this role will be to:

• Identify promising funding sources with the capacity, passion, and vision to support HVP.
• Design and develop a high impact development strategy.
• Inform, engage, and develop these funding sources successfully as enabling financial supporters of the project.
• Build credibility, transparency, and trust within the broader funding community to develop future, potential funders of HVP.
• Manage donor relationships.
• Accompany the CEO and others in meetings with donors, as appropriate.

In the future, the role may be responsible for building and leading a development team, but for now it will be an individual contributor role focused upon very well-defined financial development deliverables on behalf of HVP collaborating with outside consultants.

The position requires a confident, credible, inquisitive, communicative, successful and experienced development professional. The individual considered must demonstrate the confidence and personal demeanor that exude character, strategic acumen, humility, competence, and candor derived from notable achievement.

A more granular view of what constitutes the VP’s success would be:

• Solidifies themselves as an integral, high-impact member of HVP’s leadership team.
• Raises the funding necessary for HVP to fully execute on the plan according to the project steps outlined. They place a high value on building relationship with donors and to continually keeping them informed as to progress and project impact.
• Provides significant input into overall strategic decisions at HVP.

In summary, the VP is part of a small, highly-committed team that successfully executes on the opportunity to harness the human immune system to enable people to live much healthier—and longer—lives.

The Successful Candidate

Experience:

• An undergraduate degree.
• A minimum of ten years of development/fundraising experience including closure of 7-figure gifts from high-net-worth individuals, from venture capital or early-stage funding entities, or other forms of high risk/high impact funders.
• Proven experience as a leader/influencer of a successful, innovative initiative where entrepreneurial drive and an inherent sense of urgency are demonstrated.
• Experience as a senior, contributing member of the leadership team of an organization with a successful fundraising track record.
• A personal track record of experiences and successes that causes him/her to be an interesting, compelling individual for targeted donors to meet.
• Experience in working with board members and/or volunteers in fundraising.

Skills:

• Communicate breakthrough ideas and their impact on people based upon research and discovery.
• Convey effectively the enormity of HVP’s vision along with its potential payoff for humankind.
• Use available resources, identify and research prospects who have a potential interest in HVP.
• Develop prospect strategies and the steps, both internal and external, that will lead to a successful outcome.
• Prepare the CEO and others for activities and conversations to advance prospect relationship.
• Ability to record and track multiple prospect initiatives accurately and thoughtfully.

Characteristics:

• An executive presence and credibility that extends well beyond his/her functional skill set.
• Shows a natural interest in scientific research and discovery.
• Operates with a sense of partnership and is able to quickly become part of an evolving team. Serves as an active participant in the senior team and able to contribute to the formulation of strategy.
• Sets a high bar for performance and models positive, winning behavior for all to see.
• Places a high value on building trusting and transparent relationships both internally and externally.
• Has the confidence and perspective to serve as a solid sounding board and business partner to balance HVP’s leadership team.

We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We encourage people of all racial, economic, social, cultural, sexual orientation, and gender expressions to apply. As such, our commitment is to promote equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment. People of color, women, LGBTQI+ people, people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and your resume to HR@humanvaccinesproject.org