Vice President of Major Gifts and Planned Giving

Job Summary:

The Vice President of Major Gifts and Planned Giving leads the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina’s major gifts, planned giving and endowment work, building lasting relationships with the donors whose generosity makes transformational impact possible across our communities. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer, this position supervises the Grants & Proposal Director and oversees the association’s grant and proposal strategy.

The Vice President also leads the YMCA Camp Hanes Annual Campaign, stewards members of the Heritage Club, and plans and executes Heritage Club events and the annual YMCA Golf Tournament. Working closely with branch executives, Directors of Development, board members and volunteers, the Vice President plays a key role in current and potential capital campaigns and helps make philanthropy a shared part of how every Y branch advances our mission.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Major Gifts

• Manage a personal portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, moving each through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Personally solicit major gifts for association priorities, branch programs and capital initiatives, and meet annual major gift revenue and activity goals set with the Chief Development Officer.
• Partner with branch executives and Directors of Development to identify, cultivate and solicit major gift prospects for branch programs and capital projects.
• Clearly communicate the Y’s case for support, and prepare tailored proposals, gift agreements and impact reports for donors.
• Use Raiser’s Edge NXT to record contact reports, moves management plans and portfolio activity, and provide regular progress reports to the Chief Development Officer.

Planned Giving & Endowment

• Lead the association’s planned giving program, including bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable trusts and other planned gift vehicles.
• Grow and steward Heritage Club membership, ensuring legacy donors are thanked, recognized and kept connected to the impact of their commitment.
• Work respectfully with donors, their families and their professional advisors to help donors make planned and endowment gifts that reflect their values.
• Partner with the Chief Development Officer and Finance on endowment growth, gift acceptance, fund agreements and stewardship reporting to endowment donors.
• Ensure planned gift intentions and endowment fund agreements are accurately documented and recorded.

Capital Campaigns

• Lead major gift strategy for current association and branch capital campaigns, personally cultivating and soliciting leadership and major gifts toward campaign goals.
• Partner with the Chief Development Officer, branch executives and campaign volunteers on campaign plans, prospect lists, gift charts, solicitation assignments and progress reporting.
• Ensure capital pledges are documented, tracked and stewarded through completion, and that donors see the impact of their investment.

Grants & Proposals

• Supervise, coach and evaluate the Grants & Proposal Director, setting annual goals and supporting professional growth.
• Set the association’s grants strategy and oversee the pipeline of government, corporate, foundation and major donor proposals for all 14 branches and the Association Office.
• Review and approve proposals before submission, including annual United Way proposals, 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants and other recurring grants, so that every request is accurate, on time and aligned with association and branch priorities.
• Partner with the Grants & Proposal Director on major donor proposals and presentations, connecting grant and proposal work to major gift strategy.
• Ensure systems are in place, with branch staff and Finance, to monitor grant compliance, track outcomes and budgets, and submit required reports to funders on time.
• Coordinate the Grants & Proposal Director’s support of association special events, including the YMCA Golf Tournament.

YMCA Camp Hanes Annual Campaign

• Lead planning and execution of the YMCA Camp Hanes Annual Campaign
• Partner with Camp Hanes leadership and volunteers to engage camp alumni, families and friends in supporting camp experiences for kids.
• Ensure campaign gifts are processed, acknowledged and stewarded in a timely way.

Heritage Club Events & YMCA Golf Tournament

• Plan and execute Heritage Club events that celebrate legacy donors and introduce new prospects to planned giving.
• Plan and execute the annual YMCA Golf Tournament, including sponsorship development, volunteer committee leadership, budget, logistics and post-event reporting.
• Partner with the Development Manager and Specialist and association staff on registration, payments, acknowledgments and event reconciliation.
• Measure event results against revenue and donor engagement goals, and recommend improvements each year.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a member of the association Development leadership team, contributing to the annual financial development plan, policies and procedures.
• Engage board members and volunteers in major gifts, planned giving and endowment work, and support related board and volunteer committees.
• Champion a culture of philanthropy across the association by equipping staff and volunteer leaders to take part in fundraising.
• Uphold the highest ethical standards in fundraising, donor privacy and stewardship of every gift.
• Other duties as assigned.

YMCA COMPETENCIES (Leader):

• Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Ys values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfill community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them. Supports fund-raising.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person’s point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.
• Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience. Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-value experience for members.
• Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change, and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of major/planned giving mechanics, moves management practices, blended gift vehicles, and grant development oversight.
• Advanced proficiency in Raiser’s Edge NXT, donor CRM administration, data analytics, and standard office software applications.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and influence-leadership skills to engage high-net-worth donors, board members, and executive stakeholders.

Education & Experience:

• Education & Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university required (or equivalent combination of education and experience). CFRE certification preferred.
• Experience & Certifications: Financial development experience required, with a proven track record of successfully cultivating and closing major gifts. Prior experience managing grant functions and donor database systems (Raiser's Edge) preferred.
• Experience with capital campaigns, including leadership gift solicitation and campaign volunteer engagement.
• Working knowledge of planned giving vehicles and endowment stewardship, and comfort partnering with donors’ professional advisors.
• Experience supervising and developing staff.
• Experience overseeing grant proposals, compliance and reporting, including government grants, preferred.
• Experience planning and leading fundraising events, including sponsorship-driven events.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create materials that help donors understand the Y and the impact of their giving.
• Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
• Schedule & Availability: Full-time professional schedule requiring flexibility to work early mornings, evenings, and weekends for donor meetings and association events, and to travel throughout the association’s service area, including YMCA Camp Hanes.

Certification Requirements:

• YMCA Organizational Leader Certification, or ability to obtain.
• Appropriate YMCA of Northwest North Carolina training and membership certifications.
• CFRE or acquisition within one year.

Physical Requirements:

• Continuously required to sit, stand, walk, and navigate administrative offices and community venue locations.
• Regularly required to speak clearly, listen effectively, and present strategic fundraising proposals to donors, board members, and large groups.
• Frequently required to operate standard computers, mobile devices, presentation technology, and CRM software platforms.
• Occasionally required to lift and transport event materials, donor collateral, and presentation equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.

Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting

At our Association, safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility, regardless of role or position. All employees are strictly required to maintain awareness of our abuse prevention and reporting policies. You must take immediate, appropriate action in accordance with our protocols and legal mandates if any standard of safety is compromised or if abuse is suspected.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Employment-related decisions are based on job-related qualifications, merit, business needs, and other lawful criteria.

Mission: “Helping all people reach their God-given potential in spirit, mind, and body.”