Senior Head of Advancement

Job Description

Job Description

About Urban Ventures  

Urban Ventures is a faith-based, nonprofit organization with the mission to educate children, strengthen their families, and build a healthy community. We partner with families in some of the most under-resourced neighborhoods of south Minneapolis with one overarching goal-to send every youth to college or some form of post-secondary education. Urban Ventures is committed to providing a workplace which promotes diversity and inclusion. 

This is an opportunity for a strategic, faith-driven fundraising executive to shape the future of a well-respected Minneapolis nonprofit and help create lasting change for generations of children, families, and a community.

Position summary

Reporting to the CEO, the Senior Head of Advancement is a key executive leader responsible for developing, leading, and executing Urban Ventures' comprehensive fundraising and donor engagement strategy. The role provides strategic oversight for all advancement activities and personnel, including major gifts, annual giving, institutional giving, donor communications, events, campaigns, and stewardship efforts. The ideal candidate is an exceptional listener who can demonstrate their ability to understand donor motivation and translate it into compelling solicitations. This leader serves on the organization's Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

As a member of the ELT, the Senior Head of Advancement plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization's mission, strengthening community and donor partnerships, and ensuring the financial sustainability of Urban Ventures. The role works closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, and organizational leaders to grow philanthropic support and deepen engagement with individuals, foundations, corporations, churches, and community partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP & VISION

• Develop and execute a comprehensive advancement strategy that aligns with Urban Ventures’ mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

• Serve on the Executive Leadership Team, alongside the CEO, COO, and Marketing & Communications Leader, to maintain progress on Urban Ventures' vision, mission, and values, and to ensure that internal procedures and policies contribute to outstanding service to our community.

• Provide supervisory leadership, coaching, and development for advancement staff, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, accountability, and mission alignment.

FUNDRAISING & REVENUE GENERATION

• Lead all fundraising efforts, including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, sponsorships, campaigns, and special events.

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and prospective supporters, cultivating meaningful relationships that result in increased philanthropic investment.

• Partner with program and finance leadership to develop compelling funding proposals and grant applications.

• Prepare individual and grant-specific impact reports in partnership with program leadership.

DONOR & BOARD RELATIONSHIPS

• Partner closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and strategic partners.

• Own donor relationships and stewardship strategy, including personal, one-to-one donor communication, so that supporters are known, appreciated, and connected to the impact of Urban Ventures' work.

• Represent Urban Ventures throughout the community and at donor meetings, church partnerships, fundraising events, and other external engagements.

• Translate the nonprofit's faith-based mission into compelling, culturally responsive messaging that deeply respects and resonates with both the communities served and the broader donor base.

PERFORMANCE & OPERATIONS

• Establish fundraising goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and metrics to evaluate advancement effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.

• Own donor data integrity and CRM stewardship, ensuring accurate gift tracking, moves management, and reporting infrastructure across the advancement function.

• Develop and oversee advancement department budgets, revenue forecasting, and reporting processes to ensure strong financial performance and accountability.

• Prepare and deliver regular advancement and fundraising updates to the Board of Directors and relevant committees and ensure adherence to gift acceptance policies and ethical fundraising standards.

DIRECT REPORTS

Current direct reports include: Major Gifts Officer, Donor Experience Manager, Data Specialist, two part-time Grant Writers

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, marketing, or a related field preferred; advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressive fundraising and advancement leadership experience, including at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.

• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and leading comprehensive fundraising strategies in a nonprofit environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proven experience building and maintaining strong donor, corporate, foundation, and community relationships.

• Strong leadership and team-building skills with experience managing and motivating diverse teams.

• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial management, and revenue forecasting within a nonprofit or similar sized organization.

• Demonstrated experience maintaining CRM data integrity and reporting infrastructure in a donor database (Salesforce experience strongly preferred).

• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including public speaking and donor engagement abilities.

• Strong strategic thinking, organizational, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

• Passion for Urban Ventures' mission and commitment to serving the South Minneapolis community.

License and/or Certification(s):

• Valid MN Driver’s License with proof of auto insurance

• Legal background check completion

• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) accreditation (preferred)

• Experience with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) (preferred)

WORKING CONDITIONS AND ENVIRONMENT

This position operates in a secure, accessible, and smoke-free office environment. Work hours are typically Monday through Friday, between the hours 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with occasional evenings and weekends as required. Must have the ability to sit or stand for extended periods, use a computer for long durations, occasional lifting up to 25lbs, and utilize various office equipment such as computer, phone, printer, calculator on a continual basis.

All employees must demonstrate core competencies necessary to work effectively in a faith-based, mission-driven organization. These include mission alignment, effective communication, collaboration, adaptability, problem-solving, cultural humility, technological proficiency, and ethical conduct. Urban Ventures is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that values and respects the diversity of its clients and staff, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, nationality, religion, age, and ability.