Vice President of Philanthropy

Job Description

Job Description

Location: Portland, Oregon — Administrative Offices
Schedule: Full-Time, On-Site
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: DOE (Depending on Experience)About Trillium Family Services

Trillium Family Services is committed to strengthening the well-being of children, youth, and families across Oregon. Through behavioral health services, education, and community-based support, Trillium helps children and families build brighter, healthier futures.

The Vice President of Philanthropy will play a critical leadership role in advancing this mission by building and expanding a strong community of donors, foundations, corporations, community partners, and other philanthropic supporters who believe in Trillium's work and invest in its future.

About the Role

The Vice President of Philanthropy provides strategic and hands-on leadership for Trillium Family Services' comprehensive philanthropy program. Working closely with the CEO, Foundation Board, Board of Trustees, and leadership team, the VP develops and executes philanthropic strategies that grow sustainable revenue, deepen donor engagement, strengthen fundraising capacity, and align philanthropic investment with Trillium's mission and strategic priorities.

This is both a strategic leadership and relationship-driven fundraising role . The VP will set the vision and direction for philanthropy while personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding key donors and prospects and leading major fundraising initiatives and campaigns.

A central responsibility is serving as the senior staff partner to the Trillium Foundation Board , in close collaboration with the CEO. The VP will help strengthen the Foundation Board's role in advancing philanthropy, support effective committee and Board engagement, and build the Board's capacity to serve as ambassadors, advocates, and philanthropic leaders for Trillium.

The VP oversees the full philanthropy function, including major and annual giving, institutional giving, corporate and foundation relations, donor engagement and stewardship, advancement services, volunteer engagement, and philanthropy team leadership.

Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Philanthropic Leadership

• Establish and lead a comprehensive philanthropy strategy that supports Trillium's mission, strategic priorities, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Set, monitor, and achieve ambitious yet sustainable fundraising goals, with a focus on revenue growth, donor retention, donor engagement, and long-term philanthropic capacity.
• Partner closely with the CEO, Foundation Board, Board of Trustees, and executive leadership to identify philanthropic priorities and opportunities.
• Develop strategies across major gifts, annual giving, foundation and corporate relations, sponsorships, planned giving, special events, campaigns, and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Provide regular and meaningful fundraising, campaign, pipeline, and performance reports to the CEO, Foundation Board, and Board of Trustees.

Major Gifts & Donor Engagement

• Personally manage and cultivate a portfolio of key donors and prospects, building authentic, long-term relationships and securing significant charitable investments.
• Develop and oversee effective prospect and portfolio management practices, including donor identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Provide strategic guidance, coaching, and support to staff and volunteer leaders involved in donor relationships and fundraising.
• Strengthen a culture of meaningful donor engagement and stewardship throughout the organization.
• Identify opportunities to connect donors' philanthropic interests with Trillium's programs, priorities, and community impact.

Foundation & Corporate Relations

• Lead the strategy for institutional philanthropy, including foundation and corporate partnerships, sponsorships, and other institutional funding opportunities.
• Oversee grant development and submission strategies and supervise contracted grant-writing or development support as appropriate.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with foundations, corporations, community leaders, and other strategic partners.

Foundation Board Leadership

• Serve as the senior staff partner to the Trillium Foundation Board in collaboration with the CEO.
• Strengthen Board engagement in fundraising, donor cultivation, stewardship, and community outreach.
• Partner with Foundation Board leadership to support effective committees, clear goals, and meaningful participation.
• Develop and support Board members as ambassadors and philanthropic champions for Trillium.
• Create effective structures, tools, and strategies that enable Board members to leverage their networks and relationships on behalf of the organization.

Advancement Services & Operations

• Oversee advancement services and strengthen the systems and processes that support fundraising success.
• Ensure accurate and effective donor data management, reporting, prospect tracking, gift processing, and fundraising analytics.
• Leverage donor data and performance metrics to inform strategy, evaluate results, and guide decision-making.
• Provide leadership for fundraising technology and systems, preferably including Raiser’s Edge.
• Ensure strong operational practices that support donor experience, fundraising performance, compliance, and organizational accountability.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Lead, supervise, and develop the philanthropy team through clear expectations, collaboration, professional development, coaching, and performance management.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, innovation, and excellence.
• Manage the philanthropy department budget, resource allocation, financial projections, and operational priorities.
• Partner across the organization to build a shared understanding of philanthropy and strengthen organizational readiness for fundraising.

External Leadership & Representation

• Represent Trillium's philanthropic priorities and impact in the community in partnership with the CEO, Board members, and philanthropy staff.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with donors, prospective donors, foundations, corporations, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as a visible and credible ambassador for Trillium's mission, values, and impact.
• Maintain the highest standards of ethics, confidentiality, professionalism, and discretion.
• Complete all required training and comply with applicable organizational policies and requirements.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be a strategic, relationship-oriented fundraising leader with a demonstrated ability to build philanthropic support and lead a high-performing development function.

Required/Preferred Qualifications