Senior Vice President of Development

Job Title:
Senior Vice President of Development

Manager:
President

Organization:
The Cicero Institute

Location: Austin preferred/flexible

Job Type: Full-time

Summary Description :

The Senior Vice President of Development is responsible for building, executing, and scaling a comprehensive, year-round fundraising and donor engagement strategy to fuel long-term growth and policy impact. This role owns the development function end-to-end—strategy, execution, and results, and serves as a core member of the organization’s senior leadership team.

Reporting directly to the President, the Senior Vice President of Development works closely with the Board of Directors and senior leadership to cultivate high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and institutional partners. This role plays a critical role in advancing our public policy agenda by translating impact, ideas, and outcomes into compelling philanthropic partnerships.

The Senior Vice President of Development is a highly visible, externally facing leader who represents the Cicero Institute nationally to donors, partners, and influencers across civic, business, and technology communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Design and execute a comprehensive, multi-channel development strategy encompassing major gifts, foundations, events, and strategic partnerships.
• Own fundraising performance, including goal-setting, pipeline development, forecasting, and reporting.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth individuals and institutional funders, with an emphasis on leadership and transformational gifts.
• Build and manage a robust donor pipeline that supports sustained growth and long-term financial stability.

Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Develop and oversee a disciplined donor stewardship program that ensures consistent engagement, transparency, and impact reporting.
• Personally manage relationships with top-tier donors and prospects.
• Ensure donors have a clear understanding of the organization’s mission, policy priorities, and measurable outcomes.

Leadership & Board Partnership

• Serve as a strategic partner to the President on fundraising strategy, donor messaging, and high-level solicitations.
• Collaborate closely with the Board of Directors to activate networks, support donor outreach, and deepen relationships.
• Prepare high-quality briefing materials, talking points, and strategy memos for leadership and board engagement.

Events & External Engagement

• Plan and execute high-impact fundraising events, briefings, and convenings across the country.
• Represent the Institute at national conferences, donor meetings, and external events.
• Serve as a public-facing representative of the Institute to donors and partners.

Policy Integration and Narrative Alignment

• Translate complex public policy goals and outcomes into compelling, donor-facing narratives.
• Engage funders interested in policy reform, civic innovation, and systemic change.
• Coordinate closely with policy, communications, and leadership teams to ensure alignment between fundraising efforts and organizational priorities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

• Proven success in business development and/or nonprofit, political, or issue-based fundraising.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts and managing senior donor relationships.
• Experience working with or supporting public policy, advocacy, or civic-focused organizations.
• Proven ability to cultivate relationships with senior leaders, philanthropists, and institutional partners.
• Strong comfort serving as a public-facing representative and spokesperson.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and judgment.

Preferred

• Experience working directly with a board of directors.
• Background in policy, government, campaigns, or issue advocacy.
• Familiarity with fundraising CRM systems and donor analytics.

Key Attributes

• Strategic, entrepreneurial, and results-oriented
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-accountability environments
• Relationship-driven with strong interpersonal instincts
• Mission-aligned and able to communicate complex policy ideas clearly
• Confident engaging senior leaders, executives, and philanthropists

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

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