Vice President for Philanthropy

The Greater New Orleans Foundation seeks a seasoned and strategic professional to serve as the organization’s next Vice President for Philanthropy. Reporting to the Foundation’s President and CEO and serving as a member of the Foundation’s senior leadership team, the Vice President for Philanthropy will organize, direct, and lead the Foundation’s comprehensive philanthropy program, to include both fundraising and fund development. Importantly, this individual will possess the practical expertise and the relational know-how to adeptly balance the Foundation’s aims of attracting and servicing fundholders and building assets while also raising funds for the Foundation’s own annual and special initiatives and grantmaking programs. The Vice President for Philanthropy will manage a team of four development and donor relations professionals, comprised of the Major and Planned Giving Officer, Development Officer, Donor Relations Officer, and Donor Relations Associate.

About the Greater New Orleans Foundation

The Greater New Orleans Foundation has been a trusted philanthropic leader in the 13-parish Greater New Orleans region for 100 years. Our vision is to create an economically and culturally vibrant, sustainable, and just region for all, and our mission is to champion charitable giving, strengthen nonprofits, and lead civic initiatives in the Greater New Orleans region. As a community foundation, our resources are comprised of more than 1,000 charitable funds established by individuals, businesses, and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and a deep commitment to the Greater New Orleans region. As a civic leader, we bring together passionate people from nonprofits, business, government, and philanthropy to address our region’s greatest challenges.

The Foundation is an inspiring, engaging, challenging, thought-provoking, diverse, and dynamic place to work and advance your career. We pride ourselves on investing in high-quality staff members and encouraging success by allowing individuals the opportunity to both contribute and enhance their skills and talents as well as to share their unique perspectives as we address community challenges. Our workplace environment nurtures a diverse team and results in a broad base of staff knowledge and talent.

To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.gnof.org.

The Role

In terms of essential job functions, the Vice President for Philanthropy will:

Develop an annual plan designed to meet the comprehensive fundraising and fund development needs of the Foundation and grow the Foundation’s assets; this annual plan should include strategies for the creation of new funds (Donor Advised Funds, Agency Reserve and Endowment Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Employee Assistance Funds, Supporting Organizations, etc.), the delivery of donor services, the recognition of donor gifts, the stewardship of new and existing donors, the expansion of a major and planned gifts program, and fund development to further advance the Foundation’s endowment and other strategic initiatives.
Compellingly communicate to current and prospective donors and fundholders the Foundation’s unique and powerful value proposition as an organization that both supports the Greater New Orleans community and provides donors with valuable tools to facilitate their own philanthropic giving.
Maintain responsibility for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a robust portfolio of major and planned gift prospects at the five, six, and seven-figure levels, closing gifts that support the important civic leadership role that the Foundation plays in the Greater New Orleans region.
Staff the Asset Development Committee of the Board of Trustees; leverage Board engagement to help meet the Foundation’s development goals.
Serve as an effective manager and mentor of the Foundation’s Philanthropy team members; provide appropriate opportunities for enhanced training and professional development opportunities.
Oversee the Foundation’s donor services functions, including gift and grant processing, guiding the conversion to a new CRM platform, and ensuring the ongoing maintenance and integrity of the Foundation’s donor information.
Provide information and technical assistance to professional advisors and Foundation staff regarding current and planned gift vehicles, including the donation of complex assets; consult with legal counsel and outside experts when appropriate.
Develop and maintain relationships with key professional advisor groups, including attorneys, accountants, bankers, life insurance advisors and financial/investment/wealth advisors.
Work collaboratively with departments across the Foundation, including staff teams within the Executive, Finance and Operations, Communications, and Programs departments.
Represent the Foundation to external audiences.
Remain informed about, and provide thought leadership around, fundraising and fund development trends and best practices in the community foundation and philanthropic arenas.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and characteristics to bear in the Vice President for Philanthropy role:

A passion for the mission of the Foundation; an ability to convincingly articulate the Foundation’s work products and resultant impacts.
Knowledge of the philanthropic landscape within the Foundation’s 13-parish catchment region and a demonstrated track record of fostering fruitful relationships with individuals, families, professional advisors, and other key stakeholders in the Greater New Orleans community.
Concrete experience managing and mentoring diverse staff teams.
A proven track record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major and planned gifts.
A clear understanding of philanthropic trends and best practices related to charitable giving, charitable trusts, deferred gifts, tax exempt organizations, private foundations, donor advised funds, supporting organizations, and the donation of complex assets.
Demonstrated aptitude and comfort working with advanced constituent relationship management (CRM) systems and other technological tools and programs.
A spirit of collegiality; an orientation toward teamwork and collaboration; a history of constructive partnership with professional peers and staff teams.
A strategic mindset with demonstrated ability to think expansively and creatively.
Experience working with governing boards and/or high-level fundraising volunteers.
A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
At least seven to ten years of experience in a senior leadership role.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for this role is commensurate with experience; the salary range starts at $165,000. This position is exempt, and the Vice President for Philanthropy will be eligible for the Foundation’s competitive health and benefits plan, which includes paid leave and employer-paid retirement. The Vice President for Philanthropy must be located in, or willing to relocate to, the Greater New Orleans region.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to careers@gnof.org with the subject line, “Vice President for Philanthropy Search.” For priority consideration, please submit materials by January 15, 2024; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until a hire is identified. Only complete applications will be considered. No calls, please.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.