Head of Advancement II

Pillsbury United Communities•Minneapolis, MN

13h•$105,000 - $115,000

About The Position

The Head of Advancement leads the vision, strategy, and execution of a comprehensive, organization-wide fundraising program that fuels mission impact and long-term sustainability. This role is responsible for designing and implementing a robust, diversified fundraising strategy that grows and aligns institutional, individual, corporate, and public funding streams. Additionally, this role is responsible for leading marketing, communications, branding, and advocacy. As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Head of Advancement brings a strong network of relationships and leverages those connections to unlock new opportunities, deepen partnerships, and expand the organization’s visibility and influence. This leader operates with a collaborative, enterprise mindset—working across departments to align fundraising with programmatic priorities, organizational strategy, and community impact. The Head of Advancement will evolve development strategy and philanthropic culture across the organization, positioning fundraising as a shared responsibility and building the internal capacity, systems, and storytelling needed to support development, brand advancement and policy/advocacy. This role also contributes to organizational strategy, risk assessment, data evaluation, and long-term planning across an $11M operating budget and a team of nearly 100 staff.

Requirements

Demonstrated success designing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies with measurable growth
Strong existing network of philanthropic, corporate, and/or public sector relationships (locally and/or nationally)
Experience leading through collaboration and influence in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
Ability to translate organizational vision into compelling cases for support and strategic partnerships
Proven track record and comfort enfranchising and engaging a diverse set of stakeholders.
Able to build positive, nonjudgmental relationships with community
Working knowledge of donor management tools and processes
Strong technical and creative writing skills
Knowledge or familiarity with the local philanthropic community
Understanding of appropriate personal boundaries and professional ethics
Self-motivating with excellent time management and accountability skills

Nice To Haves

Passion for what’s possible
Clear sense of personal purpose
Commitment to social justice with an equity-driven approach
Creative problem-solver that is adaptive and responsive
Skilled communicator, motivator and compelling storyteller
Relationship centered
Robust financial acumen
Results oriented and ambitious
Commitment to dismantling oppressive systems including but not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and colonialism

Responsibilities

Develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy that drives sustainable and diversified revenue growth
Lead and oversee advocacy and community mobilization strategies and efforts that promote, protect and galvanize our community into action around key policy issues
Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including national philanthropy, corporate partnerships, family foundations, and governmental funding streams
Leverage and expand a strong personal and organizational network of relationships to unlock new investments and partnerships
Position the organization as a leader in reimagining how capital flows, advancing equity-centered and community-driven philanthropy
Develop a deep knowledge of regional and local nuances, trends, and strategies that drive engagement of community in championing key policy matters
Analyze trends in the philanthropic and funding landscape to inform strategy and decision-making
Support the cultivation of the PUC brand by leading Marketing & Communications to strengthen storytelling, brand positioning, and donor engagement
Serve as a collaborative leader across the organization, aligning advancement strategies with program, finance, and communications priorities
Lead and leverage data collection and utilization efforts to tell individual and aggregate stories of impact
Lead execution of ambitious annual and multi-year revenue goals ($10M+ annually)
Lead research and prospecting of institutional giving, government grants, and individual donors
Identify and prioritize key audiences, develop narrative campaigns and messages, and implement targeted communications and outreach strategies
Oversee and support all aspects of development operations, including prospecting, grant writing, reporting, and donor stewardship
Guide and support capital campaigns and special fundraising initiatives in collaboration with agency leadership
Ensure systems, tools, and processes effectively support relationship management and fundraising performance
Analyze data and trends internally and externally to support strategic investments and policy initiatives
Grow unrestricted and flexible funding year-over-year
Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective funders across multiple sectors
Maintain or increase donor retention rates across institutional and individual portfolios
Deepen engagement with top-tier donors through consistent stewardship and relationship-building
Assess, create, and bring fidelity to processes and systems to drive sustainability and support results
Drive creative and impactful data communications, including visualizations to support key policy advocacy and fundraising
Expand presence and influence of PUC within local, regional, and national philanthropic networks
Build and sustain authentic, trust-based relationships with community members, partners, and aligned organizations
Ensure fundraising strategies and donor engagements are informed by and responsive to community and organizational priorities
Strengthen internal capacity for fundraising through training, tools, and cross-functional collaboration
Foster a team culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning
Oversee communications department to build, influence, engage, and amplify key programs, increasing brand awareness and influence
Supervise and support policy, marketing, communication, data/evaluation and development teams, providing oversight to their work, cultivating their professional growth, and ensuring their effective operation and performance
Lead and motivate direct reports and departments establishing clear goals and outcomes for success
Cultivate and sustain a culture of shared ownership for fundraising, brand advancement, and advocacy across departments and teams
Monitor and analyze revenue performance against goals, adjusting strategies as needed
Partner with Finance to align revenue projections, budgeting, and long-term financial planning
Monitor cash flow implications of fundraising timing, including grant cycles, reimbursements, and multi-year commitments
Identify risks and opportunities within the funding landscape and proactively respond
Identify new revenue opportunities and increase conversion rates from prospect to secured funding
Maintain accurate and strategic use of donor management systems and reporting
Provide regular, clear reporting to Executive Leadership and the Board on fundraising performance, projections, and risks
Ensure strong stewardship and compliance for all funds, including government grants and restricted funding