Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement

Missouri Botanical Garden•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

The Missouri Botanical Garden seeks a Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement to provide strategic leadership for all fundraising, membership, donor engagement, and advancement operations. Reporting directly to the President and Director and serving on the Executive Leadership Team, the SVP integrates philanthropy and partnership development into the Garden’s mission and strategic plan. The role leads a comprehensive advancement program encompassing major gifts, annual and capital campaigns, foundation and corporate relations, planned giving, membership, special events, stewardship, and advancement operations. The SVP will develop local and global advancement strategies, help grow a culture of philanthropy across the organization, and align relationships, systems, and resources for sustainable philanthropic growth. The position also partners with the President, Board of Trustees, executive leaders, volunteers, and program divisions to secure support for institutional priorities and connect donors and partners with the Garden’s mission. The SVP oversees a team of 35 staff, including four direct reports. The department’s operating budget is $4.8 million, within an overall Garden budget of approximately $63 million. The position is based in St. Louis, Missouri. The salary range is $225,000–$260,000, commensurate with experience. The Garden offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, medical, vision and dental insurance, and a 403(b) plan.

Requirements

Significant executive-level advancement leadership experience within a nonprofit, higher education, cultural, conservation, healthcare, or similarly complex organization.
Demonstrated success securing and stewarding transformational gifts and institutional support, locally and globally.
Experience leading comprehensive fundraising programs, campaigns, and advancement operations.
A track record of building and mentoring high-performing teams.
Strong financial, analytical, and strategic planning capabilities.
Experience working closely with executive leaders, governing boards, and volunteers.
Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification is required.
A bachelor's degree is required; equivalent combinations of education, experience, and demonstrated fundraising success will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual proficiency is highly preferred; conversational fluency in French, Spanish, and/or Portuguese is considered a strong asset.
An advanced degree and/or relevant professional certifications are preferred.
Strategic vision combined with disciplined execution.
Intellectual curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Collaborative leadership and emotional intelligence.
Personal integrity, humility, and credibility.
A genuine appreciation for the Garden’s mission and its role in advancing knowledge, conservation, and public engagement.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic advisor and partner to the President, Board of Trustees, and Executive Leadership Team, integrating philanthropy into institutional planning, policy development, and decision-making.
Develop and implement a comprehensive local and global advancement strategy encompassing annual, capital, endowment, and planned-giving priorities.
Partner with the President and Board leadership to identify and fund institutional initiatives, cultivate prospective donors, and secure transformational gifts.
Represent the Garden in donor and philanthropic settings and foster trust, transparency, and alignment between advancement and programmatic divisions.
Lead local and global fundraising programs, including major gifts, capital campaigns, annual giving, corporate and foundation support, planned giving, and special initiatives.
Manage, cultivate, solicit, and steward a select portfolio of donors and prospects capable of transformational six- and seven-figure gifts, in partnership with the President and Board.
Expand and diversify the donor pipeline through prospect research, engagement strategies, and data-driven approaches with accessible performance metrics.
Oversee advancement materials and donor communications in collaboration with the Communications & Marketing Division and President and Director.
Oversee general, upper-level, and corporate membership programs, strengthening retention, engagement, and upgrading pathways.
Lead stewardship, recognition, donor relations, and major events that build loyalty, inspire philanthropy, and strengthen community connection and institutional visibility.
Ensure fundraising and membership operations are efficient, data-informed, and technologically advanced.
Serve as principal staff liaison to the Development and Nominating Committees and related Board and volunteer groups, providing strategy briefings, performance updates, and fundraising metrics.
Partner with Board members and volunteer leaders to activate their networks and advance fundraising goals.
Build relationships with major donors, community leaders, corporate partners, and foundations, and represent the Garden at external events locally and globally.
Lead, mentor, and oversee the Institutional Advancement team of 35 staff, including four direct reports.