Vice President, Donor Relations & Operations

National Ms Society • New York, NY

243d • $165,000 - $200,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Vice President of Donor Relations & Operations, in close partnership with the Senior Vice President of Development, is responsible for the design, implementation, and execution of a centralized, process-driven donor engagement strategy focused on deepening donor retention and loyalty across all areas of development. This role also oversees critical operation efforts, including Prospect Research. In this role, the VP will oversee the creation and delivery of customized impact stewardship programs that foster meaningful, personalized engagement and the long-term cultivation of Society Citizens. Working closely with the marketing and communications teams, the VP will ensure all donor communications—including recognition and gift acknowledgements—are tailored, timely, and aligned with organizational messaging. The VP will lead and mentor a team of donor relations professionals, driving initiatives aligned with the Society's Strategic Plan, with a strong emphasis on leveraging data analytics to refine strategies and uncover growth opportunities. Collaborating cross-functionally with leadership and various departments, the VP will ensure a cohesive and integrated approach to donor engagement. This includes maximizing donor retention, enhancing lifetime donor value, and strengthening recognition efforts. An important component of the role includes overseeing strategic prospect research—identifying and researching potential donors and partners to build strong, informed development portfolios. The VP will ensure the organization leverages data-driven insights to guide engagement and cultivation efforts, directly contributing to enhanced donor relationships and increased fundraising success.

Requirements

• 10+ years of demonstrated and relevant development experience (including 6 years of team leadership and supervision) with advanced understanding of prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Able to assess staff talent, mentor, and train others toward a shared vision, providing strategic guidance to ensure staff meet their designated revenue and activity goals.
• Proven ability to manage broad and technical stewardship initiatives, collaborating effectively with staff across functional areas.
• Expertise in AI, predictive analytics, and CRM tools to optimize sales pipeline automation, donor journey mapping, and forecasting donor trends to enhance retention and maximize fundraising success.
• Experience with prescribed donor database management practices, and in generating queries and reports to guide staff performance is required. Salesforce experience preferred.
• Extensive experience managing geographically dispersed teams, in remote and hybrid environments, overseeing project execution.
• Track record of implementing innovative stewardship strategies that drive engagement and revenue growth.
• Strong ability to perform under pressure, handle criticism professionally, and consistently meet fundraising commitments.
• Exceptional project management, strategic planning, and negotiation skills to drive effective resource allocation and optimize fundraising outcomes.
• Advanced CRM expertise, leveraging data analytics to drive decision-making and train teams on data-driven fundraising strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a centralized, process-driven donor engagement and stewardship strategy in partnership with the SVP of Development that aligns engagement efforts with the Society's Strategic Plan to enhance donor retention, loyalty, and lifetime value.
• Work cross-functionally with leadership and development teams to integrate engagement strategies across the organization.
• Oversee the design and execution of personalized stewardship programs that reflect donor preferences, giving history, and mission alignment.
• Ensure timely and meaningful donor communications, including acknowledgments, impact reports, recognition materials, and donor-centric content.
• Develop recognition opportunities such as events, naming opportunities, and exclusive experiences to foster long-term relationships.
• Implement retention strategies and track performance metrics to continuously improve donor satisfaction and engagement.
• Manage and mentor a team of donor relations professionals, providing training, support, and performance oversight to ensure quality execution and implementation of consistent, high-impact engagement practices across donor levels.
• Lead the prospect research function to identify, qualify, and prioritize high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Develop and manage comprehensive donor profiles using wealth indicators, philanthropic history, and strategic alignment and maintaining accurate, actionable donor and prospect data in the CRM, delivering insights to inform cultivation strategies.
• Support fundraising teams by aligning research with pipeline goals and identifying sponsorship and grant opportunities.
• Optimize research tools and data systems to track engagement trends and generate reports that inform strategy and decision-making.

Benefits

• The estimated hiring compensation range for this role is $165,000-$200,000. Final offers will be based on the candidate's geographic location, consider career experience and may vary from this range due to these and other factors.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Industry: Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations