Vice President, Institutional Advancement

United Way of Summit & Medina • Akron, OH

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Vice President of Institutional Advancement provides strategic leadership and direction for the organization’s institutional funding, grant development, and public policy efforts, with oversight of high-level revenue generation and donor stewardship. This role is responsible for identifying, securing, and sustaining institutional support from foundations, government entities, and other grant-making organizations while ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and community impact goals. The Vice President leads the development and execution of comprehensive institutional advancement strategies, oversees grant development and compliance, and cultivates and stewards senior-level relationships with institutional funders and partners. In partnership with the Chief Development and Marketing Officer and senior leadership, this position supports long-term revenue sustainability, strengthens funder stewardship and accountability, and reinforces the organization’s role as a trusted leader and advocate within the community.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree (preferred) in Communications, Marketing, Business, Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Relations, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in institutional advancement, fundraising, grant development, public sector funding, or related fields, including demonstrated success in strategic planning and revenue sustainability.
• 7–10 years of experience leading and developing teams, with a proven ability to manage performance, foster collaboration, and build organizational capacity.
• Demonstrated success in the stewardship and management of a diverse institutional funding portfolio (e.g., foundations, government grants, corporate and institutional partners) with responsibility for portfolios totaling $7 million or more annually preferred.
• Experience with public policy, advocacy, or government relations, including working with elected officials, public agencies, coalitions, or lobbyists; supporting or facilitating board or committee-level policy discussions; and aligning funding strategies with public policy priorities.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit governance principles, including experience working with boards of directors, board committees, or advisory councils to inform policy, compliance, and strategic decision-making.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products and experience using CRM and grant management systems (such as StratusLIVE or comparable platforms) to support data-driven decision-making, reporting, and funder stewardship.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex funding, policy, and impact information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, including board members, funders, public officials, and community stakeholders.
• A strong commitment to and interest in the improvement of the Summit and Medina County communities, with an understanding of the regional landscape and community needs.
• Valid driver's license and proof of insurance with the ability to pass an annual motor vehicle report check in compliance with corporate insurance requirements.
• Access to a reliable insured automobile to be used for work-related travel in the Summit and Medina County area.
• Ability to pass pre-employment credit history check.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated success in the stewardship and management of a diverse institutional funding portfolio (e.g., foundations, government grants, corporate and institutional partners) with responsibility for portfolios totaling $7 million or more annually preferred.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree (preferred) in Communications, Marketing, Business, Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Relations, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Institutional Advancement : Provide strategic leadership for institutional advancement efforts, aligning foundation funding, grant development, public policy, and stewardship strategies with organizational priorities and community impact goals. Partner closely with the Chief Development and Marketing Officer and executive leadership to translate vision into actionable strategies that strengthen funding sustainability and institutional partnerships.
• Institutional Funder & Foundation Relationship Management : Lead the cultivation, stewardship, and management of high-level relationships with foundations, government funders, and other institutional partners. Serve as a senior representative of the organization to institutional funders, ensuring alignment between funding opportunities, mission impact, accountability, and long-term partnership development.
• Grant Strategy & Lifecycle Management : Oversee the full grant lifecycle, including opportunity identification, proposal development, submission, award negotiation, compliance, reporting, and renewal. Ensure grant strategies are coordinated, competitive, and responsive to funder priorities, while maintaining excellence in stewardship and regulatory compliance.
• Revenue Sustainability & Donor Stewardship : Support high-level institutional revenue generation by strengthening grant pipelines, renewal strategies, and long-term funding sustainability. Ensure effective stewardship practices that demonstrate impact, accountability, and return on investment to institutional funders and partners.
• Data, Systems & Impact Reporting : Provide strategic oversight for grant-related data systems, CRM integration, and reporting structures to support institutional advancement, compliance, and impact storytelling. Supervise the Database Systems Analyst to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, and effective use of data to inform decision-making, funder communications, and organizational learning.
• Team Leadership & Capacity Building : Provide direct leadership, supervision, and professional development for the Manager of Grant Development and the Database Systems Analyst. Foster a collaborative, results-oriented culture that emphasizes accountability, continuous improvement, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Public Policy, Advocacy & Board Engagement : Lead the organization’s public policy and advocacy efforts in alignment with mission and community priorities. Facilitate the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee and work closely with the Board of Directors to support policy development, governance responsibilities, and informed decision-making. Represent the organization in advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels, including engagement with lobbyists, elected officials, community partners, and coalitions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration : Collaborate with the AVP of Fund Development and the AVP of Brand Strategy & Management to align institutional funding opportunities with broader fundraising strategies, messaging, visibility, and organizational priorities.

Benefits

• On-site with every other Friday remote
• 20 days of PTO + Holidays
• Extensive benefit package
• Recovery Friendly Workplace
• UWSM is committed to building and sustaining a workplace that represents our community in all its richness and variety.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive