Vice President of Advacement

The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh•Pittsburgh, PA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vice President of Advancement (VPA) develops, coordinates, and leads The Children’s Institute’s Institutional Advancement strategy, focusing on philanthropy and external advocacy. The VPA designs and executes a comprehensive, data informed growth plan that enables the organization to be nimble in an ever changing environment, honors the Institute’s history and traditions, and inspires, engages, and sustains our constituencies. As a collaborative member of the Senior Leadership team, the VPA closely partners with the President & CEO, COO, and leadership to advance organizational priorities and reports regularly to the Board of Directors and other stakeholders on fundraising and advocacy progress. The VPA directly supervises the Senior Director of Individual Giving and the Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations, and provides strategic leadership for the broader advancement function.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree or Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) preferred.
Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in fundraising and advancement leadership, including a proven track record of securing major/principal gifts and managing complex campaigns.
At least 5 years of supervisory experience leading high‑performing teams.
Demonstrated success in pipeline development, portfolio management, and donor stewardship; excellence in crafting cases for support and closing gifts.
Strong strategic planning, financial acumen, and KPI management; adept at using data to drive decisions.
High integrity and discretion; adept in gift policies, donor intent, and compliance.
Clearances Required: Act 73 FBI, Act 34 Criminal Clearance, and Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance

Responsibilities

Philanthropy Strategy & Revenue Growth: Own the comprehensive advancement plan across annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, planned/legacy giving, corporate partnerships, foundation grants, and special campaigns (capital/comprehensive/endowment). Build and manage a diversified revenue portfolio with clear targets, timelines, and KPIs; ensure disciplined moves management and donor lifecycle strategies (acquisition, retention, upgrade, and reactivation).
Donor Pipeline, Prospecting & Stewardship: Direct prospect research, wealth screening, portfolio assignment, and pipeline analytics; maintain healthy distribution and coverage across staff portfolios. Ensure robust stewardship and recognition (impact reporting, thank‑you cadence, donor journeys, and engagement events) that deepen loyalty and lifetime value. Champion a gratitude culture: equip staff and volunteers with training, messaging, and tools to authentically thank and engage donors.
External Relations & Advocacy: Serve alongside the President & CEO as liaison to lobbyists and federal/state/local elected officials; track and communicate legislative issues impacting healthcare, education, and social services. Represent The Children’s Institute at external meetings, coalitions, and community events to advance mission visibility and policy goals.
Board & Committee Engagement: Partner with the Board of Directors to elevate philanthropy (board giving, peer‑to‑peer outreach, prospect introductions). Serve as the primary staff liaison to The Children’s Institute Foundation Board, providing strategic support, coordinating meetings and materials, and presenting advancement updates to drive engagement, accountability, and informed decision-making. Provide regular, outcomes‑focused reports featuring results, trend analysis, and strategic recommendations.
Internal Collaboration & Culture of Philanthropy: Build an organization‑wide culture of philanthropy where programs, operations, and clinical teams collaborate to demonstrate impact to donors. Integrate advancement goals into strategic planning and enterprise priorities; collaborate across departments to identify funding opportunities that accelerate program outcomes.
Team Leadership, Systems & Data: Lead, coach, and develop the Senior Director of Individual Giving and the Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations, mentor emerging talent across the advancement function. Oversee budgeting, policy development, and goal setting; refine SOPs and calendars to ensure consistent execution (solicitations, campaigns, stewardship). Ensure CRM/data integrity, segmentation, and performance dashboards; drive insight through analytics (conversion rates, donor retention, upgrade rates, cost‑to‑raise‑a‑dollar, ROI).