Mission: VIPS empowers families by providing educational excellence to young children with blindness or low vision in order to build a strong foundation for reaching their highest potential.

Summary: The Director of Development leads VIPS’ fundraising efforts across Kentucky and Indiana, serving as the primary gift officer for Kentucky and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and corporate donors to grow philanthropic revenue. This role provides strategic direction for the development department, establishing priorities and advancing fundraising initiatives aligned with VIPS’ strategic plan. This role oversees fundraising efforts across annual giving, major giving, planned giving, grants, marketing, and special events. The incumbent will empower team members to lead within their respective areas of development, creating an environment where each person’s expertise, strengths, and ideas are valued and fully utilized to advance VIPS’ fundraising goals. Success in this role requires a proactive, resourceful leader who can build strong relationships internally and externally, identify opportunities for philanthropic growth, and translate ideas into action through effective planning, delegation, and execution.

The Director of Development may partner with the Contracted Development Strategist, directing priorities and delegating select day-to-day fundraising activities and special projects based on the needs of the department. The strategist serves as an extension of the Director’s capacity, providing hands-on support and helping execute the Director’s vision and priorities. This partnership should free the incumbent to spend more time building donor relationships, empowering staff, and leading fundraising strategies and growth across Kentucky and Indiana, while maintaining ownership of the department’s direction and decisions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Estimated Percentage for reference only): Development/Fundraising (80%), Management of development and fundraising team members (20%). Other duties may be assigned.

Development:

• Establishes and implements a development plan for VIPS based on the strategic plan set in place by the board. Strategizes for philanthropic revenue growth through various fundraising campaigns and initiatives within annual giving, major giving, and planned giving.
• Serves as the primary gift officer for Kentucky, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of annual, major, and planned giving donors. Prioritizes individual donor engagement and relationship management to grow philanthropic revenue.
• Maintains donor relationships and manages individual giving opportunities and activities in Neon CRM, utilizing available support for prospect research, reporting, portfolio tracking, and donor engagement planning.
• Drafts and coordinates annual fund solicitations, which include the holiday card campaign and plans for additional fundraising opportunities throughout the year.
• Collaborates with the Marketing & Communications Specialist to establish fundraising campaign priorities and develop materials that communicate the VIPS mission, leveraging additional development support for campaign planning, project coordination, and execution as needed.
• Works with the Development Coordinator to achieve fundraising goals, leads sponsorship cultivation and solicitation for Kentucky, and ensures VIPS-sanctioned events support organizational fundraising priorities. Utilizes additional support for sponsorship research, solicitation materials, event planning, project coordination, and follow-up.
• Provides strategic oversight and support to the Grant Specialist in identifying funding opportunities, prioritizing prospects, and aligning grant requests with departmental fundraising goals.
• Builds relationships with staff, board members, volunteers, and community stakeholders to advance development initiatives.

Management:

• Manages the department and supervises development staff, which may include a Development Coordinator, Marketing & Communications Specialist, and Grant Specialist. Provides direction, coordinates departmental activities, evaluates performance, addresses concerns, and supports staff in achieving departmental goals.
• May leverage the Contracted Development Strategist's expertise and execution support to advance departmental priorities, implement fundraising initiatives, and execute special projects, allowing the Director to prioritize individual donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and revenue growth.
• Participates as a member of the leadership team. Attends leadership team meetings and supports other areas of VIPS as needed. Attends board meetings regularly to report on development progress.
• Assists the Executive Director and Director of Finance in the budgeting process for the development department and team members. Sets annual fundraising goals and monitors budget throughout the year.
• Represents VIPS as a speaker before civic organizations, at community meetings, and in other forums to increase awareness and understanding of the work of VIPS. Represents VIPS when needed for video shoots and news coverage.
• Other duties may be assigned.