Vice President of Philanthropy

Vice President of Philanthropy

The VIA Institute on Character (VIA) is looking to hire an
accomplished, enthusiastic, ambitious, and independently motivated
Vice President of Philanthropy who loves fundraising and is deeply
passionate about improving the lives of others. The Vice President
of Philanthropy will set and achieve fundraising goals, maintain
knowledge of fundraising prospects’ interests, and cultivate
collaborative relationships with fellow employees, consultants, and
partners. Preferred candidates have outstanding communication
skills and are problem solvers.  

Who We Are

 VIA is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization
that advances the science and practice of character strengths by
supporting scientific investigations, translating research into
best practices, and providing tools to help people build good lives
for themselves and others. Over 30 million people have
completed the VIA Character Strengths Survey from 195 countries and
in 44 languages. In addition, there are over 1,000 published
articles about the VIA Character Strengths Survey making it the
most researched personality inventory in the world.

VIA is in the process of launching a research hub to advance the
study of character strengths through collaboration with researchers
around the globe.

Vice President of Philanthropy
Responsibilities:

 The Vice President of Philanthropy will have overall
responsibility for planning and implementing a comprehensive
development program, including the identification, cultivation,
solicitation, and stewardship of all donations and grants. The Vice
President of Philanthropy will report to the CEO and will have
access to Board members on issues of importance to development.

Other responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with the CEO and the board of directors to create
  a fundraising plan and strategies for implementation.
• Developing and monitoring annual budget for the fundraising
  program.
• Identifying, building, and cultivating relationships with new
  donors.
• Oversight of major prospect solicitation activities, which will
  include corporations, individuals, and foundations.
• Generating development materials and solicitations.
• Collaborating with the marketing team to develop a digital
  fundraising strategy.
• Furnishing the CEO and board with regular progress
  reports.
• Managing the implementation of development software.
• Maintaining accurate records of donors and prospects,
  development activities, gifts, and pledges.
• Leading a grantsmanship program, including:
• Management responsibilities for a grant writer
• Oversight and participation in grant research, foundation
  cultivation, and grant writing

Vice President of Philanthropy
Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, non-profit management, or
  related field.

• A minimum of seven years of fundraising/development experience
  with proven ability to implement and lead a development
  program.

• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written, and
  ability to maintain good working relationships within all
  organizational levels and with outside constituencies.

• Superior organizational skills and multi-tasking ability.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Recruiting and training fundraising staff and volunteers.

• Proficient with MS Office applications and fundraising/donor
  management software.
• Proficient with social media platforms.
• A creative self-starter with the ability to work independently
  in a remote working environment.
• Experience with fundraising for research is beneficial.
• A knowledge of positive psychology is a bonus.

What Else You Should Know

 The VIA headquarters is in Cincinnati,
OH. However, the fully-remote staff works from all over the United
States, and the CEO resides in the Philadelphia area.
 In-person meetings of the staff are typically held in
Cincinnati in December. Travel expenses will be covered by VIA. VIA
is an equal opportunity employer embracing diversity and committed
to creating a respectful and inclusive environment for all
employees.  At VIA, we accept, support, and celebrate
differences.  We encourage applicants from a broad
cross-section of experiences, backgrounds, and all
walks-of-life to apply.

The application deadline is February 15, 2024. VIA Institute on
Character employees work 100% virtually, and hours are typically
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm with occasional evenings and weekends
required for meetings and special events. We are a small team and
flexible when it comes to scheduling.

The annual salary range is $100,000 to $130,000, based on
experience. We offer comprehensive benefits including health
insurance and a generous paid time off program.

How Do You Apply?

 To apply for this position, please send
the following materials to [email protected] with
“Vice President of Philanthropy” in the subject
line.

• PDF of your resume (including your contact information)
• Take the VIA Character Strengths Survey at
  viacharacter.org. This typically takes about 10 minutes to
  complete.
• Provide a PDF or cover letter with your answers to the
  following questions (each answer should be 150 words or less):
• Why are you interested in this position at VIA Institute on
  Character?
• How has your prior work prepared you for this position?
• What are three unique character strengths that make you an
  ideal candidate for VIA’s Vice President of Philanthropy
  position?