Vice President of Philanthropy

Kansas City Symphony is seeking a dynamic, energetic, and
experienced Vice President of Philanthropy to lead our fundraising
and philanthropic initiatives. The VP of Philanthropy will play a
pivotal role in developing and implementing a comprehensive
fundraising strategy to support the Symphony’s growing artistic and
community engagement goals. With a focus on innovation and an
entrepreneurial spirit, the successful candidate will bring an
analytical and goal-oriented approach to the team. Additionally,
the successful candidate will have a proven track record of
cultivating and stewarding major donors and correlated fundraising
efforts while setting and exceeding aggressive fundraising
benchmarks.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership. Formalizing and refining
fundraising operations:

• Lead the continued maturation of the Symphony’s philanthropy
  program by creating and implementing systems and processes to
  optimize fundraising operations.
• Establish performance measurements related to all components of
  contributed revenue.
• Monitor and evaluate operational effectiveness while
  implementing changes required for improvement and adjusting
  fundraising goals as needed.
• Ensure that data related to prospects and donors is recorded
  and tracked in the database. Prepare reports, update donor records,
  and assist with database maintenance as needed.
• Supervise and mentor a team of experienced fundraising
  professionals, providing guidance, resources, and support in
  executing successful fundraising initiatives.
• Foster a collaborative, supportive, and results-driven culture
  within the philanthropy team.

Major Gifts and Donor Cultivation. Advancing
and inspiring new and renewed commitments:

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 50- 75 major
  donors, foundations, and corporations to secure significant and
  transformational financial annual support of $25,000+.
• Delegate and monitor effective fulfillment of a robust
  sponsorship and donor benefits program.
• Build a Board Philanthropy committee and serve as the staff lead
  in support of the Philanthropy committee’s strategy and focus on
  advancing donor relationships and securing gifts.

 

Partnership, Collaboration and Communication.
Breaking down silos and building connections:

• Develop a dynamic partnership with the President & CEO to
  advance the best possible donor engagement strategy in pursuit of
  elevated gifts.
• Support the President and CEO and key leaders in fundraising by
  conducting and providing prospect research; developing briefing
  memos and remarks; crafting gift request materials; and managing
  full meeting preparations and follow-up.
• Partner with the Board of Directors to elevate their role in
  fundraising and foster a culture of philanthropy within the
  organization.
• Work closely with the Vice President of Marketing to develop,
  implement, and manage strategic communications efforts that
  effectively promote the organization, including letters, email,
  social media, and printed publications.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A passion for performing arts and innovation in the
  industry.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; advanced degree or CFRE
  certification is a plus.
• Proven track record of successfully raising significant funds
  in a nonprofit or cultural institution.
• 5-8 years of successful revenue-generating experience, with a
  broad and deep knowledge of philanthropy and a track record of
  securing major gifts.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience
  leading and inspiring a high-performing team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the
  ability to engage and inspire a diverse range of stakeholders.

COMPENSATION

Competitive salary, commensurate with experience. Kansas City
Symphony also offers a generous suite of benefits including a PPO
health insurance plan with dental and vision benefits, along with a
403(b) plan with employer match, disability insurance, and
maternity benefits.