About ProLiteracy
ProLiteracy, the largest adult literacy and basic education organization in the nation, has been working for more than 60 years, across the globe, to change lives and communities through the power of literacy. ProLiteracy is the leading provider of professional development, resources, and digital tools to over 6,000 member and non-member programs across the U.S. and international partners in 35 countries, helping them to support their adult learners.
About 43 million adults in the U.S, and almost 800 million worldwide, struggle with basic reading, writing, and math skills. These individuals struggle to read a menu, fill out a job application, or read a bedtime story to their children. ProLiteracy removes the hurdles that stand in the way of their goals.
To make that vision a reality:
- They support 6,000 member and non-member programs in the U.S. and partners in 35 countries worldwide that provide adult literacy instruction.
- They advocate for awareness, funding, and support to increase access to educational resources for adults who want/need to improve their literacy.
- They provide professional development to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of adult literacy programs.
- They create and produce more than 400 customized print and digital instructional tools for tutors and students.
- They utilize a self-sustaining model that includes significant earned revenue from publishing and membership fees, allowing the organization to maximize the impact of philanthropy.
ProLiteracy is proud to be a member of the newly established Adult Literacy and Learning Impact Network, or ALL IN. ALL IN was created as a collective effort of highly regarded representatives of the adult literacy, corporate, and philanthropic sectors who will work to implement the National Action Plan for Adult Literacy, which was conceived by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The goal of the ALL IN initiative is to ensure any adult struggling with literacy has unrestricted access to high-quality and effective support to improve their reading, writing, and numeracy skills.
Improving the literacy levels of the 54% of Americans who function below a sixth-grade level would have profound social impacts that would ripple through future generations and communities in the form of higher literacy rates, upward job mobility, increased income, and better health outcomes.
For more information on ProLiteracy, please visit its website. Read their annual report here.
The Opportunity
At this pivotal moment in the adult literacy space, with never-before-seen collective impact efforts, funding opportunities and a clear understanding of how literacy impacts everything from the wealth gap to health outcomes to equity, ProLiteracy is seeking to bring on an experienced and entrepreneurial fundraising leader as their Vice President of Development. Serving as a strategic partner to the CEO, the VP will work collaboratively with the staff and Board of Directors to develop and manage a fundraising plan with clear goals and action plans designed to bring the organization to a new level of impact.
The opportunity exists to significantly increase revenue by maximizing existing philanthropy from valued recurring donors, as well as identifying new opportunities with corporate partners, foundations, individuals and others. The VP of Development must be a seasoned fundraiser with a proven track record of inspiring commitment from a variety of donors. They must also have the experience and knowledge to help build an internal system that supports continued growth. Overseeing a team of two and an external grantwriting consultant to start, the VP of Development will have support to build out a high-performing team designed to significantly increase revenue and impact in the future. Growing the organization’s impact through increased fundraising is a priority for both the CEO and the Board of Directors and they will be fully supportive of a candidate who shares their belief in the unlimited potential facing the organization currently.
Specific responsibilities but are not limited to:
Strategy
- Work with CEO to drive fundraising strategy including putting together a shared vision based on research, data and current opportunities.
- Work with the CEO, Board and staff to build a Culture of Philanthropy with a shared understanding of revenue planning, projections, analysis, related strategies and the symbiotic relationship between Development and the rest of the organization.
- Collaborate with members of Leadership Team to inform organizational priorities and also to shape fundraising strategies and opportunities.
- Work across a senior team and in direct partnership with the Director of Marketing to build a best-in-class communications campaign for donors and potential donors.
Fundraising
- Manage and grow a portfolio of donor relationships across constituencies, including corporate, foundation, and individual sources.
- Serve as a dynamic external representative for the organization with partners, funders, donors, and others.
Management
- Manage a high performing fundraising team. Develop and engage direct reports through professional and individual development plans with goal of staff retention and strong fundraising outcomes.
- Foster a strong organizational culture in the workplace aligned with ProLiteracy’s core values and commitment to DEI.
Operations
- Ensure organizational consistency of best practices surrounding development operations, including data management, gift processing, fundraising policy/procedures, event management, and other related development operations to create efficiency and provide for improved decision-making.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
- Commitment to ProLiteracy’s mission and values.
- Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in development and fundraising in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment focused on best practices, with progressively increasing responsibility, including at least five years of management experience.
- A proven track record of delivering philanthropic growth for a mission-based organization. Experience with the challenges of working across a wide network that has multiple stakeholders and agendas.
- Demonstrated success in developing the case for support, aligning organizational needs with funder interests, and executing strategic innovative fundraising plans to grow philanthropy and exceed goals.
- Strong manager with ability and commitment to manage and develop a high-functioning team of development professionals.
- Develop, draft, and recommend resource development policies that conform to best practices (e.g., policies on donor recognition, gift acknowledgement, gift acceptance).
- Strong comprehensive analytical skills with the ability to use data to drive results, inform decision making, and build revenue plans for short-term and long-term strategic growth.
- Significant experience with CRM software applications (Salesforce a plus).
- Innovative strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to plan and implement in a demanding, fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
- Entrepreneurial self-starter with a proven ability to motivate staff to reach ambitious goals in a high-growth environment.
- Ability to navigate geographically diverse philanthropic markets.
- Strong relationship-building skills with an ability to leverage own networks to broaden ProLiteracy’s base of support.
- Strong communication, including written, public speaking and presentation skills.
- Ability and willingness to travel as needed, to meet with senior leadership and the team, donors, boards, prospects, and others who are positioned to help advance the organization.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $150,000 - $175,000 with a generous benefits package. Candidates exceeding the qualifications outlined above could potentially qualify for a higher compensation that reflects their experience level. The exact salary that will be offered to the Vice President of Development will be determined based on a consideration of the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and geography and aligned with ProLiteracy’s compensation policies.
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume to Erin Reedy and Shannon O’Neill here.
ProLiteracy is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/koya-partners/.
