Vice President, Development

Why Your Role Matters 

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Vice President of Development serves as a strategic and mission-driven partner responsible for the execution and oversight of the comprehensive fundraising programs. This leadership role manages a high-performing development team and works cross-functionally to advance the Y’s mission through annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns, grant and foundational solicitations, and donor engagement strategies. The Vice President of Development champions a culture of philanthropy and ensures that fundraising practices reflect the Y’s values. 

This position is based in Austin, TX. The standard schedule includes on-site work Tuesday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

How You Will Make an Impact 

• Provide leadership for the annual giving campaign by setting the structure and facilitating cross-functional collaboration with operational leaders to ensure consistent success across all branches. 

• Serve as the strategic liaison between Development and Marketing, ensuring unified messaging, maximizing donor engagement, and aligning fundraising efforts with the organizational brand and storytelling. 

• Guide strategy, recruitment, and engagement for Center Advisory Boards by leveraging membership data, community networks, and existing board members to cultivate mission-aligned leadership. 

• Represent Development in the center advisory board meetings to strengthen board philanthropy involvement and lead local fundraising efforts that reflect community priorities. 

• Lead the execution of capital campaign strategies, integrating personalized stewardship and ambitious revenue goals aligned with long-term capital needs. 

• Implement a comprehensive donor stewardship strategy that builds meaningful relationships at every giving level to increase donor retention and lifetime engagement. 

• Manage a personal portfolio of mid-to-major donors, cultivating and soliciting high-capacity individuals to deepen philanthropic investment and participation, often elevating them to major gift capacity to be managed by the Executive Leadership Team 

• Provide strategic guidance and oversight to development program leaders across corporate giving, grants/foundation relations, and individual/planned giving, ensuring alignment with institutional and community-centered fundraising goals. 

• Partner with the CDO on budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation for the Development department to optimize fundraising outcomes and operational efficiency. 

• Analyze donor data, campaign performance, and philanthropic trends to inform strategy adjustments and drive continuous improvement and innovation. 

• Collaborate closely with Finance and other departments to forecast fundraising revenue, support organizational strategic planning, and inform broader financial decision-making. 

• Hold the development team accountable for high performance through goal-based leadership, ongoing coaching, and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. 

• Model inclusive leadership behaviors that embrace all dimensions of diversity, cultivating strong, diverse teams that apply their varied skills and perspectives to advance the mission. 

• Lead recruitment, hiring, and professional development of direct reports, ensuring alignment with organizational people practices and building a culture of continuous growth and accountability. 

• Champion a culture of philanthropy across the organization by inspiring staff, volunteers, and leadership to embrace fundraising roles and communicate the transformative impact of donor support. 

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