About Episcopal Relief & Development
For more than 85 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has partnered with faith and community organizations around the word to advance lasting change in communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster, and climate change. Together with core Episcopal and Anglican partners, in addition to other faith-based and secular partners, we achieve impact through an approach that is purpose-driven, grounded in compassion, and respectful of the dignity of all human beings.
We partner with trusted faith leaders and other change agents who have strong community ties and a deep understanding of local context. Through our continuous monitoring and evaluation of program efficacy, we’re able to leverage what’s working well to drive impact, learning, and sustainability alongside our community leaders and partners. Our goal is to achieve an impact that will last long after a program or response ends.
As we approach our 90th anniversary in 2030, we are experiencing a period of significant growth, momentum, and increasing global impact.
Over the past five years, Episcopal Relief & Development has:
- Grown its annual operating budget from $19M to $30M, reflecting strong programmatic expansion and philanthropic support.
- Expanded its team from 63 to 95 staff, with operations across the US and international offices in Ghana and Kenya.
- Built a global network of 75 partners across 40 countries, reaching more than 4 million people annually.
- Engaged and equipped more than 350,000 change agents each year – volunteers, community leaders, and local partners advancing impact on the ground.
We are proud to be recognized for our integrity and effectiveness:
- Recipient of the Candid Gold Transparency Seal for accountability and transparency.
- Earned a 100% rating from Charity Navigator for financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness.
Episcopal Relief & Development is supported by a strong and growing philanthropic base, including:
- 23,000 annual donors generating over 60,000 gifts per year.
- A 55% donor retention rate, with significant opportunity for growth.
- Leading institutional funders such as the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Lilly Endowment, and Islamic Relief USA.
Learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development at https://www.episcopalrelief.org/.
About the Opportunity
Vision for the Vice President of Advancement Role
Episcopal Relief & Development is in the middle of a 10-year Strategic Plan, which calls for growth at all levels of the organization. The Vice President of Advancement is expected to play a catalytic role in scaling the organization’s mission by increasing the annual fundraising target of $21M to $30M or more by 2030.
Working strategically in concert with key internal stakeholders - Marketing & Communications, Faith & Community Engagement, Business Development, and Programs - the Vice President of Advancement will forge philanthropic relationships and key networks to build the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. The Vice President will expand and diversify the organization’s donor base, building a robust pipeline that can deliver resources in the face of external challenges and market competition for dollars.
This highly strategic and hands-on leader will oversee all aspects of philanthropic giving, including major gifts, foundation relations, planned giving, direct response, and donor relations. They will be a passionate advocate for the organization's mission, effectively communicating its impact to a diverse global donor base, and inspiring deep engagement and financial support. This role requires a leader with a strong commitment to the organization's faith-based values and the ability to articulate that foundation effectively in fundraising efforts.
This is a rare opportunity to build on a strong foundation while driving transformation – bringing greater focus, integration, and sophistication to fundraising strategy and execution.
Primary Purpose of the Role
The Vice President of Advancement is a critically important role at Episcopal Relief & Development, responsible for unlocking long-term and predictable sustainability for the organization and developing a healthy file of committed donors and friends. Reporting directly to the Chief External Relations Officer, the Vice President of Advancement works very closely with the Chief Executive Officer and select Board members. They also serve as a leader in the External Relations department, alongside the Vice President for Marketing & Communications and the Vice President for Faith & Community Engagement. Finally, the Vice President for Advancement is an important member of the organizational Senior Leadership Team, along with Vice Presidents and other leaders of the organization.
A successful Vice President of Advancement will develop a dynamic and results-driven comprehensive individual donor fundraising program encompassing mass market/direct response, including digital giving and direct mail, as well as major and planned gifts. Additionally, they will help the organization move towards opportunities in corporate giving and matching gifts. In partnership with the Programs and Business Development teams, a successful Vice President of Advancement will raise funds from major, mid and minor foundations as well. In collaboration with the Faith & Community Engagement team, they will assist in growing giving from congregations, dioceses, and affiliated church entities.
The Vice President of Advancement is responsible for managing a team of nine, working in the areas of direct response, major gifts, planned giving, and donor services. Of the nine team members, three report directly to the Vice President: Director of Direct Response, Director of Major Gifts, and the Director of Donor Services.
This is an exceptional opportunity for a senior advancement leader who is motivated by both mission and scale.
The Vice President of Advancement will have the opportunity to:
- Lead fundraising for a globally respected organization with strong financial health and external validation.
- Build on a $30M operating platform with ambitious growth goals.
- Engage a large and active donor base while expanding into new segments.
- Partner with a high-performing leadership team and global network of partners.
- Shape the future of a nearly 90-year-old organization entering its next era of impact.
- Advance a mission that reaches millions of people annually and equips hundreds of thousands of change agents worldwide.
The ideal candidate will be energized by the opportunity to lead at scale while building what comes next. They will recognize the strength of the current platform and bring the experience and leadership required to evolve it into a more sophisticated, data-driven, and growth-oriented fundraising enterprise.
This leader will be both a builder and a multiplier – someone who can translate momentum into sustained growth, deepen donor engagement, and help position Episcopal Relief & Development for even greater global impact in the years ahead.
Core Competencies and Responsibilities
Strategic Fundraising Leadership & Revenue Growth
- Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organizational priorities and growth targets.
- Build scalable pipelines across major gifts, mid-level, direct response, and institutional giving.
- Lead annual planning and budgeting processes for Advancement.
- Establish clear KPIs, dashboards, and forecasting models to track performance and inform decision-making.
- Apply sector trends and best practices to continuously improve fundraising effectiveness.
Major Gifts, Donor Strategy & Revenue Diversification
- Personally manage and grow a portfolio of high-net-worth donors, securing 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts.
- Professionalize the major gifts program, including portfolio strategy, moves management, and closing discipline.
- Strengthen donor progression and integrate major, mid-level, and planned giving into a cohesive donor lifecycle strategy, and enhance direct response, digital, and recurring giving programs.
- Partner with the CEO, Board, and senior leaders to cultivate and secure transformational gifts.
Executive Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to enterprise-wide strategy.
- Provide strategic counsel to the CEO, Chief External Relations Officer, and Board.
- Align and collaborate across Programs, Finance, Marketing & Communications, and Faith & Community Engagement teams.
- Ensure consistency in messaging, donor experience, and impact reporting across the organization.
Team Leadership, Talent Development & Culture
- Lead departmental transformation with cultural fluency – honoring the organization’s faith identity while advancing a more data-driven, performance-oriented fundraising approach.
- Recruit, lead, and develop a high-performing Advancement team, and foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-driven culture.
- Implement clear structures, performance expectations, and professional development pathways.
- Build internal capabilities in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and execution.
External Relations & Donor Experience
- Serve as a compelling ambassador to donors, institutional funders, partners, clergy, and faith-based stakeholders.
- Ensure a best-in-class donor experience through stewardship, communication, and engagement.
- Expand relationships with high-net-worth individuals, next-generation donors, and strategic partners.
- Engage, train, and support Board members in fundraising and relationship-building efforts.
- Actively engage in networking opportunities to build relationships and enhance the organization's visibility.
Operational Excellence & Data
- Lead modernization of CRM, analytics, and reporting infrastructure to enable real-time, actionable insights.
- Translate analytics into strategy, improving segmentation, targeting, and donor retention.
- Build systems for pipeline management, forecasting, and donor tracking.
- Promote a culture of data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
Candidate Profile
We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will demonstrate the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and competencies:
- a strategic and growth-oriented fundraising leader;
- a trusted partner to executive leadership and the Board;
- a builder of high-performing teams and healthy culture;
- a relationship-driven ambassador and storyteller;
- a disciplined operator who leverages data and systems effectively;
- and a mission-driven leader grounded in faith-based values.
Strong candidates will also possess the following qualifications and experiences:
- Minimum of 10+ years of nonprofit fundraising leadership experience, including team management.
- A minimum of 7 years’ responsibility for managing a team of fundraising professionals.
- Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred.
- Demonstrated success securing major gifts (5–7 figures) and scaling revenue growth.
- An excellent coach, mentor, and team builder.
- Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and influencing skills.
- Demonstrated skills leading others in annual planning, strategy development, and implementation, and strong project management.
- Experience with moves management and building systems for others to follow proper staging and related documentation of donor relationships over time.
- Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge) and analytics.
- Comfort and experience with data, analytics and reporting; utilizing data to drive strategy and inform decisions; ensuring that setting and monitoring metrics and targets are a part of the culture of the team.
- A working knowledge of trends in the philanthropy sector, including emerging vehicles for giving and patterns in the donor market.
- Ability to operate effectively in a complex, mission-driven, and faith-based environment.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $210,000 with a generous benefits package.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Paul Towne and Kirstin Griffiths. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Episcopal Relief & Development is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (EEO). All employment practices will be administered without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived protected characteristic(s) - race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other legally protected status.
Episcopal Relief & Development offers reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. You may request accommodation at any time.