Unbound seeks a mission-driven, strategic leader to serve as the inaugural Vice President of Philanthropy. This leader will play a pivotal role in developing, executing, and refining fundraising strategies for Major Giving, Planned Giving, and Grants. The VP of Philanthropy will build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team to achieve ambitious fundraising goals while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence. By shaping and growing revenue streams, this leader will provide visionary guidance to expand Unbound's global impact and deepen engagement with donors.
Who We Are
Unbound is an international nonprofit called to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first. We build relationships of mutual respect and support that bridge cultural, religious, and economic divides. We invite all people of goodwill to join us.
Working side by side with people of diverse faith traditions in Africa, Asia and Latin America, we bring people together to challenge poverty in new and innovative ways.
We inspire confidence and offer opportunity and encouragement to children and families living on the margins of society. We create practical and trustworthy means for people to help others and nurture human connections that uplift us all.
Our Mission is to walk with the poor and marginalized people of the world.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Strategic Leadership and Vision:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year philanthropic strategy to grow revenue through mid, major, and mega-giving, fostering meaningful donor relationships aligned with Unbound’s mission and values.
- Integrate Planned Giving, Grants, and Major Giving staff into a unified team with clear goals and aligned strategies.
- Actively contribute as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ET) Shaping organizational strategy, alignment, and growth initiatives.
- Inspire and lead a high-functioning team with vision, clarity, and a shared commitment to advancing Unbound’s mission through transformational donor engagement.
- Revenue Growth:
- Drive significant revenue growth across non-sponsorship fundraising departments, ensuring strategies align with organizational goals and donor expectations.
- Monitor and report on metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of philanthropic strategies.
- Design and execute multiyear plans to expand, diversify, and strengthen revenue streams.
- Team Leadership and Development:
- Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing, mission-driven team.
- Provide leadership, coaching, and support to empower staff in achieving goals.
- Foster a collaborative and innovative culture that prioritizes accountability, creativity, and exceptional donor experiences, driving donor acquisition, revenue growth and donor retention.
- Oversee departmental budgets and allocate resources effectively to achieve maximum impact.
- Donor and Partner Engagement:
- Personally manage and grow a portfolio of ultra-high-net-worth donors, while collaborating with staff to identify and enhance opportunities for broader donor development.
- Represent Unbound to key external audiences, building trust and inspiring commitment to the organization’s mission.
- Partner with marketing, communications, and the product team to address stakeholder needs for collateral, offerings, and reporting.
Personal Characteristics & Competencies – To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies and skills. (Examples)
- Articulates a compelling vision and prescribes effective strategies and departmental plans to pursue it; Aligns, inspires, and empowers others to set and accomplish short- and long-term goals and projections; Earns the trust of others through competence and integrity. Creates an environment of autonomy and accountability so others can grow and succeed.
- Brings depth and breadth of knowledge of all aspects of a national fundraising strategy. Instinctively understands the motivation and expectations of major donors and is committed to excellence in outreach, proposal development, and follow-up. Experienced in developing a nurturing a pipeline of relationships based on shared values and mutual respect.
- Comfortable with proactive outreach and facilitating impactful one-on-one or groups discussions with key decision makers. Effectively listens and solicits input from others; Understands how to package data and content that informs and persuades various audiences to support our mission. Excellent presentation and writing skills.
- Understands trends and the changing landscape of philanthropy and donor development. Leverages organizational strengths and pursues opportunities. Brings innovation and creativity to the role, while effectively discerning the most important drivers of growth.
- Demonstrate diversity by recognizing the dignity of each person reflected in the structure and activities of Unbound which include relationships of mutual respect, teamwork, and a commitment to Unbound’s core values.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to synthesize information into clear, concise messages in a compelling manner to internal stakeholders.
Qualifications and Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (Examples)
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
- Minimum of 8 years of experience of progressive leadership experience in philanthropy or related fields, with demonstrated success in large, multiyear fundraising campaigns and closing mega gifts. Fundraising experience in international relief and development causes is highly preferred.
- Proven ability to design, execute, and manage multiyear fundraising campaigns for major donors that drive significant revenue growth.
- Experience cultivating and stewarding relationships with ultra-high-net-worth donors, fostering meaningful and transformational partnerships.
- Strong understanding of Planned Giving, Grants, Matching Gifts, and other fundraising strategies.
- Strong understanding of CRM systems and reporting functions, with the ability to leverage data for strategic decision-making and donor engagement.
- Strategic thinker with a deep commitment to Unbound’s mission and values, able to inspire and align teams around a shared vision for growth.
- Exceptional leadership skills, with a track record of building, mentoring, and motivating high-performing teams.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving abilities, with a collaborative and mission-driven approach.
- Professional Certifications: Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (AP), Certified financial Planner (CFP) or equivalent is preferred. Grant writing experience preferred.
- Working knowledge and aptitude for learning various tools/technologies, including MS Suite and customer relationship management (CRM) software or emerging fundraising tools. Strong analytic skills that yield insight and recommendations from the use of data, research (primary and secondary) and reporting.
- Self-starter, action oriented. Influential and collaborative communication style. Forward thinker and business savvy.
- Bilingual in Spanish/English or other relevant languages is a plus.
Physical Abilities
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- Frequently required to sit, stand, and walk.
- Use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms.
- Required to talk and hear consistently.
- Travel Requirements - Up to 25%; primarily domestic, but periodic trips abroad.
- Ability to occasionally lift, carry and/or drag up to fifty (50) pounds if necessary.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Unbound will not sponsor applicants for work visas.
