Vice President, Foundation Relations

Join Points of Light and Change the World

Points of Light mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through 145 affiliates across 39 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and businesses, Points of Light engages 3.7 million volunteers in 16.7 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most.

Impact

Volunteering isn’t just nice; it’s necessary. It positively affects the wellbeing of those who serve and meets essential community needs.

Healing Power

Volunteering fosters empathy, equity, and meaningful connections that bridge societal divides.

Global Reach

We engage nearly 4 million volunteers across 38 countries, bringing the power of people to where it’s needed most.

About Us

Cast from the vision of one thousand points of light shared by its founder, President George H.W. Bush, in his 1989 inaugural address, Points of Light was founded in 1990 as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization to encourage and empower the spirit of service. The organization extends President Bush’s vision that “any definition of a successful life must include serving others.” Today, Points of Light continues to transcend politics and borders to inspire millions of individuals worldwide to take action.

Join Us

Be part of a movement that changes lives and communities. Please read the Vice President, Foundation Relations position description below. For more information, visit pointsoflight.org.

Salary: $165,000 to $175,000 annually
Reports to: Chief Development Officer
Department: Development
Location: Points of Light is a remote-first organization. Any U.S. location in the Eastern or Central time zone in a market with a major airport. Washington, DC preferred.

Position Summary

Points of Light is seeking a talented and experienced development professional for the position of Vice President, Foundation Relations as we embark on a strategic growth plan that seeks to accelerate a pipeline of new donors and foundation supporters. This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to play a key role in Points of Light’s mission.

As a relatively new role focused on foundation philanthropic support, the Vice President must be comfortable building and growing a strategic outreach and engagement plan. The Vice President will be a highly strategic, exceedingly knowledgeable leader, manager, and colleague, who has an established network of foundation contacts regionally, nationally, and globally. They will lead foundation philanthropy efforts, coordinating activities, developing strategies and new business initiatives, building relationships, and raising substantial funding. This includes securing multi-year partnerships, operational support, and significant impact grants to support a variety of program expansions and special initiatives.

This position will report to the Chief Development Officer, and as a leader of people, this position will play an influential role in growing Points of Light’s inclusive, positive, remote-first culture. The Vice President will provide leadership, direction, feedback, and coaching for future direct reports to achieve institutional fundraising goals and elevate Points of Light’s programs. The position will be responsible for ensuring the development of their future staff and the next generation of development leaders.

Position Functions and Responsibilities

Fundraising and Pipeline Management:

• New Business Pipeline Development: Lead and execute a business development pipeline focusing on foundations (private, community, family, operating, etc.) aligned with Points of Light’s mission.
• Portfolio Management: Develop and manage a portfolio of top foundation prospects with a personal portfolio of 50+ foundations, targeting $7-15M annually. Engage in qualification, strategy, relationship building, and closing of foundation gifts, securing 6-8 figure contributions.
• Relationship Building: Maintain high-level relationships and a high-quality stewardship process with appropriate foundation leaders and program officers, including travel, visits, and participating in meetings, calls, and events that advance these vital relationships.
• Proposal Preparation and Negotiation: Participate in prospect research, outreach, and proposal submission. Develop and collaborate on proposals, presentations, and statements of work to solicit financial support with the Director, Grant Writing.
• Revenue Reporting: Regularly track and update moves management activities and status of revenue generated to goal.
• Industry Engagement and Trends: Represent Points of Light at both internal and external events; identify emerging national and global foundations and trends with a special emphasis on partnerships that can garner larger philanthropic commitments to support the mission and goals of Points of Light.

Strategy, Leadership, and Collaboration:

• Comprehensive Strategy: Design, implement, and manage a proactive development plan focused on expanding and enhancing top-level foundation partnerships, engaging the Chief Development Officer in planning and progress.
• Funding Opportunities: Identify compelling funding opportunities to attract and retain foundation donors. Support or lead the fundraising strategy and pipeline development for program/project areas as assigned.
• Cross-Functional Teams: Lead and support cross-functional teams during the cultivation and stewardship cycles. Partner with other departments (such as Programs, MarCom, and Finance) to deliver internal project plans, donor reports, and milestones unique to each donor account.
• Customized Concepts: Work cross-functionally with program staff and alongside the Director, Grant Writing to develop innovative, customized concepts for prospective donors by aligning a foundation’s objectives with Points of Light’s priorities.
• Leadership Engagement: Work closely with the Chief Development Officer to engage executive leadership (CDO, COO, CP&IO, CEO), program leads, affiliates, and Board members to initiate conversations with potential philanthropic partners at the executive level.

Departmental Coordination:

• Process Optimization: Collaborate within the Development Operations team to achieve fundraising goals. Ensure or establish effective processes for tracking prospect and partner strategies, proposal development needs, and stewardship plans to support success in role.
• Data Accuracy: Ensure accurate and timely tracking of gift and prospect activity in Salesforce to ensure appropriate cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, and stewardship.
• Assigned Projects: Lead or support other projects assigned by the Chief Development Officer or Chief Executive Officer.

Team Management:

• Leadership: This role will eventually have direct reports. Provide team members with information, tools, and resources to improve performance and reach objectives. Hire, orient, and lead team members as necessary.
• Coaching and Motivation: Promote accountability, communicate expectations, and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one-on-ones and performance reviews. Provide guidance and mentorship to skill-up team members where needed, holistically or per-opportunity.
• Culture: Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.

Core Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Relationship Management: Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain relationships with foundation leaders, donors, program officers, community influencers, and internal leadership and board members.
• Results Driven: A track record of successfully securing six to eight-figure grants from national and global foundation funders as demonstrated through executed partnerships and grants, ranging from structuring partnerships and planning grants through support of highly impactful programs.
• Mission Oriented: Demonstrated passion for Points of Light’s mission, goals, and work.
• Communication: Superior written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex program and evaluation ideas into compelling proposals and collateral materials for foundation investment.
• Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment; attention to detail.
• Strategic Thinking: Entrepreneurial thinker with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to execute strategic moves management.
• Integrity and Discretion: High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Creative Problem Solving: Agile thinking to build out a viable engagement plan for short-term and long-term support.
• Collaboration: Previous experience in positions leading collegial and highly collaborative global projects and fundraising opportunities, including programmatic experience and a demonstrated ability to co-create and articulate global programs and impact.
• Leadership: Deep commitment to and experience in staff development and coaching. Prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into team leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least 15 years of robust development experience with demonstrated success in securing multi-year, multi-million-dollar, global foundation grants.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
• A commitment to promoting equity in all aspects of the workplace.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills. Ability to establish and maintain relationships with diverse individuals and groups.
• Excellent proposal writing skills with the ability to articulate program designs and evaluation plans for foundation-based funding proposals.
• Experience in program design, evaluation, and community engagement efforts.
• Ability to drive results.
• Strong time management, organizational skills, and detail orientation.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) and Salesforce or equivalent fundraising/CRM software.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 35%.

Culture and Values

Points of Light has a nearly 35-year history that it seeks to honor, while looking toward the future as an innovative thought leader in the social sector. We have a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Our organization values innovation, dedication, teamwork, and respectfulness. We enjoy thinking big, but also working hard to deliver our best work. Our team is solution-oriented, looking for someone who is always ready to deliver on ways to solve challenges, internally and with external partners.

What We Offer

Competitive compensation and excellent benefits including a robust PTO program: 18 days of PTO, 13 holidays, and 1 floating holiday; plus, we are closed for the week between December 25th and January 1st. Medical, dental, and vision benefits offered, free life insurance, along with long-term and short-term disability, a 403b program with employer match, and 1 day of volunteer time off per month.

Points of Light is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to an Inclusive Workplace.

Learn more here