Vice President, External Affairs

About GEO

The GEO community makes the difference between grantmaking as usual and transformational change. We’re more than 6,600 grantmakers working together to turn a hunger for more effective philanthropy into clear pathways for achieving it. We’re cutting through the noise to lift up the practices that matter most to nonprofits and communities.

The GEO community gives grantmakers the opportunity to work with others navigating the same journey to improve. With conferences focused on solving of-the-moment challenges, regular opportunities for peer learning, and publications that lift up best practice and examples from peers, GEO speeds grantmakers’ progress on the road to effectiveness. Four out of five GEO members outpace the field in adopting smarter grantmaking practices. To learn more about how GEO is making faster progress possible, visit http://www.geofunders.org.

Position Description

The vice president of external affairs VP is a member of GEO’s senior leadership team, and leads the revenue and communications teams. The VP holds the strategic vision for fundraising, membership and communications and how they all work together to advance GEO’s mission with an eye towards expanding the collaboration that has been established between membership and development. This position reports to the CEO and has two direct reports, the directors of membership & development and communications. The VP has strong management, organizational and interpersonal skills. The VP has significant experience in revenue development and strategic communications and the ability to contribute to cross-team alignment, collaboration and information-sharing. This job includes between 30-40% travel.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should apply on our jobs page at https://www.geofunders.org/about-us/jobs, a resume and cover letter must be included with your application. We will accept applications until the position is filled. Priority will be given to applications received by January 6, 2020. In your cover letter please address the following:

• Why are you a good fit for this position
• Tell us about your experience in building relationships that support membership and revenue growth
• Describe your approach for developing and implementing a communication strategy that supports an organization during a transformational change
• What appeals to you about working at GEO?

If you were working with us, here are some of the things you would have done last week:

• Met with the Senior Team to discuss organizational year-end priorities
• Took a call with a member of the media about a new GEO campaign aimed at changing foundation practice
• Facilitated a session on GEO issues at an event hosted by a regional association partner
• Introduced a member who told you they have been struggling with their community engagement practice with a member who has been successfully engaging community members in strategy setting for several years
• Convened a cross-functional group of staff planning a series of member and funder engagement opportunities
• Planned a multi-city trip to connect with GEO funders, members and prospective members in a key region
• Engaged a new external communication consultant to discuss branding and mobilization strategies
• Attended conference host committee kickoff and followed up with potential conference sponsors
• Worked with the membership & development director to propose a 2020 membership campaign strategy and goals to the CEO
• Facilitated discussion at all-staff meeting about potential website upgrades
• Scheduled check-ins with your direct reports for year-end performance review conversations

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10-12 years of experience in creating successful strategies in the areas of fundraising, membership development and communications and marketing, preferably in the non-profit and/or philanthropic field.
• Proven track record of building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders funders, members, prospects and partners
• Experience in leading and managing teams
• Experience with grant writing and reporting
• Keen aptitude with financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting; ability to analyze and interpret trends in membership and fundraising data and other key metrics
• Proficient use of database management systems Salesforce preferred
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills
• Demonstrates integrity, strives for excellence in work, and has experience leading and inspiring others to new levels of effectiveness and operational impact
• Excellent organization, time, and project management skills
• Flexible and able to multi-task
• Ability to attend to results, relationships and process in all facets of work
• Knowledge of philanthropy and organizational effectiveness
• Willingness to support an organization in the midst of cultural transformation to integrate a racial equity lens into its mission

Salary and Benefits

GEO offers a competitive salary $130k’s-160k’s and a generous benefits package, including 100 percent employer paid health insurance, three weeks of vacation, twelve sick days, a 7 percent employer retirement contribution, a commitment to professional development and growth, along with a Metro accessible location in downtown D.C.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations is an equal opportunity employer. GEO is committed to equal employment opportunities in recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, compensation and disciplinary action with regard to the terms and conditions of employment. GEO does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, age, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation or any other legally protected characteristic.