Director of Philanthropy

St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati (SVDP) has served residents of Greater Cincinnati for over 150 years with basic needs such as food, medicine, and homelessness prevention through its outreach center in the West End and 56 parish-based volunteer Conferences (chapters). SVDP provides holistic direct assistance and systemic change services while treating neighbors in need with dignity and compassion.

Scope of the position:

The Director of Philanthropy is a senior leader responsible for ensuring every donor with the capacity and desire to give is meaningfully engaged. This role provides strategic leadership for major gifts, planned giving, and grant partnerships, while building durable relations that sustain and grow SVDPs mission. This is a high-trust , high-ownership role designed for an experienced fundraiser who operates independently, communicates proactively, and ensures philanthropy functions are disciplined, coordinated, and advancing with intention.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Supervisory Responsibilities

Giving Officer (overseeing Stewardship and Donor Operations)
Grants & Foundation Relations Manager (supervising the Grant Specialist)
Donor Relations Manager

Major Donor Strategy & Relationship Management (50%)

Serve as primary relationship manager for major donors not directly stewarded by the CEO or Vice President of External Relations.
Ensure no major donor is under-engaged, overlooked, or disconnected.
Advance donor relations through strategic cultivation, stewardship and solicitation.
Partner with the Giving Officer and Stewardship Team to ensure seamless movement from stewardship to active relationship management.
Identify emerging donor capacity and align donors with appropriate leadership engagement.

Planned Giving Leadership (25%)

Lead and grow SVDP's planned-giving strategy and Legacy of Hope Society.
Build a best-in-class planned-giving program grounded in trust, demographic strength, and long-term community relationships.
Oversee implementation and management of Crescendo in coordination with DonorPerfect.
Personally steward planned-giving donors through strategic engagement, recognition, and events.
Lead two to three planned-giving engagement events annually.
Partner with the Vice President of External Relations and Planned Giving Committee to drive growth and participation.
Ensure accuracy , integrity, and ongoing maintenance of all planned-giving records.

Grants, Strategy, Oversight & Funder Engagement (25%)

Provide leadership and strategic oversight of the grants function.
Supervise the Grants & Foundation Relations Manager and the Grant Specialist.
Serve as lead reviewer for all grant proposals and reports, ensuring alignment, quality, and compliance.
Strengthen grant cases through compelling narrative, data and funder-specific alignment.
Cultivate and steward year-round relationships with corporate, family, and government funders.
Activate executive leadership involvement in funder relationships when it advances strategy and outcomes.
Ensure grants of $50,000+ are reviewed by the Vice President of External Relations. in preparing event materials such as décor, nametags, signage, programs, donor lists, and presentation folders.
Ensure grant initiatives tied to managed donor relationships are developed collaboratively and strategically.

Leadership & Collaboration

Lead, coach, and develop team members with clarity, accountability, and high expectations.
Foster a culture of ownership, excellence, and continuous improvement.
Communicate proactively with the Vice President of External Relations through regular updates and strategic insight.
Collaborate across Stewardship, Donor Operations, Marketing, Finance, and Services to ensure a cohesive donor experience.
Represent SVDP's mission, values, and culture with consistency and integrity.
Attend organizational events and maintain regular, predictable on-site presence.

Job Qualifications and Requirements:

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required.
Ten or more years of progressive experience in nonprofit development, major gifts, planned giving or grants.
Demonstrated success managing complex donor and funder relationships.
Proven experience leading and coaching teams while managing sophisticated workflows.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Experience with donor CRMs (DonorPerfect preferred) and planned-giving tools (Crescendo a plus).
Strong organizational judgment, follow-through, and comfort owning outcomes.
Deep alignment with SVDP's mission and comfort engaging in conversations related to service, faith, charity, and justice.

Physical Requirements:

Primarily office-based in a climate-controlled environment with minimal safety risks. Work is sedentary with periodic standing, walking, lifting, bending, and sustained computer use.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul-Cincinnati District Council provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, St. Vincent de Paul complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

St. Vincent de Paul District Council of Cincinnati

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Director of Philanthropy