The Vice President of Advancement (VPA) is an executive leader responsible for advancing the organization’s mission through strategic fundraising, cross-sector partnerships, and community-centered engagement. This role develops and aligns people, processes, and resources to ensure long-term sustainability and measurable impact on food security, with a strong focus on responding to evolving community needs.
The VPA provides executive oversight of development, communications, marketing, community partnerships, and volunteer engagement – ensuring cohesion, strategic clarity, and results. As a proactive change leader and ambassador, the VPA aligns organizational priorities with community-identified needs while strengthening relationships across donors, partners, businesses, government entities, and nonprofits.
Organizational Strategy
Lead organization-wide advancement strategy and contribute to enterprise-wide strategic planning and change management in alignment with mission, vision, and community priorities.
Provide executive leadership to Director-level staff in establishing goals, tactics, metrics, and performance expectations aligned with organizational objectives.
Partner with the Executive Director and VP of Finance to guide development and alignment of advancement and program budgets; direct forecasting of additional funds required to advance strategic initiatives.
Oversee advancement-related research and analytics functions to inform strategy, donor engagement, and community impact.
Lead strategic initiatives and organizational change efforts as defined by the Executive Director.
Monitor and evaluate organizational effectiveness; identify opportunities to strengthen relevant systems, processes, and program service delivery methods; and direct implementation of improvements.
Oversee preparation of Board agenda items related to advancement and provide regular fundraising performance reports and projections.
Cross-Departmental Project Strategy and Execution
Set long-term direction for cross-functional initiatives within VPA responsibility areas that reflect organizational priorities, values, and community impact goals.
Guide development and messaging around SHF’s thought leadership and opinions/positions.
Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration on advancement priorities to strengthen communication, shared ownership, and coordinated execution across departments.
Provide leadership in cross-sector coalitions and external collaborations that influence or reflect the organization’s long-term strategy and community impact.
Ensure departmental initiatives incorporate broad input, assess organization-wide impact, and align with capacity and available resources.
Interdepartmental Leadership and Collaboration
Provide strategic leadership and supervision to the Director of Partnerships and Community Impact, Director of Marketing & Communications, Director of Development, and Director of Volunteer & Community Engagement, ensuring alignment, performance, accountability, and impact.
Participate in and help lead the Directors Team, strengthening shared accountability, clarity of priorities, and organizational cohesion.
Ensure consistent internal communication of advancement strategy, priorities, and progress across the organization.
Serve as a key ambassador and liaison to Board members, community leaders, partner agencies, government entities, corporate partners, peer organizations, and national networks.
Develop people and teams through coaching, performance management, and strategic delegation to achieve measurable results.
Oversee and hold accountability for advancement functions executed by the Director of Development, including major donor stewardship, fundraising strategy and implementation, campaign execution (annual, special, and capital),
Provide strategic leadership to director-level outreach and community engagement functions to elevate impact as identified by community voice and need.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent combination of work and lived experience, education, and training.
Minimum of five (5) years of senior-level leadership experience managing cross-functional teams.
Ability to travel throughout service areas for meetings.
Demonstrated experience setting, monitoring and meeting quarterly and annual goals.
Experience working with Board of Directors
Ability to successfully pass background check
Demonstrated experience with strategic planning, communication management, operational planning and analysis, budgeting, and project management.
Previous experience with non-profit or government management preferred
Benefit package includes:
Health Insurance (we pay 90% of premium for full-time employees)
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan with 5% match
Short Term Disability Insurance
Long Term Disability Insurance
Life and AD&D Insurance
Paid Time Off starting at 23 Days per year
15 Paid Holidays per year
Floating Holidays
Paid Family Leave
Employment Transition Pay
View full job description and apply here: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/3998580
About Second Harvest
At Second Harvest, we believe that healthy food belongs to us all. Since 1986, we have supported our neighbors to achieve food security across 16 counties in southwestern Wisconsin. As a food bank, we work with a network of over 300 food distribution partners to achieve our strategic goals of nutrition security and food equity for all.
Vision - Everyone in our community has enough nutritious food to thrive. Mission - Second Harvest exists to end hunger in southwestern Wisconsin.
Values – Integrity | Trust | Humility | Inclusion | Equity | Innovation