Be Part of a Pivotal Moment in History.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is looking for a Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) to join our team! The CAO is a new position at the ACLU of Minnesota that holistically and strategically directs all fundraising efforts and outreach activities of the ACLU of Minnesota. Specifically, the CAO will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gifts from select individuals, foundations, corporations and other private sector entities – all in support of a mission and staff committed to protecting civil liberties. Also, the CAO will develop and execute coordinated fundraising strategies that include established special events, but also focus significantly on increasing individual giving and new methods of corporate and community support. The CAO will lead the advancement and philanthropy team providing strategic direction, leadership and professional development.
At ACLU of Minnesota, we take pride in our reputation of more than 65 years of fighting the hard fight for people whose civil liberties are threatened or denied. And now – as we enlarge our staff to face the current threats to our civil liberties – is the ideal time to join us! Working closely with the Executive Director and senior leadership team, the CAO will also play an essential role in developing and maintaining a healthy and thriving organizational culture that values the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging and making sure that we make progress toward our goals of fighting for systemic change and racial justice internally and externally.
The position is based in our Minneapolis office, providing access to the Twin Cities area’s best amenities.
Our Chief Advancement Officer’s Key Responsibilities are:
Major Gifts Development and Fundraising
● Identify, cultivate and solicit prospective donors with a specific focus on major gifts from various sources including individuals, foundations, corporations and other private sector entities.
● Take timely and strategic steps in moving prospects through the major gift cycle of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
● Steward and promote the organization’s planned giving program; develop and implement annual fund and capital campaigns.
● Oversee the development and execution of signature events.
● Set financial benchmarks and ensure successful implementation of activities to meet revenue and fundraising goals. Ensure that revenue and donor cultivation targets are met for major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation gifts, annual gifts and events revenue.
Advancement Team Leadership and Management
● Effective leader in Advancement activities for the entire organization, elevating the importance of advancement and philanthropy.
● Lead by example and bring awareness to the importance of the organization's efforts towards equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
● Management of the Advancement team. This includes management/leadership of the Director of Philanthropy, Philanthropy Specialist and Philanthropic Advisor. Also includes indirect leadership of Volunteer Programs in support of fundraising and closely related activities.
● Manage and support direct reports in the establishment and achievement of their annual goals and guide their career growth.
● Develop and manage the budget for the Advancement team.
● Assist the Executive Director and senior leadership team in operating an effective, professional, collaborative, positive and high quality organization that is focused on its mission, vision and values.
Board of Directors
● Assist the Executive Director in working closely with the recruitment, training, development and support for current Board members to realize their annual goals and objectives to support the organization.
● Encourage and support current and former Board members to maximize the engagement of their networks in helping the organization achieve its mission.
● Provide leadership to Board members to assist with the solicitation of their networks and connections to raise general support, event sponsorship and major gifts.
General
● Ensure effective communication and trust between Advancement, Finance, People/Culture, Operations and Programs teams.
● Work collaboratively to achieve goals for program, finance and administrative team members engaged in fundraising activities.
● Develop and implement plans, policies and procedures related to philanthropy that are written down, up-to-date, and clearly available for staff and Board member use.
● Lead and participate in all internal fundraising events.
● Monitor monthly revenue results and expense statements; prepare alternate plans of action when necessary to meet overall financial goals.
Experience and Qualifications:
The successful candidate will have a combination of the following… While no candidate will possess every quality, the successful candidate will possess many of the following qualifications and attributes. Even if you are not sure but are excited about the position, we encourage you to apply.
● Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing/ public relations, journalism or related field, required. Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in nonprofit management, public relations, fundraising, or business administration is preferred. Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) is also preferred.
● Minimum 8 years professional development/advancement experience, preferably leading in the non-profit setting, with demonstrated ability to promote and successfully solicit major gifts; or related experience in marketing, sales, business development, public relations or related fields with emphasis on relationship cultivation of individuals, foundations, corporations and/or private sector entities.
● Experience leading, supervising or managing development/advancement teams or programs. Preferred to have supervisory/managerial experience over other senior level and/or major gifts advancement team members.
● Demonstrated success in personally soliciting and securing five- and six-figure gifts from individual donors. Also, proven ability to come to the organization with considerable and credible relationships with individuals, families, foundations in support of fundraising.
● Strong project management skills – highly organized, detail oriented, able to consistently meet deadlines and follow up on action items. Proven ability to utilize analytical skills and research in support of building achievable financial goals and targets.
● Exceptional communication skills, and an ability to engage and work with diverse groups of people in an open and respectful way.
● Commitment to encouraging a healthy and collective work environment that values racial justice and equity. Recognition that creativity, health and humor among staff strengthens the whole organization.
● Ability to work in a hybrid environment (at-home and in-office) and maintain motivation and creativity.
● Access to reliable transportation and ability to travel for donor visits and fundraising events, including the availability and willingness to work occasional weekends/evenings as needed.
● Demonstrated commitment to ACLU of Minnesota’s values, mission and vision.
Compensation Range: $95,000 - $110,000
To be included in the application: Be prepared to upload. (All attachments should be in Word or .pdf format):
● Letter of interest
● C.V./Resume
● Three professional references (relationship, email address, and phone numbers).
(Your references will not be contacted unless you are a finalist for the position.)
Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2023. ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, and record of arrest or conviction.
The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: jburman@aclu-mn.org. Correspondence sent to this email address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above on how to apply.