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Home : Staff : Vice President

Vice President

The Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. (TPI), a trusted advisor and catalyst for innovative philanthropic thinking and programming for individual donors, families, foundations, and corporations, seeks a Vice President to serve as an integral member of its senior management team. In this newly created position, the incoming Vice President will join TPI at an exciting time in its history, as it strives to solidify its position as a leading influence in the field of philanthropic advising, by further enlarging its footprint and maximizing impact for the coming decade and beyond.

Since its founding in 1989, TPI has worked directly with more than 350 philanthropic individuals, foundations and corporations around the world, and reached thousands more through donor learning programs, research, reports, training and other collaborations. Headquartered in Boston’s vibrant financial district, TPI is poised for continued growth and field leadership.

The incoming Vice President will be a seasoned and entrepreneurial leader who will be expected, first and foremost, to cultivate and generate new client relationships through strategic outreach, idea development, proposal structuring and sales. S/he will demonstrate a talent for, and successful track record of, developing new business and fee revenue, as well as exceptional client relationship management skills. As appropriate, the Vice President will conduct, oversee and staff major client engagements and projects in keeping with TPI’s top-flight reputation for excellence and innovation in ideas, strategies, tools, products and resources. In addition, s/he will contribute to the creation of new intellectual products that advance TPI’s mission as well as represent the organization at national meetings and conferences.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong service orientation with a proven ability to work directly with donors to engage and inspire them to accomplish ambitious goals and ideas, which produce outstanding results and impact. S/he will bring a successful track-record as a senior executive in philanthropy or corporate social responsibility; experience creating or managing successful philanthropic programs, preferred. Excellent written, presentation and communication skills are important as this individual will be expected to serve as an effective, outgoing and compelling spokesperson for TPI. An undergraduate degree is required; advanced degree strongly preferred. The Philanthropic Initiative is conducting this search with the assistance of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group. Please find detailed application instructions at the end of this document.

About The Philanthropic Initiative

Founded in June of 1989, by Peter Karoff, Boston businessman and civic activist, TPI has served as a leader and innovator in the field of philanthropy, helping donors develop big ambitions for deep social impact and carry them out wisely and well.

In keeping with Karoff’s vision of establishing an organization that would play a multiplier role in society, contributing to the growth and increased impact of philanthropy, TPI has guided and informed the inventive and productive giving of more than a billion dollars from hundreds of client philanthropies. It has been a principal progenitor of what is now a burgeoning cottage industry of philanthropy advisors and consultants. But perhaps most importantly, it has influenced the thinking and actions of thousands regarding the critical role new philanthropic capital can play in making deep social change and in improving the quality of life in communities around the globe.

TPI believes that individuals, families and corporations around the world are increasingly drawn to philanthropy as a source of meaning and an outlet for civic engagement. When elected governments or free markets struggle for answers, institutions of civil society provide the essential intellectual and practical bridge to solutions. They invent the new ideas, advocate for the unusual solutions, and support the catalytic actions that lead to true and meaningful change. TPI, widely viewed as a well-respected thought partner, works with families, foundations, corporations, individual donors, financial advisors and institutions to transform generous ideas into strategic philanthropy programs.

Since its inception, TPI has helped its clients catalyze social change and achieve their philanthropic goals, addressing issues as diverse as education reform, environmental concerns, homelessness, health, opportunities for children and families, and economic and community development.

TPI partners with clients in numerous ways. Many engage TPI to help conduct research, develop and assess their philanthropic strategies, and develop high impact strategic initiatives. In other cases, TPI provides ongoing staff support and guidance to clients, manages grantmaking portfolios and comprehensive philanthropic programs, and provides ongoing coaching. In support of its mission to increase the impact of philanthropy, TPI also undertakes an ambitious agenda to increase the understanding of and growth of effective philanthropy through research, writing, philanthropy promotion, and educational programs.

TPI currently employs 16 staff and is located in Boston’s financial district.

Challenges and Responsibilities

During the first 12-18 months of his or her tenure, the incoming Vice President will face the following key challenges and opportunities: Reporting to President and CEO, Ellen Remmer, the Vice President will serve as a key member of the leadership team, providing the strategic vision and collaborative leadership necessary to grow TPI’s footprint and extend its reach and influence on the field of philanthropy and donor advising.

Since pioneering the design and practice of donor advising twenty years ago, the field has grown tremendously, placing a heightened demand on strategic, thoughtful and innovative business development and client management. The incoming Vice President will play a vital role in helping to build and maintain a deep, sustainable client network and pipeline by identifying and cultivating new client prospects, including individual donors, families, foundations and corporations. In addition to establishing new relationships, s/he will also be expected to seek out opportunities to expand current client relationships and partner with like-minded organizations where appropriate.

While business development will be a top priority, this individual will be expected to play an ongoing client relationship management role and oversee selected major client engagements. This individual will need to possess the knowledge and skills required to engage clients and help guide them toward a deeper understanding of the issues they care about and steer them through the demanding process of creating meaningful change. Specifically, this individual may be responsible for leading teams on selected client engagements and projects or acting as a thought-partner supporting other teams. In all cases, the individual will be expected to maintain TPI’s long standing reputation for excellence and innovation in ideas, strategies, tools, products and resources.

This individual will be in a unique position to identify and strategically seize new opportunities for projects that demonstrate thought leadership and concrete tools to advance best practices and innovation in philanthropy. Along these lines, s/he will help to foster the development of new intellectual products, including articles, research projects, donor tools and resources to advance best practices and innovation in philanthropy.

TPI has built a well established culture that embodies intellectual curiosity, a commitment to advancing strategic philanthropy, and a common dedication to fostering philanthropic approaches to solve important social issues. The incoming Vice President will be expected to serve as an accessible and supportive leader, fostering trust and motivating staff to work collaboratively and independently, while ensuring the highest  quality work product and the deepest impact. S/he will be expected to continue to foster an environment that inspires others to leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

While no one person is expected to embody all of the qualities enumerated below, the ideal candidate would possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Demonstrated talent and enthusiasm for developing new business and fee revenue;
• An entrepreneurial spirit as demonstrated by a record of taking initiative, generating new ideas, having the courage to think differently and carrying through on commitments;
•  Experience working with high net worth individuals; impeccable credentials, complete discretion, and highly trustworthy; strong service orientation, building on experience in consulting or working directly with donors; demonstrated success managing complex client engagements with outstanding results and impact;
• A successful track record as a senior executive in philanthropy or corporate social responsibility; experience designing and managing successful philanthropic programs preferred;
• A strategic and comprehensive approach to planning and decision making; the ability to back assertions with facts and data; ability to manage time and plan effectively while balancing multiple tasks and demands simultaneously;
•  Excellent written, presentation and communication skills and the experience and inclination to be an effective, outgoing spokesperson for TPI; the ability to synthesize complex and copious content into compelling written documents and presentations preferred;
• A collegial, consultative, and team-building approach that puts others at ease and engenders trust; the ability to actively listen, with an appreciation for nuance in communication;
• A lively, curious and creative intellect, and a style that includes flexibility, evenness and a sense of humor;
•  Flexibility and willingness to travel; and
• A bachelor’s degree is required and an advanced degree is strongly preferred.

Applications and Nominations

Due to the pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, but no later than March 12, 2010. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history and where you learned of the position should be sent to: TPI-VP@nonprofitprofessionals.com. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.

Interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit applications via electronic mail. The Philanthropic Initiative is an equal opportunity employer.