Vice President of Development

Up2Us Sports believes we can change the world one coach at a time. Up2Us Sports is the only national service (AmeriCorps) organization that recruits, trains, and supports coaches to transform youth, programs and communities. Up2Us Sports partners with federal, state, and private donors to support service opportunities for our coach-mentors. Through our programs, Up2Us can ensure that sports are accessible to all youth.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The VP of Development is a new and exciting role within the Up2Us leadership team. The successful candidate will help forge new relationships to build Up2Us Sports’ visibility, impact, and financial resources. The VP of Development will design and implement a comprehensive plan for developing key external alliances by cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic support from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

The VP of Development will have primary responsibility for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow our budget through major gifts, grants, special events, corporate, and foundation support. They will expand and diversify the Up2US Sports donor base/pipeline and work closely with other team members to secure funding for new initiatives. 

This is an exciting position for a candidate seeking to become a leader in the sports and youth development sector.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (COO), and working directly with the CEO, the VP of Development serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic fundraising and marketing decisions affecting Up2Us Sports. The VP of Development will work with board members and key leadership to envision, create, and implement fundraising and marketing strategies.

BENEFITS

• 403(B) plan with a 100% employer match up to 3%
• Insurance Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage options for staff and their family members
• Flexible spending account and dependent care spending account options
• 100% Employer-Paid Basic Life Insurance
• Additional benefit options, which includes: pet insurance, voluntary life insurance, legal & ID theft protection, and pre-tax transit benefits.
• Cell phone reimbursement per pay period
• Generous Paid Time Off policy
  • 15 to 30 PTO days per year based on length of employment
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Holiday Break: Paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
• Excellent work life balance and flexible work schedules
• Every Friday is a half day & the last Friday of every month is a day off
• Hybrid work from home and office model
• Strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access
• A dynamic, fun, exciting, and flexible work atmosphere with a team of professionals dedicated to supporting underserved youth through sports

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Develop a competent and robust fundraising and marketing team that will include an Assistant Director of Foundations/Government Funding, an Assistant Director of Special Events, and an Assistant Director of Communications.
• Develop and oversee a strategy to increase the funding and visibility of Up2Us Sports in our key markets around the country. This strategy should include a fundraising and marketing plan that reinforces the goals of the organization. It should focus on key audiences that include community based sports organizations, school systems, parks, and other nonprofits as well as donors, government agencies, corporations, foundations, politicians, and professional sports sports teams/leagues and associations.
• Foster strong funding relationships with individuals, corporations, government agencies, and foundations that facilitate the growth of Up2Us Sports in underserved communities across the country.
• Explore opportunities for funding new market development in tandem with growth plans established by the COO and VP of Programs.
• Participate on board committees that are focused on fundraising, communications, and marketing
• Work with the COO and VP of Programs to identify year-round marketing opportunities to celebrate the work of Up2us Staff, Coaches, and VISTAs, (e.g., swearing-in ceremonies, celebrations at professional sports team games, and coach clinics with celebrity coaches).
• Ensure that all systems for development and communication management, including calendars, salesforce and communication logs, are reliable and up-to-date.
• Work with staff across the organization to incubate an ongoing list of fundraising and marketing prospects.
• Oversee engagement and development of the Up2Us Sports Ambassadors who include professional athletes, coaches, and sports personalities. 
• Work with the CEO and leadership team to develop a strategy for the Up2Us Sports 15th Year Anniversary to include rebranding the organization’s name (Coach Across America); highlighting impact stories; engaging the Up2Us Sports “15” (present coaches and VISTAS) and incorporating themes into the gala in 2025.
• Become an articulate, passionate, and effective fundraiser and communicator of the Up2Us Sports mission, vision, and strategy to national and regional stakeholders.
• Create and maintain direct line of communication with the finance team to develop and analyze annual fundraising budget.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 15 years of professional experience in a nonprofit organization.
• High energy and passion for the Up2Us Sports mission. 
• Superior communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to construct, articulate, and implement an annual strategic development plan.
• Demonstrated success in a development function (managing and forging relationships with multiple donor sources); with proven experience of having expanded and cultivated existing donor relationships over time.
• Customer focus; donor centric vision.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and mentoring skills.
• Flexible and adaptable style; a leader who can positively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising initiatives.
• Ability to work independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority.
• Knowledge of donor database management – SF CRM preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.

COMPENSATION 

• Salary range: $125-$145K annually based on geographical location and experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, medical condition, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. 

All resumes must be accompanied with a cover letter.