Career Opportunities

As frequently cited statistics note that communities of color, women, and other marginalized groups apply to positions only if they completely meet qualifications, we encourage you to upend those statistics and apply to the position(s) below. We excitedly anticipate your application, and cover letter detailing why you are interested, how you are exceptional, and in what ways AAACF's values align with yours.

Overview:

The Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer is a full-time exempt position that reports to the President & CEO. The VP and Chief Philanthropy Officer leads a 3-person team that includes two Philanthropy Leaders.

As a member of the Leadership Team, the VP and Chief Philanthropy Officer works closely with the President & CEO to market the Community Foundation's services to individuals and families, professional advisors, and private foundations. Frequently cited statistics note that communities of color, women, and other marginalized groups apply to positions only if they completely meet the qualifications. We encourage upending those statistics and invite all interested parties to apply for this position.

Specific responsibilities include:
  • The implementation of a comprehensive development program and strategy to identify, cultivate and secure new donors;
  • Advancing a diversified planned giving program focused on professional advisor outreach;
  • Formulating and executing plans to increase community philanthropic partnerships and
  • Ensuring facilitation of all gifts from prospective donors, including non-cash, deferred and testamentary gifts.
  • Researches, identifies, cultivates, and solicits donor prospects
  • Plans and coordinates donor cultivation and recognition events
  • Seeks new opportunities to increase the Community Foundation's visibility with prospective donors
  • Develops and expands the Community Foundation's planned giving program
  • Monitors national trends related to philanthropy
  • Cultivates the professional advisor community to increase quantity and quality of donor referrals through presentations at professional advisor firms
  • 1:1 meetings with advisors
  • Identification of new advisors
  • Management of ongoing relationships with existing advisor groups
  • Delivery of educational programs for the advisor community
  • Donor Education & Services
  • Plans and coordinates events that educate donors about community issues and the role of AAACF in addressing those issues
  • Works closely with the grantmaking staff to identify opportunities to leverage additional donor support for grants made by AAACF
  • Strategy and Governance
  • Regularly participates in Board and Leadership Team meetings to stay abreast of key issues and contribute to the achievement of strategic goals
The Preferred Candidate Will Possess:
  • A bachelor's degree; graduate degree preferred.
  • Certifications in fundraising, financial planning, estate planning, or related areas are a plus.
  • A hands-on knowledge of modern development and communications tools (such as development software, CRM, databases, spreadsheets, and online research services) is strongly preferred.
  • Familiarity with Washtenaw County issues, nonprofits, donors, and communities is preferred.
Work Experience and Demonstrated Competencies:
  • Nonprofit fundraising experience is required
  • A proven track record of closing major gifts
  • Experience in new business development of high-net-worth individuals
  • Experience in an endowment model
  • Superior interpersonal skills
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent public speaking abilities
  • A strategic lens
  • Good command of modern office software and technologies
  • Mission:
    • Genuine and demonstrated passion for the community and the AAACF vision around diversity, equity and inclusion.
    • Demonstrated leadership presence to represent the Core Values of the Foundation in the public sphere
  • Communication: Ability to establish effective relationships with prospective donors, donors, professional advisors, board members and staff members; incorporates a strong customer service ethic into all activities (a service-oriented mindset is critical); confidentiality and discretion are a must; good sense of humor and ability to laugh at oneself
  • Teamwork: Consummate team player; comfortable supporting and leading group efforts; willingness to embrace AAACF's strategic and tactical direction; active manager and mentor for all direct reports; contributes to a positive culture for all AAACF staff
  • Organization: Highly motivated, self-organized; thrives on handling multiple activities at once; able to prioritize issues on an ongoing basis; great attention to detail; able to handle most office tasks without assistance
  • Professional Maturity: Able to work independently to achieve objectives and solve problems; an entrepreneurial and creative mindset; a very strong work ethic, as well as integrity, sound judgement.
The Role Includes:
  • Hybrid working environment
  • Health, dental and vision insurance
  • 403(b) plan with contribution matching
  • Eight weeks of paid family or medical leave
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Flexible and childcare savings accounts
  • Paid time off and much more
  • A salary range of $100,000 - $130,000+. The offer will be based on a candidate's relevant qualifications and experience.
The Interview Process Includes:
  • Review of submitted resumes and cover letters
  • Video interviews for initial screening
  • In-person interviews for finalists
  • Formal presentations and panel interviews for finalists
  • Reference and background checking, and executive assessment (ProfileXT)

Overview:

The Impact Investing Manager plays a critical role in this strategic imperative of the foundation, providing leadership to significantly grow the portion of AAACF's portfolio dedicated to local investments that generate both financial and social returns ("impact investing"). The successful candidate will join the foundation's community investment team, report to the Vice President of Community Investment and work in an integrated fashion with community investment, finance, and philanthropy staff to achieve organizational goals. The Foundation desires to work towards a future whereby all neighborhoods and communities in Washtenaw County have the same opportunity for generational human dignity with equitable access to our collective community wealth. For the purposes of the local impact investing initiative, marginalized or systematically overlooked populations include people of color, low-income neighborhoods, women, differently abled, LGBTQIA+, and immigrants.

This important role involves:

  • Identifying investment opportunities and potential partners
  • Working with external partners to leverage investment opportunities
  • Securing and promoting investments in the AAACF's impact investing portfolio
  • Sourcing investments that are both financially prudent and socially productive based on extensive locally focused research on Washtenaw County's small business ecosystem and capital flows
  • Assisting in the ongoing learning, evaluation, and asset management of transactions
  • Promoting a collaborative capital investment strategy for Washtenaw County
  • Engaging in deal origination
  • Overseeing underwriting, risk assessment, deal structuring and closing process
  • Assisting other staff with marketing and communications, creation of marketing materials, and articles and presentations on AAACF's impact investing activities

This position will require work with multiple stakeholders and the right blend of hard (financial, strategic, and analytical) and soft (relational and communication) skills. Thus, an ideal candidate will have a finance or banking background, evidence of deal origination abilities, sustained idea generation, an understanding of the social/impact investing sector, and a passion to use financial capital to make a difference. They will also have a deep understanding of place-based investments with a working knowledge of other place-based social investment strategies. The candidate must have strong written and oral presentation skills and the ability to present to and work with committees, a board, a senior executive team, and other key groups and stakeholders. Externally, this position works with borrowers, investors, consultants, and legal counsel.

Primary responsibilities:

  1. Lead efforts to communicate and raise awareness of organizational goals regarding impact investing in Washtenaw County
  2. Work with the foundation's executive team including the VP - Community Investment, CFO, and VP-Philanthropy to develop a pipeline of investment opportunities that present a dual financial and social impact benefit
  3. Participate in assigned program team meetings, working closely with stakeholders, to maintain an understanding of programmatic strategy and communication needs
  4. Provide flexible social investment support across teams, when necessary
  5. Oversee the due diligence or underwriting of transactions for risk and impact, present to the Impact Investment Committee and/or board, lead the closing process, and monitor the portfolio of impact investments
  6. Work with colleagues to ensure all departments remain well-informed and empowered with information regarding AAACF's current and planned impact investing activities
  7. Identify, establish, and steward relationships with key external partners - including those in the market-rate and social capital investor communities, whether in the private or public sectors- to leverage and influence organizational investments with assets from other aligned investors
  8. Represent organization at external gatherings, on panels and other public engagements

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, real estate, urban planning, business administration, related field, or equivalent work experience. (Advanced degree in a related field is preferred)
  • Demonstrated experience with financial modeling
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact as a team member with diverse Foundation colleagues and community stakeholders
  • Demonstrated skills and knowledge of how to work with and within community systems to develop social investment opportunities
  • Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective and constructive working relationships and partnerships within and outside of the Foundation
  • Demonstrated leadership presence to represent the Core Values of the Foundation in the public sphere
  • Demonstrated commitment and passion for serving marginalized/excluded people and communities and a demonstrated interest in driving positive change
  • Demonstrated ability to achieve results with little oversight

Frequently cited statistics note that communities of color, women, and other marginalized groups apply to positions only if they completely meet the qualifications. We encourage upending those statistics and invite all interested parties to apply for this position.

Benefits include:

  • Flexible hours
  • Health, dental and vision insurance
  • A 403(b) plan with contribution matching
  • Life insurance
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Flexible and childcare savings accounts
  • Paid time off
  • And other benefits

Click Here to Apply

Volunteering

Interested in a committee or other ways to get involved at the foundation? Reach out to us to learn more.