Finance Director, American Excellence Foundation

The Finance Director, AEF is a senior-level position that oversees the vision, strategies, and implementation of the fundraising program for the American Excellence Foundation. The Finance Director, AEF, under the direction of the GOPAC Network Finance Director, supports a broader fundraising team of the organizations’ leadership, board members, consultants, and investors. Primary responsibilities include membership building, major donor cultivation, current donor communication and retention, donor data management and analysis.

To learn more about the American Excellence Foundation: https://aefhq.org/

Position Scope and Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead a fundraising program that ensures the American Excellence Foundation is in line with industry standards and best practices; perform ongoing evaluations of the fundraising program to ensure it maintains industry standards for retention, engagement, donations, etc.

• Maintain a portfolio of high-capacity major donors, soliciting contributions and stewarding long-term relationships for the American Excellence Foundation.

• Cultivate relationships to build multi-dimensional and enduring connections with investors.

• Ability to meet annual fundraising objectives while also innovating new, creative, and aggressive approaches to growing the program year over year.

• Maintain knowledge of current political and philanthropic trends.

• Use a data-driven approach to respond to trends and broader shifts in fundraising; invest in innovation where needed to learn, test, and adapt fundraising methods to meet goals.

• Generate development materials such as membership, sponsorship, and grant applications.

• Oversee development-related communications; compellingly communicate to various audiences through various channels on our mission; collaborate with communications team to identify opportunities and execute fundraising campaigns; furnishing leadership with regular progress reports.

• Ensure the fundraising team works collaboratively and collegially; supervise and mentor fundraising team members, including staff responsible for financial data entry.

• Ensure successful execution of the American Excellence Foundation’s priorities; participate in organization wide strategic planning; set weekly, monthly, and annual priorities with organizations’ leadership and directors of other programs.

• Actively contribute to building and maintaining the organization’s budget; building and forecasting the budget for the coming year, tracking the budget for the current year, and providing oversight of any necessary mid-year revisions with leadership.

Required Education, Qualifications, and Experiences:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degrees or professional fundraising certifications preferred.

• Prior experience directing a complex fundraising program required; Minimum 5 years’ experience preferred.

• Proven track record in developing and stewarding relationships with high-level donors; must have extensive experience with individual, foundation, non-profit, corporate, and digital fundraising programs and networks.

• A clear understanding of 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(3) nonprofit relationships and structures.

• Experience training and mentoring fundraising team members.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; extreme professionalism and confidence to liaise with elected leaders, investors, and stakeholders.

• Superior project management, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

• Meticulously detail oriented with strong organizational skills.

• Exhibit sound judgment with the ability to prioritize and make decisions.

• Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Ability and willingness to work irregular hours including occasional nights and weekends, and travel regularly for donor meetings, events, and conferences.

• Familiarity with Crimson, IDP, and/or similar CRMs, and using data for improving fundraising outcomes.

Application Procedures: Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to careers@gopac.org. Please include the title of the position in the subject line.