CAREERS

Director of Philanthropy

The ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Richmond, Virginia, and serves families across the Commonwealth of Virginia. They are a culture-first organization dedicated to making life better for children with cancer and their families. Since its founding in 1975, ASK (which stands for “Assistance, Support and Kindness”) has provided comprehensive support services that address the emotional, educational, financial, and social challenges that come with a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

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Each year, ASK serves more than 1,000 people, including children receiving treatment, survivors, and their families. The organization works closely with all five primary pediatric cancer treatment centers in Virginia. They are: Carillion Children’s, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Children’s Hospital of Richmond, Inova Schar Cancer Institute and UVA Children’s Hospital.

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The Director of Philanthropy is a senior-level position who will oversee the marketing team and will be responsible for planning, managing, and executing fundraising programs and the organization’s development strategy. This person reports to the Executive Director and works in collaboration with the Board of Directors and the Development Committee. This person serves as a member of the organization’s leadership group and manages a team that includes the Associate Director of Development, Associate Director of Marketing; Grants Manager; Marketing Content Manager, Special Events Coordinator; and Development Operations Coordinator.

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Responsibilities Include:​​

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Fundraising Strategy and Donor Relations

• Develop and implement overall annual fundraising plan, including goals, timelines, budget, and identified audiences for proposals, appeals, and campaigns.

• Manage fundraising activities and metrics to ensure that fundraising goals are achieved and sources of support are diversified.

• Build and manage a comprehensive donor stewardship program to strengthen and deepen relations between ASK and individual donors, corporate supporters, granting foundations, and community funding partners.

• Provide direction and supervision on all development operational processes, including database management, financial reports, donor lists, gift processing and acknowledgments, donor benefits, and fulfillment activities.

• Oversee the foundation grant program, including strategy and process, research and targeting of grant opportunities, and reviewing draft grant proposals in collaboration with key staff and the Executive Director.

• Supervise and mentor the development and marketing team to meet their individual goals in support of the team’s fundraising plan.

• Work collaboratively with staff to increase support for ASK’s strategic priorities.

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Events

• Provide leadership in providing strategy, planning, implementation and evaluation of ASK’s signature event, the ASK Above & Beyond Gala. Cultivate and retain sponsors, major donors and other key relationships that are critical to the event’s success.

• Support staff in reaching fundraising and strategic goals for 5K events, Ambassador Program and third-party fundraisers, including assistance with sponsor and vendor relationships, as well as event strategy.

• Contribute to the creation of meaningful and impactful events that garner press and brand awareness, foster strong community relations, increase revenue, donor loyalty and acquire new supporters, including community partner fundraisers and third-party events.

• Represent ASK at community events to expand the organization’s pool of supporters.

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Marketing

• Oversee the writing, production, design, and distribution of a wide variety of publications and collateral materials, including annual reports, brochures, marketing materials, fact sheets, one-pagers, slide decks, videos and other materials.

• Oversee website updates with staff to ensure that new and consistent information (article links, stories, and events) is posted regularly and ensure content is navigable.

• Support the organization’s social media presence by coordinating content that will engage various stakeholders.

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Ideal Candidate:

The successful candidate will be the right-hand person of the Executive Director, supporting the growth of the organization. Serving on the leadership team, the Director will be a mission-driven fundraising professional to lead and grow the individual major gifts and corporate giving programs. This strategic position is vital to diversifying ASK’s revenue streams beyond its current event-heavy model and sustaining long-term growth within the Richmond community and beyond.

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The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of securing significant individual gifts and will bring a deep, personal connection to mission-based work, with demonstrated experience aligning fundraising efforts with impactful programming. The Director will be responsible for identifying and cultivating new donors, assessing and maximizing the capacity of ASK’s existing donor base, and personally soliciting and closing major gifts, particularly from individual donors.

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This role requires a relationship builder who will collaborate closely with program staff to understand ASK’s services and translate that impact into a compelling case for support. While continuing to support and elevate ASK’s signature Gala event, the Director will focus on expanding and diversifying revenue through new philanthropic partnerships and sustainable individual giving strategies.

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Qualifications:

• Minimum five years of successful fundraising experience in a non-profit.

• Proven track record of securing gifts that align with donor interests and the organization’s priorities through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors.

• Management of the marketing department to ensure the brand is consistent across the organization (i.e., website, social media, publications).

• Able to think strategically; a good problem solver with critical thinking and analytical skills.

• Successful track record in special events fundraising.

• Proven track record in recruiting and retaining corporate sponsors, donors, and partners.

• Experience leading and managing a team.

• Experience working with volunteers and the board of directors.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Expertise in managing social media and other digital communications

• Strong applied computer skills, with a solid understanding of donor database and fundraising systems (Bloomerang, qGiv, Network for Good)

• Attention to detail and strong writing skills are essential.

• Enthusiastic support of ASK’s strategic vision, mission, and goals.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

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To apply, please click the button below! ​​