ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION
STEM From Dance equips girls to become the innovators, engineers, and creators the world needs, building creativity, confidence, and skills through the transformative power of dance.
Founded in 2012, we reach girls in more than 30 cities. 76% of our participants report a sense of belonging, against a national average of 35% for girls their age, and 73% report confidence in STEM. We are building toward reaching 20,000 girls by 2028.
Our revenue has grown from $349,000 to $2.7 million in six years. Reaching 20,000 girls takes revenue that grows faster still, and a development function the organization owns and can grow with. Building that function is what this role is for.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Vice President of Development is responsible for the acquisition and growth of STEM From Dance's philanthropic revenue. You would personally build and close the relationships that fund our national growth.
The mandate. More than half of what we raise in a typical year comes from funders who were not supporting us twelve months earlier. Renewing and upgrading our existing base covers part of what we need. The rest has to come from funders who are not with us yet. Your charge is to bring in significant new commitments at six figures and above, and to build a pipeline deep enough that next year's number is achievable before the year begins.
Where your time goes. STEM From Dance has built an infrastructure powered by AI and technology that handles the production side of development: proposal drafting, prospect research, application assembly, and pipeline maintenance, with cross-functional support behind it. That keeps this role on the work that produces revenue: funder conversations, donor relationships, representing the organization in the room, and the judgment calls about where to aim. We want someone who wants to be out front.
The Vice President of Development sits on the executive team, and the role is built to grow into Chief Development Officer as the development operation does. A dedicated development hire is budgeted for next fiscal year and would report to this role.
Location and travel. This is a remote role within the United States, with about 20% travel.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
New funder acquisition and major gifts (40%)
Build and grow a portfolio of approximately 50 priority foundation, corporate, and individual relationships.
Personally find, open, and close six-figure commitments, with an emphasis on multi-year and unrestricted support, and lay the groundwork for the seven-figure relationships that come as we grow.
Generate net-new first meetings with funders who have no prior relationship to STEM From Dance. First meetings booked is our leading revenue indicator, and you own that number.
Qualify and advance opportunities independently, including deciding which to decline.
Major individual giving (20%)
Grow STEM From Dance's major individual giving program, and help determine its next evolution.
Source new prospects, carry your own portfolio of individual donors, and design the experience that moves them to significant commitments.
Partner with the CEO on the highest-capacity individual relationships.
Strategy, positioning, and portfolio performance (20%)
Lead the design of the annual revenue strategy in partnership with the CEO, turning organizational priorities into a funding roadmap.
Determine positioning for each funder: which part of our work to lead with, at what amount, framed which way. You direct and approve what goes out.
Maintain a forward-looking pipeline, tracking prospect movement, renewal cycles, and performance against target.
Protect and grow existing funder relationships so renewals hold while new acquisition is underway.
Board engagement and external representation (15%)
Partner with board members to open doors, secure introductions, and follow through on them.
Represent STEM From Dance at conferences, funder convenings, site visits, and donor gatherings,…