EARTHDAY.ORG | Vice President of Development

Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid)

The Organization
EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet. Since its inception in 1970, the organization's mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. EARTHDAY.ORG strives to foster a healthy and sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations. With initiatives ranging from reforestation and climate literacy, to plastics, fast fashion, and healthy and sustainable food, EARTHDAY.ORG is committed to transforming public attitudes and behaviors towards a more sustainable future. This mission is pursued through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns designed to bring about environmental change on both a local and global scale.

The Opportunity
EARTHDAY.ORG is hiring a Vice President of Development to build on one of the most recognized and far-reaching platforms in the environmental movement, translating EDO’s decades of global impact into a more scalable fundraising engine for the future. At a pivotal moment for the organization, this leader will shape how a globally trusted brand is positioned with funders, partners, and stakeholders, while strengthening the infrastructure and partnerships needed to support and grow its work year-round. With meaningful influence across leadership and programs, the VP will connect ambitious ideas to compelling, fundable opportunities, helping ensure EDO continues to evolve as a leading force in driving environmental progress worldwide.

The Position
Reporting to the President, the VP of Development will lead EDO’s development efforts. This position will create and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to include individual donors, institutions (independent, family, and corporate foundations), as well as corporate sponsorships and online fundraising.  Building on EDO’s existing pipeline, the VP will focus on cultivating new and expanding existing relationships with a diverse set of national and local foundations and corporations.  The VP of Development will oversee and expand the three-member Development team, designing a thoughtful staffing plan to scale the team in support of the organization’s fundraising goals. This position closely collaborates with the President and Senior Leadership Team to implement organization-wide and program-specific development strategies.
  
ROLE OVERVIEW

Program Strategy and Leadership

• Demonstrate a strong entrepreneurial approach to fundraising, identifying and prioritizing the best opportunities and maximizing their potential
• Lead, create, and implement all fundraising strategies to support and expand our key initiatives as required for measurable mission impact
• Collaborate with our internal executive staff team to continually refine strategy, protocol, and procedures related to a full-scale development/fundraising program
• Present fundraising updates to the Board of Directors, and partner with the Board fundraising committee on the fundraising strategy
• Embed principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion within all the organization’s fundraising strategies and activities consistent with EDO’s vision, mission, and values

Resource Development

• Cultivate, steward, and expand a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, institutional funders, and strategic partners, with a focus on securing transformational gifts
• Leverage deep networks and relationships to identify, access, and engage new funding opportunities across the environmental and philanthropic landscape
• Partner closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to strengthen fundraising capacity, including board engagement, peer-to-peer fundraising, and strategic introductions
• Identify and pursue innovative revenue streams, partnerships, and funding mechanisms to diversify and grow the organization’s funding base
• Build and sustain long-term relationships with key stakeholders, positioning the organization as a trusted partner and investment opportunity
• Steward the grant process, developing grant proposals in partnership with EDO team members
• Drive development of compelling cases for support and funding propositions that align donor interests with organizational priorities and impact

Team Leadership & Internal Collaboration

• Provide direct supervision and strategic leadership to development team members, building, mentoring, and scaling a high-performing team with the capabilities, structure, and culture needed to achieve ambitious fundraising goals and support EDO’s continued growth
• Lead the strategy, cultivation, and stewardship of foundation partnerships, overseeing the full lifecycle of institutional grantmaking in close collaboration with global and program staff
• Partner closely with finance and operations team members to ensure development plans are aligned with organizational budgets and goals
• Collaborate with communications and program teams to effectively draft proposals, articulate impact, elevate visibility, and strengthen funder engagement

Fundraising Operations

• Provide strategic oversight of all fundraising operations, ensuring systems, processes, and infrastructure effectively support ambitious revenue goals
• Design and optimize end-to-end development operations, including prospect management, donor lifecycle tracking, and pipeline development
• Lead forecasting, revenue modeling, and performance analytics to inform strategy and drive data-informed decision-making
• Drive integration between development, communications and marketing, and program teams to ensure alignment of fundraising strategy and messaging
• Evaluate and implement new technologies and tools to strengthen fundraising effectiveness and operational efficiency
• Ensure seamless execution of campaigns and initiatives through strong project management, coordination, and internal communication systems

  
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The VP of Development will have deep experience and a track record developing a robust portfolio of high-potential prospects and cultivating trust-based relationships with senior leaders and philanthropic funders across leading global environmental organizations. They will be highly networked and recognized within the field, with the credibility and standing to engage key stakeholders. The candidate will possess a strong foundation in nonprofit fundraising operations, excel at integrating high-level strategy with disciplined, hands-on execution, demonstrate a willingness to “roll up their sleeves” to achieve measurable results, and be energized by serving as a compelling, public-facing representative of the organization.

The ideal candidate for the VP of Development position possesses the following competencies:

Strategic Visioning: Ability to conceptualize and implement high-level fundraising strategies that align with the organizational mission.
Fund Development: Proven track record of meeting and exceeding fundraising goals, securing funds through strategic institutional, individual and corporate partnerships.
Relationship Building: Ability to forge new and deepen existing relationships in service of creating meaningful partnerships.
Leadership & Team Management: Strong leadership qualities with experience in building and managing teams, fostering collaboration, skills-training and driving teams toward shared accountability.
Communication Proficiency: Excellent oral and written communication skills, capable of effectively articulating complex ideas to potential donors and serving as a spokesperson for the organization.
Mission Alignment: Deep and meaningful connection to the mission, with a sophisticated understanding of the environmental fundraising landscape and an established network of trusted relationships across funders, peer organizations, and sector leaders.
  
Additional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BS, etc.)
• Strong connections with funders in the environmental movement
• 8–10 years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising, with demonstrated success across individual, foundation, and corporate giving; experience in the environmental sector preferred
• Proven track record of securing and stewarding significant philanthropic investments, including gifts and grants at the $1M+ level
• Demonstrated success in identifying, cultivating, and expanding relationships with new and existing donors and institutional partners, resulting in sustained and diversified revenue growth
• Passionate about the EARTHDAY.ORG mission
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and a commitment to representing EARTHDAY.ORG with enthusiasm, warmth, and professionalism
• Superior tact, discretion, maturity, and judgment in handling highly sensitive, often confidential information
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office software, especially PowerPoint, Word, and Excel
• Experience with CRM databases
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and to multitask and manage multiple projects and assignments often with competing deadlines
• Able to work well on a team and individually
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Excellent critical thinking, problem solving, organizational skills, and attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong editing and proofreading skills
• Ability to work during the weekend or evenings to attend strategic events and engage donors, prospects, and partners, as needed
• Required to and welcomes travel as necessary to proactively support the organization’s mission; this will include regular local travel for events and donor engagement as well as additional domestic and occasional international travel

WHO WE ARE

Work Environment
At EARTHDAY.ORG, we foster a dynamic and supportive work environment that encourages innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Our team is made up of passionate individuals who are committed to making a difference in the world. We operate in a fast-paced, ever-evolving field that requires flexibility, adaptability, and a proactive approach. Our staff enjoy the flexibility of remote work and a culture that values their well-being and professional growth.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
EDO is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion both in our hiring practices and in our operational approach. We believe that a diverse team enriches our organization and enhances our impact, bringing a wide range of perspectives that contribute to innovative problem-solving and decision-making. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all staff, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, feel valued and respected. We actively seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and are committed to promoting fairness and equity in all our employment practices.
  
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Generous medical, dental, and vision for employees 70% covered by EDO
• 15 days paid vacation in Year 1 (increases over time)
• Life & long-term disability
• Annual holiday schedule, with 10 paid holidays annually and between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Up to 6% company 401k contribution based on your salary
• Salary Range: $150,000 -170,000, based on experience

  
TO APPLY

EARTHYDAY.ORG has retained the services of ThinkingAhead Executive Search. To apply, please send a resume and a letter of interest to Chris Spagnola at: [email protected]. 
You may also submit candidate nominations for the role to Chris Spagnola.