Oglebay Foundation - Vice President of Development

The Oglebay Foundation invites applications for a senior level professional to join its fundraising team as the Vice President of Development. The ideal candidate will be a dynamic, creative, self-starter, and will be central to helping enhance Oglebay and Wheeling Park’s proud tradition and culture of philanthropy. The Vice President of Development is responsible for long-term relationship building with Friends of Oglebay through cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding corporate sponsorships, special projects, major gifts, and planned gifts from a portfolio of constituents.

The Oglebay Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation devoted to the raising of private charitable gifts for the welfare, maintenance, and future development of Oglebay Park Resort and Wheeling Park in Wheeling, West Virginia. As one of the world’s only self-sustaining city park systems, the proud tradition of private philanthropy to support the parks began at the founding of Wheeling Park in 1924 and the formation of the Parks System Trust Fund in 1945. The Oglebay Foundation is in an exciting period of growth as it celebrates the Centennial of the Parks and the success of FOREVER YOURS: The Campaign for an Enduring Oglebay.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and five or more years of fundraising or development experience with a proven track record of success. The candidate should be familiar with fundraising standards and best practices including major gifts, planned gifts, and fundraising campaigns. The position requires a high energy individual who can work alone as well as with a diverse. An interest in the value and impact of public parks, zoos, recreational programming and a dedication to promoting the Oglebay Foundation’s mission and strategic fundraising priorities are a must. The position also requires excellent writing and persuasive communication skills; excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills; willingness and ability to travel; and willingness to work within the larger Oglebay Foundation and Wheeling Park Commission team of development, park, and hospitality professionals. 

Responsibilities:

• Help donors accomplish their philanthropic goals and ambitions through building long-term relationships
• Provide leadership and oversight of all development processes
• Identify major gift prospects. Analyze and predict a donor’s propensity, capacity and enthusiasm to give. Gather pertinent data to determine the best candidates for the major gifts program
• Cultivate major gift prospects, investing the necessary time and energy to build relationship designed to understand the donor goals with the expressed purpose of alignment with the Foundation’s mission and objectives
• Solicit major gift prospects. Moving prospective major donors along the donor pipeline ready to receive an appropriate ask based upon donor intent and interest
• Stewardship of major gift donors. Develop stewardship strategies that continue the major gift relationship for future gifts opportunities
• Manage systems and software to track and cultivate donors and prospects, including our donor database system Raiser’s Edge
• Manage planned giving communication plans to cultivate and steward donors and prospects
• Direct an existing portfolio of donors and prospects; create and implement moves management plans
• Lead corporate sponsorship program activation
• Make direct, face-to-face solicitations, and assist the board and other staff with their solicitation (e.g. provide portfolio development support, strategic counsel, and help with donor communications)
• Acknowledge major and planned donors through public and private recognition
• Track and report progress using specific metrics

Knowledge and Skills:

• Strong written communication skills; ability to write clear, structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals
• The ability to lead, work in a team setting, and work independently
• Detailed and in-depth knowledge of fundraising, it’s impact and associated tax-laws
• Capable of handling numerous tasks at once while meeting deadlines
• Knowledge of basic fundraising techniques and strategies
• Knowledge and familiarity with research techniques for fundraising prospect research
• Knowledge of estate planning, including wills, trusts and estate and gift tax laws.
• Strong contributor in team environments
• Able to monitor and meet fundraising goals

Experience:

• A proven fundraising track record of success
• Demonstrated history of successful direct contact with donors thru the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship process
• Consideration will be given for those with a history in financial services, sales, business development, or marketing