Overview:
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Illinois (BGCNCIL) is entering a transformational growth chapter.
The Vice President, Advancement & Revenue Strategy is a senior executive leadership role responsible for building and scaling a best-in-class revenue engine that fuels life-changing impact for thousands of kids across our region. This role exists to turn belief into investment, strategy into scale, and mission into measurable results.
This is not a “maintain the status quo” role. We are seeking a seasoned fundraising and revenue leader with a demonstrated track record of closing seven-figure gifts and leading organizations raising $10M+ annually—with the ambition, discipline, and leadership capacity to help scale BGCNCIL to $25M+ annually within three years.
The VP will personally lead major and principal gifts, capital campaigns, and strategic partnerships while aligning marketing and communications to revenue outcomes. This leader serves as a trusted partner to the President, CEO, and Board and plays a central role in shaping the organization’s long-term sustainability and reach.
Responsibilities:
Revenue Leadership
- Personally lead and close major and principal gifts, including six- and seven-figure solicitations
- Develop and execute a multi-year fundraising strategy to achieve $25M in annual revenue within three years
- Serve as lead strategist and executive sponsor for all capital campaigns, including planning, donor strategy, board engagement, and execution
- Drive expansion across major gifts, individual giving, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and planned giving
- Maintain an active personal portfolio of top donors and prospects
- Lead donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at the highest levels
Business Development & Earned Revenue
- Lead business development initiatives that generate earned revenue, including fee-based school and community partnerships
- Identify, negotiate, and secure mission-aligned strategic partnerships
- Apply sales discipline, pipeline management, and forecasting rigor to partnership development
Marketing & Brand Strategy
- Oversee marketing and communications to directly support fundraising, donor engagement, and revenue growth
- Ensure marketing strategy is explicitly aligned to development goals, capital campaigns, and donor pipelines
- Guide storytelling and communications that clearly articulate impact, urgency, and return on investment
- Ensure consistent, compelling brand messaging across all platforms
Strategic Growth & Board Partnership
- Design and lead a three-year revenue growth roadmap with clear milestones and accountability
- Partner closely with the President, CEO, and Board to advance fundraising strategy and campaign success
- Prepare and present clear, data-driven fundraising reports to executive leadership and the Board
- Identify new donor segments, markets, and growth opportunities aligned with mission and sustainability
Team Leadership & Culture
- Recruit, lead, and develop a high-performing development and marketing team
- Establish clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability tied to revenue outcomes
- Coach team members in major gift strategy, donor engagement, and fundraising excellence
- Foster a culture that balances high expectations, collaboration, and professional growth
Operational Excellence
- Oversee development and marketing operations, including CRM systems, data integrity, compliance, and reporting
- Ensure accurate forecasting, revenue projections, and performance dashboards
- Use data to adjust strategy, improve effectiveness, and drive results
Qualifications:
Demonstrated track record of raising $10M+ annually required
- Proven experience personally closing major gifts, including six- and seven-figure donations
- Capital campaign leadership experience required, including planning, execution, and board engagement
- Deep expertise in major gifts, private philanthropy, and integrated fundraising strategies
- Strong business development and sales acumen; experience securing earned-revenue partnerships
- Senior leadership experience managing fundraising teams with measurable revenue results
- Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and negotiation skills
- Results-driven executive who thrives in high-growth, high-accountability environments
- Bachelor’s degree required