Associate Vice President, Campaign & Governance

Title: Associate Vice President, Campaign & Governance

Exemption Status: Exempt

Department: Development

Reports to: Chief Development Officer with dotted line to CEO

Year-Round or Seasonal: Year-round

Full-time or Part-time or Resource: Full-time

Supervises: Director, Development Operations; Development Coordinator(s); dotted line supervision of CEO's Executive Assistant

Position Overview

The Associate Vice President, Campaign & Governance serves as the Chief Development Officer's (CDO) deputy and oversees board governance, campaign planning and oversight, and development operations. This role manages all aspects of the Garden's Board of Directors and Woman's Board, and leads key board-related projects including the strategic planning process. This position oversees the Garden's comprehensive campaign, leading planning, management, and integration across the Garden. The AVP manages the development operations team, ensuring effective donor tracking and reports in support of the campaign and all fundraising operations. This role serves as a critical member of the Development Leadership Team, collaborating across the organization to ensure the success of the full Development team.

Responsibilities: In this role you will be responsible for the following:

Campaign Management:

• Serve as project-lead for comprehensive campaign ($300M+), managing the planning process for the development team and throughout the organization, and providing high-level project management for implementation.
• Oversee relationship with campaign counsel.
• Develop and manage campaign plan, budgets, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring successful campaign outcomes.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including major donors, board members, and community leaders, to garner support for campaign initiatives.
• In alignment with CDO and AVPs, lead regular campaign meetings and strategy discussions.

Governance:

• Manage the Board of Directors, working closely with the CEO and CDO to ensure effective volunteer leadership, engagement, and alignment with the organization's strategic imperatives.
• Provide strategic support to President & CEO in staffing the Executive Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee, working in cooperation with the Executive Assistant to ensure preparation, delivery, and follow-up.
• Serve as the main point of contact for board members, ensuring a strong governance program and effective board and committee meetings.
• Oversee special projects for the Board and the President & CEO (e.g., Facing Change Board diversity project, bylaws review, workshop development, strategic updates, special Garden events).
• Manage the Garden's relationship with the Woman's Board, managing the team that supports these entities and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and annual operating plans.
• Manage board relations budget and support the onboarding process for new board members.
• Ensure administrative liaisons to all board committees operate effectively, managing meeting logistics, minute-taking, archiving of materials, committee memberships, and annual calendar requirements.

Development Operations:

• Oversee development operations, leading the department's priority to leverage data to inform giving strategies and develop more efficient and effective systems.
• Advise on portfolio management and assignments for frontline fundraisers.
• Oversee the development database and all related systems of reporting, including prospect pipeline reports, CEO and board reports, and revenue models.
• Ensure timely and accurate gift processing, acknowledgments, and reporting.
• Collaborate with CDO and AVPs on campaign readiness, assessment, and systems improvements.

Strategic Coordination:

• Manage coordination of the CEO's and CDO's offices to ensure alignment, with a focus on the organization's priority donor and board relationships.
• Guide the CEO's Executive Assistant to provide appropriate support, including timely acquisition of background briefings for the CEO's schedule.

Leadership and Innovation:

• Lead innovation and positive change within the team and across the organization.
• Create an environment that inspires a high level of commitment and performance.
• Maintain staff by recruiting, selecting, and training employees.

Chicago Botanic Garden Values & Behaviors:

VALUES

As an organization, we...

BEHAVIORS

As an organization, we...

Prioritize a culture of GROWTH.

We commit to remaining curious in how we approach our work.

• Create and maintain spaces for learning.
• Test new ideas and are willing to take risks to achieve our vision.
• Collaborate to strengthen our skills and impact.
• Demonstrate perseverance and humility as we work toward our long-term impact.

Seek to UNDERSTAND.

We seek to understand others from their perspective.

• Provide opportunities for input and feedback from others.
• Actively listen to all points of view.
• Consider individuals' lived experiences.
• Advocate for and protect time for reflection especially during times of conflict or confusion.

See one another through a lens of RESILIENCE.

We believe that all individuals can experience good outcomes with support.

• Give others the space to balance work and personal needs.
• Support others and demonstrate empathy especially during challenging and stressful times.
• Seek opportunities to learn from and about one another.
• Ask questions about and anticipate the needs of others.

Build TRUST through TRANSPARENCY.

We hold ourselves and others accountable by centering decision-making that honors all people.

• Communicate information in a timely manner.
• Provide clarity in complex situations with the goal of common understanding.
• Discuss both positive and negative outcomes openly.
• Evaluate the impacts of our actions.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred; or equivalent training and experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in complex work environments.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, data analytics, nonprofit board management, program management, and personnel and budget management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting annual campaigns, and managing expenditures.
• Proficiency in CRM and database systems, including Raiser's Edge or comparable software.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and access goals.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally if necessary.
• Availability to attend evening and weekend donor events.

Physical Demands:
Office setting. Frequent sitting, standing, walking, bending, listening, speaking, and keyboarding. Use of office equipment including computers, telephones, copiers, scanners, and fax machines. Some requirements for lifting, pushing, or pulling items less than 30 pounds.

Why Apply?
Come work in a setting that is like no other as you support our mission: We cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Take the first step toward being one of the employees who make the Garden one of the treasures of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Apply today. Please note that applicants who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Chicago Botanic Garden does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its programs or activities, including in employment or admissions. Please call ([redacted] to contact our Title IX coordinator should you have questions or concerns. Please do not call this number to inquire about job postings or the status of your application, or with solicitations from companies or third-party recruiters.