Vice President, Development

About KIND 

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. 

Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of this population; building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.

KIND seeks a Vice President, Development, reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO). This highly experienced development professional will work as a key partner to the CDO and ensure efficient development operations, offer strategic counsel, facilitate donor stewardship, organize prospect portfolios to optimize fundraising potential, manage special projects, and serve as a leader within development and across the organization. The incumbent will also manage a small and growing team. 

This a headquarters position based remotely from any location in the U.S.

This position is contingent upon continued funding.

• Strategy 

• Evaluates performance data, identify areas for improvement, and recommend solutions. 
• Analyzes market trends, assesses risks, and offers insights to drive growth and improve performance. 
• Provides guidance and recommendations to senior development leadership on creating and implementing strategies to achieve development and organizational goals.  
• Works with cross-functional teams to develop and execute strategic plans. 

• Stewardship  
• Develops and implements strategies to build and maintain strong relationships with donors, ensuring their continued support and engagement with the organization. 
• Manages the creation and distribution of impact reports, showcasing the results of donor contributions and ensuring donors are informed about the use of their gifts. 
• Works closely with fundraising, communications, and other relevant departments to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to donor engagement. 
• Oversees the planning and execution of donor events and engagement activities. 

• Portfolio Optimization 
• Leads and oversees the identification, research, analysis, and management of potential donors to support fundraising efforts. 
• Manages and optimizes prospect portfolios for fundraising staff, ensuring effective moves, management and pipeline reporting. 
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for prospect research and portfolio management, ensuring best practices and compliance. 

• Project Management 
• Defines project scope, goals, timelines, and budget, creating a project plan, and identifying necessary resources as needed. 
• Assembles and leads project teams, delegating tasks, and fostering collaboration. 
• Tracks project progress, identifying potential roadblocks, and takes corrective actions to stay on track and ensures high quality outcomes. 

• Operations and Administration 
• Oversees the internal systems and processes that support fundraising and donor relations. 
• Develops and implements operational procedures to ensure smooth fundraising processes, including gift processing and reporting. 
• Ensures compliance with all relevant regulations related to fundraising and donor information. 
• Manages the annual budgeting and revenue reforecasting process. 
• Tracks and monitors ongoing expenses for the department. 
• Collaborates with the Finance department to reconcile all gifts, providing any necessary documents and reporting in anticipation of and during the annual audit. 
• Processes invoices and payment requests; troubleshoots issues with payment receipt and tax documents. 

• Undergraduate degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• A clear passion for KIND’s mission at a time when our work to protect the legal rights and well-being of unaccompanied children has never been more necessary.  
• Minimum of 10 years demonstrated experience in development, fundraising, philanthropy, or equivalent function.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a management role. 
• Understanding of budgeting and financial reporting. 
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities: To identify and resolve issues, make informed decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly.   
• Proven project management, organizational, and time-management skill. 
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple projects, and consistently deliver on established guidelines, protocols, and deadlines. 
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data, identify trends, and draw conclusions then communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Ability to develop and implement effective strategies.  
• Experience working with remote teams, motivating productive relationships with a diverse population of colleagues. 
• Ability to exercise judgement and discretion when handling sensitive and confidential information. 
• A proven track record of working well with others, adapting to others’ work styles, and professional interactions with co-workers and/or vendors. 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and leadership in a collaborative, professional, and ethical manner 
• Experience knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (such as Teams, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our KIND environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment; ability to prioritize tasks and delegate as appropriate.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Demonstrate discipline and adaptability to effectively deliver on our core mission of ensuring access to justice and safeguarding children’s well-being and rights.
• Ability to multitask and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance. 
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment preferred but not required. 

Our Benefits

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with KIND paying 100% of the employee only portion of the premium for one of the three medical plan options, dental, and vision. 

- Pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA) for both medical and dependent care.  

- Pre-tax transit and parking spending account.  

- Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.  

- Employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance.  

For a complete list of benefits, please click here. 

Our Focus on Wellness

KIND recognizes that our ability to help our clients starts with helping our team members. KIND has prioritized wellness for employees through Mindfulness and Wellness Trainings, Wellness Platforms, Employee Assistance and Resilience Programs, Time Away and Office Wellness Activities. 

For more information regarding our Wellness initiatives please visit this link.  

Application Instructions

To be considered for this role, please submit an employment application at supportkind.org/join-the-team, along with your resume and cover letter.

Disclaimer: KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm “no fees” recruitment policy. We will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process. KIND also conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference, and at no time will KIND engage in a text or mobile app-based application or interview process. For more information, please visit the following website: https://supportkind.org/join-the-team/kind-employment-practices/.