Vice President of Advancement

Communities In Schools of Virginia
Vice President of Advancement
Reports to President/Founder of Communities In Schools of Virginia

Job description:
About Communities In Schools of Virginia
Communities In Schools (CIS) of Virginia supports a growing network of affiliate offices across the Commonwealth, helping students stay in school and achieve in life through the proven CIS model of Integrated Student Supports. The state office provides strategic leadership, technical assistance, and resource development to sustain and grow high-quality programs that meet evolving community needs.
The CIS of Virginia (CIS-VA) office is a small, but high energy organization supporting 6 independent affiliates and one emerging affiliate across Virginia in adherence to guidelines developed by the CIS national office. Our role is to drive statewide growth and help ensure local affiliates have the tools and capacity to provide and sustain strong student services in their local communities.

About the Role
The Vice President of Advancement is a senior leader responsible for shaping and executing the long-term resource strategy for Communities In Schools of Virginia (CIS-VA). This role drives all aspects of fundraising, communications, and external engagement, with a sharp focus on securing transformational gifts that ensure the sustainability and growth of the organization and the network.

The VP of Advancement is not only the chief architect of development strategy at CIS-VA but also a convener and partner across the statewide CIS network—leading collaborative fundraising initiativeswith affiliates and elevating the brand to new levels of visibility and influence.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
● Design and execute a multi-year advancement strategy that integrates public funding, major
gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation support, planned giving, annual fund, and events.
● Build and manage a portfolio of transformational prospects and donors, cultivating multi-year
commitments that sustain and grow the organization’s capacity.
● Partner closely with the President & CEO and Board of Directors to secure seven- and
eight-figure gifts.
● Develop clear metrics for success and report progress to leadership and the Board.
Collaborative Fundraising
● Lead the development of statewide fundraising initiatives in partnership with CIS affiliates,
building shared strategies to attract corporate, foundation, and individual investors.
● Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and alignment across the Virginia network to
maximize donor engagement and collective impact.
● Represent CIS-VA as a thought leader and external ambassador with funders, coalitions, and statewide partners.
Team & Brand Leadership
● Oversee advancement team members (development, communications, and grants) to ensure alignment and excellence.
● Guide communications strategy to strengthen brand identity, elevate visibility, and inspire investment.
● Build strong relationships across the organization, ensuring fundraising and communications are integrated with program and policy goals and anchored with strong data and evaluation.
● Develop and implement a CIS-VA marketing and communications strategic plan
● Oversee all CIS-VA branded communications, both print- and web-based/social, to advance key statewide strategies, promote visibility, and ensure messaging consistency to key stakeholders.
This includes designing, maintaining, and generating high-quality content for the CIS-VA printedcollateral, website, email campaigns, and social media platforms.
● Ensure marketing and communications activities are aligned to the strategic plan, relevant resource development plans, and CIS national branding guidelines
● Create and share collateral for affiliate dissemination in alignment with the marketing and communications strategic plan
● Provide technical assistance to affiliates around marketing, branding, and communications
● Serve as lead CIS-VA contact with CIS national marketing and communications staff

Other Position Functions
- Engage with appropriate CIS-VA staff and regional leadership to develop all memoranda of
understanding and financial agreements between CIS-VA and network affiliates
- As assigned by the president, serve on interview panels for affiliate leadership/directors
- As assigned by the president, represent CIS-VA at national, statewide, and local CIS meetings (to include affiliate board meetings)
- Visit affiliate programming in action to build understanding of the CIS model and programs
- Work with appropriate CIS-VA staff to assist with replication and expansion activities as it relates to fundraising and communications
- Oversee development and marketing and communications budget
- Other duties as assigned

Qualifications
● 10+ years of progressive advancement or fundraising experience, with at least 5 in senior leadership.
● Demonstrated success securing major and transformational gifts ($1M+ preferred).
● Familiarity with public funding streams (state and federal)
● Proven experience in collaborative or network-wide fundraising initiatives.
● Strong leadership and team-building skills with a track record of mentoring and developing staff.
● Exceptional communication and relationship-building abilities.
● Passion for CIS’s mission of removing barriers to student success and ensuring access to opportunity for every learner.

Preferred:
● Advanced degree in education, public administration, nonprofit management, or related field
● Experience with government grants and statewide policy engagement.
Compensation & Benefits
● Salary Range: Competitive, commensurate with experience.
● Benefits: Comprehensive package including health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and professional development.

How to Apply
Submit a resume and cover letter addressed to Dr. Mark Emblidge, President, to layner@cisofva.org by
November 30. Position will remain open until filled.
Not sure you meet every single qualification?We understand that no career follows a straight line. If you bring strong leadership experience, strategic vision, knowledge about public education and/or youth services and a deep commitment to our mission, we encourage you to apply—even if your background doesn’t align perfectly with every responsibility listed. We value diverse perspectives and believe the right candidate is more than a checklist.
CIS of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.