Vice President, Resource Development

United Way of Dane County mobilizes the caring power of our community to create lasting change for multiple generations. Our mission is to unite the community to achieve measurable results that change lives. We are committed to being a catalyst for inclusion and systemic change—working collaboratively with local nonprofits, businesses, community leaders, donors, and volunteers to address complex challenges no single person or organization can solve alone.

Together, we are The Power of Caring. Working for All.

Our work centers around improving individual and family well-being so that everyone in Dane County can lead healthy, successful, and secure lives. Guided by our Plan for Community Well-Being, we focus on four community goals across priority areas:
Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Communities, and Community Resiliency – the building blocks of a stable life. Each of these goals is achieved through collective impact, the implementation of United Way initiatives and community-based programs operated by our agency partners.

As an equity leader, United Way of Dane County embraces its IDEA Statement (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) and recognizes racism as a public health crisis, understand it is the root cause of inequity in our society and stand in total opposition to all acts of racism and discrimination. We are committed to transformative social change that addresses structural inequities and oppression.

We recognize that addressing racism and systemic inequity is essential to building a thriving community for all.

Position Purpose

The Vice President, Resource Development (VP, RD) is responsible for educating, engaging, and inspiring the community to invest in United Way’s mission. This leader sets the strategic direction and drives the execution of all fundraising and donor engagement efforts, ensuring that the annual campaign and long-term fundraising strategies support the organization’s impact priorities.

This position leads a high-performing Resource Development team and works to deepen relationships with donors, businesses, and community leaders. As a member of the Executive Team, the VP, RD also collaborates with internal staff, Board members, and volunteers to secure sustainable resources that enable long-term mission achievement.

Key Responsibilities

40 % Strategic Leadership

• Design and implement multi-year strategies to grow financial support aligned with organizational goals.
• Provide visionary leadership and respond to the evolving philanthropic landscape.
• Set clear team goals, build operational plans, and ensure accountability for fundraising performance.
• Evaluate market trends and incorporate innovations to enhance fundraising outcomes.
• Lead major change initiatives and align department strategy with United Way’s Plan for Community Well-Being.
• Collaborate with the CEO and Executive Team to align donor priorities with organizational funding needs.

30 % Department Leadership & Supervision

• Lead and oversee all areas of Resource Development, including:

-Major Gifts

-Private and Public Workforce Giving

-Leadership Giving (Tocqueville Society, Lead United)

-Affinity Groups (Women United, LINC – Lead, Impact, Network, Change)

-Transformational Giving

-Endowment and Foundation fundraising

• Coordinate with Community Impact on Strategic Collaborations grants and Marketing on Community Direct Response Campaigns.
• Oversee donor recognition and stewardship strategies (e.g., events, letters).
• Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and manage external fundraising contracts (e.g., Creating Healthier Communities, American Heart Association).
• Serve as liaison to funding partners, business associations, and professional networks (e.g., Association of Fundraising Professionals).
• Foster a relationship-based culture and model a customer-service orientation in all interactions.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure timely and effective communication of program outcomes to volunteers and donors.
• Manage department data integrity and reporting systems.
• Develop and monitor the department’s annual budget in collaboration with team leads.
• Supervise and coach all Resource Development staff,…