New Search! Maine Community Foundation Vice President of Communications and Marketing

Position Summary

Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting in their search for their new Vice President of Communications and Marketing. This is an exciting role for an experienced visionary, creative, and strategic leader with expertise in nonprofit/foundation communications and marketing.

The Vice President of Communications and Marketing is a member of the senior leadership team and is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of comprehensive communications and marketing strategies that enhance the Foundation’s visibility, brand, and impact among target audiences (including donors, prospects, and community/opinion leaders across sectors).

Who We Are

MaineCF’s mission is to bring people and resources together to build a better Maine. We hold assets of over $700 million and work statewide with donors and other partners to provide grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships for Maine students. Our 52 employees work from our main office in Ellsworth, the second office in Portland, and remote locations throughout the state.  We have a commitment to equity and expect all staff will use equity to inform their work with us. Please learn more about us by visiting our website: www.mainecf.org.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Foundation Leadership
    • As an active member of the Management Team, participates in strategic planning, general organizational leadership and meetings of MaineCF’s board of directors
    • Represents the Foundation and/or CEO in functions or meetings, as requested
    • Monitors and draws from national trends in philanthropy-related communications broadly and community foundations specifically
    • Participates in national communications networks or community foundation learning opportunities
    • Ensures that all staff and board understand and can deliver core messaging
  • Department Leadership
    • Provides strategic leadership to the communications department, fostering a productive work environment and the professional development of staff
    • Develops and monitors communications and marketing budgets
  • Communications and Marketing Strategy
    • Develops and oversees the implementation of a comprehensive communications and marketing strategy for the Foundation that advances the organizational mission and strategic goals
    • Develops and oversees tailored, impact-oriented communications plans for the foundation’s new initiatives
    • Sets measures of the effectiveness of marketing and communications strategies and activities
  • Public and Media Relations
    • Serves as a spokesperson for the organization
    • Develops a media relations strategy for the Foundation
    • Serves as main point of contact for media, building positive organizational relationships with editors and reporters
    • In collaboration with the CEO and relevant senior leadership, leads the planning and execution of significant events
    • Ensures the strategic placement of advertising and sponsorships to reach key audiences with targeted messaging
  • Crisis Communications
    • Serve as our crisis communications leader and point person.
    • Proactively plan for possible scenarios and ensure all involved understand what to do when predicted scenarios do occur.
    • Anticipate and be available (seven days a week, if required) for critical PR needs.
    • In partnership with the CEO, manage internal staff communications to provide reassurance and minimize business disruptions
  • Online Media and Print Publications
    • Provides leadership and oversight of Foundation’s brand on the website, in email, social media, and in print
    • Monitors and makes use of online analytics
    • Drives the messaging, content development, design and production of print materials, delivering materials on time and within budget
  • Message development for CEO
    • Drafts high-level, high-impact written materials, as needed
    • In partnership with CEO, develops messaging for CEO remarks/speeches relevant for specific audiences

Qualifications

  • Twelve to fifteen years’ experience leading a strategic communications and marketing department or creative agency with five to seven years management experience
  • Background with a strong storytelling, impact-oriented approach to message development with a preference for a gifted writer with a history of crafting and telling stories
  • Knowledge of communications challenges and opportunities of community foundations/philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurial mindset with an ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growth environment
  • Proven track record of serving as the most senior communications person working directly with CEO, senior leadership, and board
  • Experience advancing equity issues desired
  • Comfort working with a wide range of personal backgrounds of various foundation constituents
  • Strong working knowledge of core communications tools and digital media tools
  • Willingness and ability to travel regularly within Maine and some travel nationally to attend meetings and events outside regular work hours, including some evenings and weekends
  • Degree strongly preferred or demonstrated equivalent work experience
  • Preference for individuals with a strong knowledge of Maine, Maine media, and current issues in Maine

Schedule and Location

  • This is a full-time, exempt position
  • This is a hybrid position (2 days in office, 3 days remote), based out of our Ellsworth or Portland office
  • Candidates must live in Maine or establish Maine residency within 3 months of hire

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range of $135,000-$150,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications. Benefits include:

  • Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance, 100% employer-paid premium for individual coverage
  • Employer-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and term life insurance
  • 401(k) retirement plan with a 6-9% company contribution vested immediately
  • 21 paid days off per year (increases with tenure)
  • 13 paid holidays per year
  • Parental leave
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Wellness benefit
  • Free parking

Our Hiring Process and Timeline

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to Cindy Joyce, Executive Search Consultant and Founder, Pillar Search & HR Consulting, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

The deadline for submitting your candidate materials is May 24, 2024.

For questions, please contact cindy@pillarsearch.com.

New Search: Vice President, Donor Engagement

Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting in their search for their new Vice President, Donor Engagement. This is an exciting role for an experienced professional with donor engagement and nonprofit leadership experience. 

Who We Are       

MaineCF’s mission is to bring people and resources together to build a better Maine. We hold assets of over $775 million and work statewide with donors and other partners to provide grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships for Maine students. Our 48 employees work from our main office in Ellsworth, a second office in Portland, and remote locations throughout the state.  We have a commitment to equity and expect all staff will use equity to inform their work with us. Please learn more about us by visiting our website: https://www.mainecf.org.

Position Summary

The Vice President, Donor Engagement leads the Foundation’s donor engagement and planned giving departments and is a member of the Foundation’s management team. Reporting to the CEO, the VP of Donor Engagement provides strategic vision and direction to all aspects of the Foundation’s work with existing donors. The overarching goal of this position is to provide high-quality customer service, strategic grantmaking, and learning opportunities to and with donors. This position will be instrumental in developing and executing new strategies to engage donors to participate in broader initiatives and make unrestricted grants that will further MaineCF’s mission of building a better Maine. The ideal candidate will be relationship-focused and committed to lifelong learning. They must be an experienced leader with the ability to lead their own team and to partner with other teams across the Foundation.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

  • Develop, deliver, and evaluate the Foundation’s donor engagement strategies, policies, and activities with a focus on relationship-building.
  • Advise and prepare CEO for donor interactions by providing succinct descriptions of donors’ preferences, goals, and grantmaking history.
  • In partnership with VP of Philanthropy and Director of Planned Giving, develop, deliver and evaluate the Foundation’s planned giving strategies, policies, and activities.
  • Works closely with VP of Philanthropy to develop and implement advancement goals and strategies particularly as they relate to donor advised funds.
  • Cultivate and build relationships with current donors to create an organizational culture that focuses on relationship-building.
  • Develop and execute strategies to increase engagement and grantmaking from current donor advisors.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of issue areas, initiatives, and community networks throughout Maine in order to guide donors and inform their grantmaking.
  • Support donors’ grantmaking by providing expertise that connects their desired goals with initiatives in Maine.
  • Understand and communicate grantmaking policies and practices in support of donors and in line with the current procedures of the organization.
  • Maintain and record major interactions with donors in Foundation database.
  • Perform the duties of a department manager, including interviewing, hiring, scheduling, training, supervising, evaluating, recognizing, and disciplining direct reports, setting employee goals and objectives, resolving employee issues, and ensuring compliance with the Employee Handbook and related personnel policies.
  • Participate and provide leadership in organizational management as a member of MaineCF’s management team.
  • Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications needed for position:

  • Minimum of 7-10 years’ experience preferred, at least 2 years management experience.
  • Degree strongly preferred or demonstrated equivalent work experience.
  • Exceptional planning and organizational skills, with the ability to think strategically in the design and execution of projects and thrive in a complex environment with multiple priorities.
  • Commitment to and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Proven record of managing, motivating and mentoring a team of professionals to achieve positive outcomes.
  • A relationship builder, with exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups and individuals.
  • Proven track record in donor services/customer service and outreach, in particular with high-net-worth individuals.
  • Experience in asset development, including unrestricted, targeted, and planned gifts.
  • Knowledge of organizations and issues that may have long-term impact on communities across Maine.
  • Well-organized, self-motivated, and can-do attitude. Team player.
  • Willingness and ability to travel within Maine.
  • Willingness and ability to attend meetings and events outside regular work hours as needed.

Location and Schedule

This is a full-time hybrid position (2 days in office, 3 days remote), based out of either the Ellsworth or Portland office.

Compensation and Benefits

  • Salary range of $135K-$165K annually, based on experience and qualifications
  • Health Insurance, 100% employer-paid premium for individual coverage
  • Dental Insurance, 100% employer-paid premium for individual coverage
  • Vision Insurance, 100% employer-paid premium for individual coverage
  • Employer-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and term life insurance
  • 401(k) retirement plan with a 6-9% company contribution vested immediately
  • 21 paid days off per year (increases with tenure)
  • 13 paid holidays per year
  • Parental leave
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Wellness benefit

Hiring Process and Timeline

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to Cindy Joyce, Executive Search Consultant and Founder, Pillar Search & HR Consulting, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

The deadline for submitting your materials is March 10, 2023. Ideally, we would like to have the new VP, Donor Engagement join in April.

Hiring! The Search for the Director of Advancement for The Landing School of Boat Building & Design

Pillar's New Search

Pillar Search is pleased to announce the search for the first-ever Director of Advancement for The Landing School of Boat Building & Design in Arundel, Maine.  This is a truly unique and exciting role for an experienced Advancement professional with a passion for education and experience using innovative and varied fundraising techniques to build a culture of advancement that takes The Landing School to the next level.

 

This is a part-time role targeted at 12-20 hours per week initially, and the possibility to increase hours in the future. The Director of Advancement will have the flexibility to work remotely and visit the school 1-2 times per month.  

Overview:

“The Landing” is a short stretch of the Kennebunk River in Arundel, Maine where The Landing School is located. It was once an internationally famous shipbuilding area and the home of more than 20 shipbuilding firms dating back to the 1600’s. In December of 1978, the first class of 9 students at The Landing School launched a Chamberlain dory-skiff, reviving the boat building trade along The Landing.

 

Today, each of The Landing School’s ten-month-long programs culminates in a diploma for students who successfully complete their courses within the high standards set by the faculty. In 2009, the State of Maine Department of Education and The School’s accrediting agency, ACCSC, approved The Landing School as a degree-granting institution. A student who successfully completes two technical programs and 15 credit-hours of general education courses is eligible to receive an Associate’s degree. The Landing School has been recognized by ACCSC as a 2014 ACCSC School of Distinction / ACCSC School of Excellence.

 

Education from The Landing School reinforces and preserves traditional design and construction methods while advancing the art of boat building, design and maintenance through the integration of modern techniques and contemporary materials. The marine industry values this unique training and has lauded The Landing School internationally with a reputation for graduates of exceptional quality.

Brittany announcement The Landing School

 

The Landing School seeks students who are not “usual”, who are not satisfied with the status quo; they look for passionate students who imagine vividly and want to create cool things.  Their students have come from forty-one U.S. states and ten countries.  They are high school graduates, college graduates, second career seekers, veterans, and adult learners. 

 

Within the transformational environment of The Landing School students find strengths they had not imagined. The practical skills offered by our curriculum are designed to provide graduates not simply with a better job prospect but more importantly with a rewarding career in the marine industry as an innovative designer, boat-builder or systems technician. Graduates of The Landing School are able to work professionally on today’s vessels and imagine tomorrow’s, pushing the boundaries of the industry’s evolving technology while understanding and appreciating the rich maritime traditions of the past.

 

As an employer, The Landing School offers a supportive community of faculty, staff, and fellow students who all work together to regularly achieve the impossible.

 

For more information about The Landing School of Boat Building, please visit http://www.landingschool.edu.  

 

Location:

Like many of Maine’s coastal towns, Arundel (once part of neighboring Kennebunkport) first prospered as a shipbuilding center and fishing village, and later became a destination for summer residents. Today, Arundel is one of Southern Maine’s fastest growing communities. Its current population is approximately 4,200.  

The Opportunity:

The Director of Advancement will be the chief fundraiser, and as the first person in this role will create and implement an innovative and comprehensive fundraising program and culture of philanthropy throughout The Landing School. This will include broadening philanthropic funding by engaging students, parents, and alumni, and working with corporate donors and foundations, the community.

 

The Director of Advancement will report to the President of The Landing School. A key member of the executive team, this role will work closely with the board of trustees. Please note that this role will not directly manage staff.

 

Overview of the Ideal Candidate:  

The Director of Advancement will have a minimum of 10-15 years of experience in fundraising, including several years in senior leadership roles, and demonstrate the ability and vision to deliver results. Experience in multiple areas of fundraising is required, including annual fund, major giving, legacy gifts, grant writing, running capital campaigns, and creating a philosophy of lifelong giving in alumni.

 

The Director of Advancement will have the proven ability to advance a school or non-profit both internally and externally, and will be a skilled relationship building who is creative, outgoing, self-starter, motivated and engaging. The candidate must be comfortable working in a small organization and willing to wear many hats as needed.

 

A degree is required. Knowledge of the marine industry is strongly preferred.

 

The Landing School is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.

TLS 4

For Immediate Consideration:

This search is being managed by Pillar Search. To apply, please send your cover letter and resume, including salary requirements, to Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

 

With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides national retained search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. All share the characteristic of desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation.     In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services, which was born of clients requesting help on projects beyond executive search, and includes human resources audits, creating a handbook, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications.    A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both a local and national level. To contact Pillar, please click here.