Job Description

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana embraces an inclusive culture. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion across all identities. We are committed to continual learning and to a culture of safety and well-being in which individuality is celebrated and everyone is valued and respected. Everyone is welcome to bring their authentic selves into our space. 

Who We Are: 

We Are Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. For over 110 years, through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts leads the way in helping girls find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana.

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana serves 45 Indiana counties, nearly 16,000 Girl Scouts and over 10,000 adult volunteers. We are the proud facilitators of Girl Scout camp at five Indiana locations, conveners of thousands of Girl Scout programs with nearly 600 community partners, and serve thousands more community members each year at our STEM Center of Excellence and Founders Lodge Event and Conference Center. 

What You Will Do:

The Chief Advancement Officer will help the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana set the direction and ensure our organization’s longevity through a multifaceted strategy that includes advancing the mission of Girl Scouts.


The Chief Advancement Officer will report to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and together will work to define the organization's vision and direction for organizational advancement as measured by significant growth in developed income. You will be responsible for planning and implementing strategies to secure donors and contributions in support of the organization, providing oversight of the fund development program and team, monitoring development activities, and using data to proactively maintain forward momentum across all incoming developed income sources.

The successful applicant should have proven experience as a fundraiser and a leader, with at least 10 years of management experience in a non-profit organization or a similar environment. You must be motivated, have the ability to solve complex problems, and have a passion for philanthropy.

How You Will Lead:

• Works with the CEO, senior staff, and board in charting the organization’s course in fund development strategy and overall vision. Is responsible for leading the strategic plan of work within the fund development team to achieve greater council goals.
• Supports the CEO in fundraising and engagement of donor portfolio.
  *Strengthen and build an agile and results-oriented Fund Development Team.
  *Evaluate donor experience and design, implement, and continually improve the models based on researched and innovative best practices.
• Responsible for the development and strengthening fundraising capacity, including implementing best practices through events-based fundraising, individual donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Leads the development of a balanced funding mix of donor sources and solicitation programs tailored to the organization’s needs that will enable it to attract, retain, and motivate donors.
• Set and implement annual fundraising goals and manage revenue and expense budgets .
• Manages own portfolio of major gift donors and prospects and serves as a role model for all fund development actions in the council.
• Establishes performance measurements and monitors development activities in coordination with the fund development team and staff.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration as a component of operationalizing the strategic plan and annual goals.
• Ensure relationship-based development practices, intended to ensure an exceptional donor experience, are in place and attract and sustain both financial and non-financial resources.
• Lead the strategic priorities of Planned Giving and Grants. Lead the team to build annual plans that support overall revenue goals. Ensure policies and procedures are followed.
• Partner with the Communications Team to ensure systems and processes are in place for successful communication, planning, execution, and evaluation of revenue-generating narratives. 
• Helps implement a culture of philanthropy throughout the council in coordination with the Chief Executive Officer.
• Oversees the design and implementation of fundraising campaign activities, including annual solicitations, events, grants, and donor-specific proposals.
• Develops a depth of knowledge regarding the design of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and can easily articulate to any stakeholder the organization’s virtues.
• Provides leadership to the board Fund Development Committee and collaborates with the committee chair to design a board/council dynamic that includes maximizing the time, talent, and treasure of each board member in ways that support the development income goals. 

All employees of the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana are responsible not only to the position but also to the duties and responsibilities that all employees share. 

• Understands that council priorities are growing membership and cultivating new donors. 
• Develop an annual goal that supports the membership growth priority.
• Implement an action plan that supports the membership growth priority.
• Develop an annual goal that supports the cultivation of new donors.
• Implement an action plan that supports the cultivation of new donors.

Core Competencies:

• Oral and Written Communication abilities (i.e. In-person, verbal, written, and/or phone)- Expresses ideas and facts in a clear and understandable manner appropriate for the individual or group; listens to and comprehends what others are saying; prepares organized and structured presentations; has demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of sensitive and confidential issues and communicate effectively with a diverse group of girls, volunteers, and staff.
• Project Management – Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple projects while managing conflicting priorities and deadlines and formulate short- and long-term project goals, objectives, schedules, and priorities in line with council goals; anticipates issues, obstacles, or opportunities that may impact plans or actions; can coordinate multiple projects while managing conflicting priorities and deadlines; establishes courses of action for accomplishing goals while attending to and incorporating information obtained during day-to-day administrative tasks.
•   Information Management - Accesses, organizes and manages information effectively; maintains basic computer literacy with relevant software (i.e., databases, word processors and web management); keeps accurate and effectively organized records (i.e., spreadsheets or databases of donors, benefits, budget information, filing systems); seeks out and applies new technology in own program area to improve work processes.
• Judgment and Decision-Making - Recognizes when immediate action is required; recognizes when sufficient information has been obtained to make a decision; makes decisions where appropriate or refers decisions to the appropriate organizational level; makes decisions without undue delay.
• Self-Management - Assesses own skills and abilities and identifies areas for improvement; willingly accepts constructive feedback; seeks developmental opportunities; sets and achieves goals; works independently. 
• Fostering Diversity - Understands and embraces the differences that individuals bring to Girl Scouting; encourages and fosters the unique contributions and varied talents of diverse groups and individuals; values, develops, nurtures, uses, and celebrates group and individual diversity; removes barriers to participation (holds meetings in accessible locations, uses translators, etc.); strives to ensure a friendly and harmonious environment for girls, adult volunteers, and staff; treats others in an unbiased manner; challenges the biased behavior of others; adheres to organizational diversity goals.
• Networking - Maintains and fosters contacts inside and/or outside the council and GSUSA to gather information, receive support, and solve problems; actively maintains a presence in Girl Scout activities, professional and community organizations, and in the workplace; builds new relationships and collaborations with the Board, Committees, and/or community members (for example, vendors and business partners) to help address Girl Scouting goals, promote visibility, and cultivate funding sources.

Supervisory Competencies:

• Leadership - Models high levels of motivation, performance, dedication, and commitment; creates, implements, and/or supports council initiatives, policies, and the corporate plan; engages, inspires, encourages, guides, and/or gains others’ support toward accomplishing individual, team, council, and GSUSA goals; adapts leadership style to a variety of situations.
• Management - Delivers results by maximizing organizational effectiveness and sustainability; ensures people have the support and tools they need and that the assigned workforce as a whole has the capacity and diversity to meet current and longer-term organizational objectives; aligns people, work, and systems with the business strategy to harmonize how they work and what they do; conscientiously assigns performance goals, offers year-round performance feedback, and conducts timely performance discussions and reviews. 
• Interpersonal Relations - Establishes rapport with others at all organizational levels; respects others; considers and responds to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others; establishes and maintains an open dialogue with others; establishes a climate in which all people are comfortable discussing various issues and concerns that may impact council work.

What We are Looking For:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Fund Development, Public Relations, or Marketing.
• At least 10 years of direct work experience in all facets of development, including direct engagement with donors, individual gift procurement, grant management, and other fund development functions.
• Technical skills in fundraising and solicitations, grant and proposal development, communications, and related fields.
• Experience in Public Relations preferred.
• Ability to relate to people from a wide range of walks of life.
• Excellent leadership skills and the capacity to generate enthusiasm within the Girl Scout constituency for fundraising and public relations activities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and human relations skills.
• Must hold or join upon hiring a Girl Scout membership and subscribe to the tenets of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
• Decision-making and human relations skills.
• Ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple projects/ deadlines, working independently and managing time effectively.
• Skill in budget development, management, and analysis.
• Current valid driver’s license, proof of vehicle insurance, and vehicle availability.
• Ability to travel from the GSCI office to sites within the council service area and program jurisdiction area.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends when needed.
• Must complete and pass a criminal background check.

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

• Ability to sit at a workstation for up to 2 hours at a time.
• Ability to sit and view a computer screen up to 2 hours at a time.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs