Vice President External Relations
Vice President External Relations
Posted on :
27-08-2025
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1 Vacancy
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Job Description
Classification:
ExemptJob Family:
Senior ManagementReports to:
President and DirectorJob Description Summary:
**********************************************************************Whitehead Institute is partnering with Meng Peeps to recruit for this role. To apply please send your resume and cover letter to the following Meng Peeps representatives. Please do not use the apply button from this posting.
Stephen Peeps
Senior Partner
650.787.6543
Cami Wisowaty
Senior Partner
650.269.8200
****************************************************************************
The vice president for external relations will report to the president and director of the Whitehead Institute. They will serve as a key member of the Institutes leadership team working alongside world-class faculty dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. This individual will play a vital role in promoting the Whitehead Institute as a leader in discovery science.
Among its distinctions the Whitehead Institute is financially stable due in part to its sizable predominantly unrestricted endowment. Consequently high-level philanthropic investment can be sought primarily for the potential of trailblazing science rather than for preserving or protecting the status quo.
The Whitehead Institute seeks a proven visionary and innovative leader motivated to advance fundraising for this pioneering scientific institution possessing the skill and enthusiasm to elevate the Institutes profile both within and beyond the scientific community. The vice president will manage a portfolio of high-net-worth prospects and donors representing key institutional relationships. They will develop and define a vision for the Institutes external relations efforts from advancement to communications and public affairs working closely with the Institutes leadership team and other key constituents to set the Institutes philanthropic strategy.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Institutional Advancement
- Provides the strategic vision and collaborative leadership necessary to plan and execute an effective and comprehensive advancement program that ensures the sustainability of Whitehead Institute and its research.
- Designs and implements an infrastructure to support a comprehensive best-practices program and fosters a culture of philanthropy furthers organizational priorities and attracts and cultivates new philanthropic support from individual and institutional donors.
- Provides dynamic leadership for fundraising efforts. Assesses the fundraising potential of Whitehead and crafts a multi-year strategic plan that includes ways to diversify the funding base increases unrestricted and restricted funds from all constituencies and ensures internal resources are appropriately leveraged. Brings together senior staff development staff and board members as a cohesive and cooperative unit.
- Serves as the chief fundraising advisor to the president and director strategizing with Dr. Lehmann regarding key donors and prospective donors; appropriately using her time to engage in philanthropic activities.
- Provides counsel to the Board of Directors on development/ communications-related matters. Collaborates strategically to develop fundraising/communications strategies to meet philanthropic goals.
- Systematically identifies cultivates solicits and stewards new and existing individual and institutional donors capable of making significant contributions to Whitehead at the seven- eight- and nine-figure level. Educates potential donors about Whiteheads unique position within the biomedical field through its mission and programs and develops specific strategies and tailored cases for support.
- Maintains existing donor relationships and deepens those alliances through regular relevant communications events and stewardship. Provides comprehensive timely and innovative stewardship; elevates the importance of stewardship in order to strengthen donor interest in satisfaction with and commitment to Whitehead.
- Builds and leverages events and presentations to increase the Institutes visibility with donors volunteers and the scientific community; identifies and recruits new donors and prospective volunteers for leadership roles.
Communications and Public Affairs
- Guides the conception and implementation of a strategic communications plan. Ensures that overall messaging is compelling from a fundraising perspective as well as for the Institutes broader audiences.
- Leads ongoing assessment of the program recognizing areas of strength and weakness and leads the entire communications operation forward according to Whiteheads needs and strategic plan.
- Supports the president and director in her communications needs including communications with the Whitehead community and important external audiences helping to define and communicate her core message and vision.
- Collaborates with the president and director faculty board of directors staff and volunteers to ensure that the vision goals and values of the Institute are appropriately and consistently communicated with internal and external stakeholders alike.
- Evaluates current communications vehicles and media including messages messengers and audiences as well as collateral the website social media and internal communications channels.
Management
- Develops leads and mentors a high-quality team of 15 that is prepared to meet the ongoing challenges of broadening and diversifying philanthropic revenue. Similarly guide and enhance the capabilities and capacity of the communications staff.
- Assesses current staff capacity and recruits new staff as necessary. Provides professional development opportunities as appropriate and encourages and supports staff in setting professional growth targets.
- Maintains a leadership style that is open and fluid and empowers staff through active communication and delegation.
- Sets clearly defined and measurable goals for the entire department as well as individual staff members. Celebrates current achievements and sets expectations for future success.
Experience and Qualifications
An ideal candidate will bring the following professional experience and personal characteristics:
- A passion for and commitment to the mission of Whitehead as well as an appreciation and understanding of its research and contribution to science.
- At least ten years of leadership experience in advancement with a comprehensive knowledge of all areas of fundraising including principal major planned and annual giving as well as corporate and foundation support. Life science/basic science experience is desirable.
- Demonstrated ability and experience in building on an existing development program including individual and institutional philanthropy in such a way that the increased philanthropic revenue becomes transformative for the organization. Success in increasing the effectiveness of a fundraising program and staff through established objectives and performance standards.
- Personal demonstrated success in cultivating soliciting and stewarding major individual and institutional donors at seven- eight- and nine-figure levels. The ability to inspire high net worth individuals and major foundations to financial leadership.
- Previous experience in overseeing communications including afocus on donor communications.
- A record of creative and entrepreneurial leadership. The ability to mentor and motivate key players across the organization and encourage change and growth building a strong culture of philanthropy.
- Track record of raising significant funds for an organization without a defined constituency; fundraising and leadership experience in independent research or other scientific organizations is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience training and working with executives faculty/research staff and board members in development-related activities providing them with quality support and intelligence and increasing their comfort with and success in fundraising.
- The intellectual depth maturity and confidence as well as humor and collaborative skills to garner the trust of the director board members faculty and other key constituents.
- Excellent written and oral presentation skills as well as the desire and ability to be an effective and engaging spokesperson for Whitehead and its research.
- Strong interpersonal skills a collaborative working style and an enthusiasm for building bridges between and among key stakeholders.
- A strong work ethic reputation for integrity and high ethical standards as well as an outgoing and positive personality.
- Bachelors degree required; advanced degree is preferred and CFRE designation is desirable.
**********************************************************************
Whitehead Institute is partnering with Meng Peeps to recruit for this role. To apply please send your resume and cover letter to the following Meng Peeps representatives. Please do not use the apply button from this posting.
Stephen Peeps
Senior Partner
650.787.6543
Cami Wisowaty
Senior Partner
650.269.8200
****************************************************************************
Whitehead Institute is an E-Verify employer
Employment Type
Full-Time
Key Skills
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