Vice President of Business Development

CLIENT SUMMARY

4word is a national Christian nonprofit that exists to help women discover and live out

their God-given purpose through faith, work, leadership, and community. Serving women

from early career through the C-suite, 4word creates spaces where women can integrate

their faith with their professional lives rather than feeling they must separate the two.

Under the leadership of CEO Melissa Harrison, the organization is entering an exciting

season of transformation. Following the merger with Polished, the completion of a new

three-year strategic plan, 4word is repositioning itself for national growth while honoring

its founder's legacy. The organization is investing in stronger executive leadership, scalable

programming, and sustainable revenue generation.

The Vice President of Development will join the executive team during a pivotal chapter as

4word expands its Executive Programming, corporate partnerships, membership model,

and national influence. This role is far more than traditional nonprofit fundraising—it

combines development, business development, strategic partnerships, and executive

relationship management to help fuel the organization's long-term vision.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

4word is seeking a Vice President of Development to lead and execute the

organization's comprehensive revenue growth strategy while serving as a key member

of the executive leadership team.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this leader will oversee donor development, corporate

partnerships, executive business development, sponsorship strategy, and major gift

cultivation. The VP of Development will inherit existing donor relationships while

actively building new pipelines that expand both philanthropic giving and earned

revenue opportunities.

This role is ideal for a relationship-driven builder who thrives in creating opportunities

from scratch, enjoys engaging executive-level leaders, and is motivated by advancing

Kingdom impact through strategic growth.

POSITION KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop and execute 4word's overall fundraising and revenue growth strategy.

Build and manage a healthy pipeline of major donors, sponsors, and strategic

partners.

Cultivate and steward executive-level donor relationships while expanding new

prospect opportunities.

Lead Giving Week, year-end fundraising campaigns, and ongoing donor

engagement initiatives.

Partner with the CEO to grow the Executive Cohort program through participant

recruitment and relationship development.

Identify and secure corporate sponsorships for BOLDLY, Executive Women's

Forum, and other national initiatives.

Develop strategic partnerships with ministries, corporations, and

mission-aligned organizations.

Manage donor portfolios while creating consistent prospecting, follow-up, and

closing rhythms.

Represent 4word with executive presence among CEOs, board members,

C-suite leaders, and major stakeholders.

Collaborate closely with the CEO and executive team to execute the

organization's three-year strategic growth plan.

Help build scalable advancement systems that integrate fundraising, business

development, and membership growth.

Participate in key organizational events including BOLDLY, Executive Women's

Forum, board gatherings, and executive membership events.

Spearhead 4word’s annual fundraising event(s).

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE NEEDED

Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree is a plus.

10+ years of experience in sales, fundraising, or business development, with a

track record of personally owning and closing deals and not just supporting a

larger team’s efforts.

Demonstrated success building revenue through sales, fundraising, business

development, and strategic partnerships.

Proven ability to prospect, cultivate, pitch, negotiate, and close high-value

opportunities.

Executive presence and confidence engaging C-suite leaders, board members,

and senior executives.

Experience managing a sales or fundraising pipeline with measurable activity

and results.

Strong relationship-building and networking skills.

Experience developing corporate sponsorships, strategic partnerships, or major

donor relationships.

Ability to communicate compelling organizational vision and mission.

Highly self-directed with strong initiative and accountability.

Strategic thinker who can balance long-term planning with day-to-day

execution.

Strong alignment with 4word's Christian mission and ability to authentically

represent its ministry.

Marketing or advancement leadership experience is a plus, as the role has the

potential to expand into broader organizational advancement.

Existing professional networks within executive leadership, Christian business

communities, or corporate organizations are highly desirable.