Executive Vice President, Growth
About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
The region's first United Way was formed in 1921 as a “community chest.” Today United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey is a modern, results-driven organization harnessing the power of collective generosity to create opportunity and stability for all neighbors. Building on more than a century of impact, we have transformed how we fundraise, partner, and deliver solutions by aligning resources and mobilizing cross-sector collaboration to tackle complex challenges no single organization can solve alone. With a focus on transparency, innovation, and measurable results, United Way is accelerating momentum to drive lasting change across our region.
UWGPSNJ creates at-scale, long-term solutions to strategically address our community’s most pressing needs across a nine-county region. Through investments of more than $20 million annually and a growing portfolio of strategic initiatives the organization is redefining what a modern United Way can be: a catalytic force for lasting change, strategic partnerships, and unique impact.
UWGPSNJ meets our region’s most pressing needs in Pennsylvania’s Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey’s Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, and Cumberland counties. Throughout this nine-county footprint, close to 650,000 residents live below the poverty line (U.S. Census, 2020). Moreover, studies show this crisis disproportionately impacts communities of color, who comprise most of the population we serve. To address this disparity, our organization invests more than $20 million each year into the community through various partner initiatives under the pillars of Early Learning, Career Pathways, Financial Empowerment, and Community Resiliency. These initiatives help more children read at grade-level, more people grow their financial assets, and more families increase their economic stability. Furthermore, UWGPSNJ powers special initiatives, including:
• The Promise: The Promise is a first of its kind public private ownership with the City of Philadelphia, advancing opportunities for low-income Philadelphians through a two-fold approach: Family Stability and Record Clearing. In the first three years of The Promise’s Family Stability Program, United Way, through our network of more than 20 partners in Philadelphia, helped over 38,000 clients each year unlock more than $145 million in tax credits and benefits for which they were eligible. In addition, The Promise’s Record Clearing initiative resulted in a total of 3,122 people meeting with lawyers for free at our 56 record clearing clinics and community fairs. Additionally, 2,039 people were eligible to move forward with sealing, expungement, and/or pardon, which represents 65% of those served.
• Camden Community Uplift (CCU): Camden Community Uplift is United Way’s place-based investment strategy in Camden, designed to accelerate economic mobility by aligning capital, community partners, and systems-level solutions. Through a $5M+ commitment, CCU is deploying coordinated funding and support to high-impact nonprofit collaboratives focused on benefits access, workforce development, and education. The model emphasizes cross-sector partnership, data-driven outcomes, and long-term sustainability, with the goal of increasing economic mobility and workforce retention for Camden residents
• Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health (PPNH): The Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health is a cross-sector accelerator advancing equitable access to nutritious food and quality healthcare across the region. Founded to address the systemic drivers of food insecurity and poor health outcomes. By strengthening coordination and unlocking new investment, PPNH is building an integrated ecosystem that improves health outcomes while reducing cost burdens across the system.
• Housing (Anchored Communities Fund): United Way’s Anchored Communities Fund is a mission-driven investment strategy to preserve and expand affordable housing across the Philadelphia region. Designed as a scalable, $100M impact fund, the initiative brings together catalytic philanthropic capital and impact investment to acquire and rehabilitate naturally occurring affordable housing while maintaining long-term affordability. By leveraging private-sector discipline, public sector alignment, and mission-aligned exit strategies, the fund aims to stabilize neighborhoods, prevent displacement, and ensure that housing remains a foundation for economic mobility.
Learn more about United Way at https://unitedforimpact.org/.
The Opportunity
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey is seeking an Executive Vice President, Growth to serve as a key member of the executive leadership team and a critical driver of the organization’s next phase of evolution. The EVP is the organization’s senior leader accountable for all revenue generation and revenue strategy across the enterprise. This role provides executive leadership, integration, and oversight for all fundraising, partnership, and revenue producing activities, ensuring alignment with the organization’s Operating Plan and long-term financial sustainability.
At a moment of significant transformation, UWGPSNJ requires a senior leader who can bring structure, clarity, and cohesion to a complex and rapidly expanding growth agenda. The EVP, Growth will be responsible for aligning multiple revenue streams, initiatives, and teams into a unified, high-performing growth engine—one that supports both near-term revenue performance and long-term strategic impact.
The EVP will operate at the intersection of strategy, execution, and leadership—partnering closely with the CEO, who remains deeply engaged in external fundraising and vision-setting, while building the internal systems, discipline, and alignment required to sustain and scale the work.
This role provides executive oversight across all core revenue functions, including workplace campaigns, institutional giving, major and leadership philanthropy, grants, sponsorships, and strategic initiatives. The EVP directly leads and develops a team of senior leaders responsible for these areas, ensuring clear alignment, accountability, and performance across the growth function.
This role is central to United Way’s ability to “launch forward.” Success will require a leader who can:
• Provide clear ownership, accountability, and coordination across all development functions and partners, including workplace campaigns, institutional giving, major gifts, grants, sponsorships and strategic initiatives designed to generate funding.
• Build a disciplined, data-informed approach to revenue planning and pipeline management.
• Coach and lead teams across traditional fundraising and emerging revenue models.
• Balance innovation with operational rigor in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.
• Ensure that all revenue generating initiatives are strategically aligned, appropriately resourced, and executed effectively.
The EVP’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Enterprise Growth Strategy & Integration
• Lead the development and execution of an integrated growth strategy across all revenue streams, including workplace giving, major and institutional philanthropy, and strategic initiatives.
• Bring cohesion and coordination to a complex portfolio of initiatives, aligning funding strategies, priorities, and messaging.
• Establish clear ownership, accountability, and decision-making structures across growth functions.
• Translate organizational vision into executable plans, with defined milestones and measurable outcomes.
• Partner with the CEO and executive leadership to align revenue strategy with the operating plan and board priorities.
Revenue Leadership & Portfolio Oversight
• Oversee all revenue-generating functions, ensuring strong performance across both traditional and innovative funding streams.
• Strengthen pipeline development, forecasting, and long-term revenue planning, including a forward-looking view of “what is investable” over a 3–5-year horizon.
• Directly supervise a team of 7, supporting and coaching leaders responsible for workplace campaigns, institutional giving, and strategic initiatives.
• Maintain a selective portfolio of high-priority donor and institutional relationships, serving as a strategic partner in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Support and, at times, directly lead high-stakes engagements and help close transformational gifts.
Leadership, Culture & Team Effectiveness
• Build and lead a cohesive, high-performing growth team across multiple functions and leadership layers.
• Provide strong coaching and support to leaders who may have varied fundraising and operational expertise.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and adaptability, consistent with UWGPSNJ’s entrepreneurial environment.
• Continue to strengthen internal communication, follow-through, and cross-functional coordination.
Operational Rigor & Systems Building
• Introduce greater structure, discipline, and clarity to growth operations, including pipeline tracking, initiative funding models, and performance metrics.
• Define and operationalize clear performance management systems, including dashboards, pipeline reports, and revenue forecasts.
• Partner with finance and operations to align budgeting, forecasting, and revenue strategy.
• Lead the alignment of roles, responsibilities, and processes across teams, particularly in areas such as initiative ownership and gift processing to improve efficiency and accountability.
External Engagement & Strategic Partnership
• Partner with the CEO on top-tier donor, corporate, and institutional relationships.
• Represent the organization externally with key funders, partners, and stakeholders.
• Strengthen partnerships across corporate, philanthropic, and civic sectors.
• Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to support fundraising strategy, revenue performance, and key donor engagement opportunities, ensuring internal alignment and clarity of narrative.
• Elevate United Way’s visibility as a leader in innovative, community-driven impact.
Candidate Profile
We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Strategic Operator & Growth Architect
A leader who combines strategic thinking with execution discipline. This individual brings clarity to complexity, builds structure where needed, and ensures that ambitious ideas translate into measurable results. They are as comfortable designing strategy as they are driving implementation.
Experienced Leader Across Complex Revenue Models
Demonstrated experience managing and integrating multiple revenue streams, including contributed, institutional, corporate, and emerging funding models.
Strong Manager, Coach, and Integrator
A leader who excels at coaching teams, aligning stakeholders, and managing across functions. They are skilled at working “up, down, and across,” including partnering effectively with a visionary CEO while holding teams accountable for results.
Builder of Systems, Clarity & Accountability
Track record of strengthening organizational infrastructure—introducing clear processes, performance metrics, and accountability frameworks. Able to bring order and focus to environments with multiple priorities and initiatives.
Adaptable, Low-Ego, and Mission-Driven
Thrives in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment. Brings flexibility, humility, and a willingness to step in where needed. Comfortable navigating ambiguity and change while maintaining focus on outcomes.
Fundraising & External Orientation
Understands fundraising deeply, particularly with campaigns, institutional giving, partnerships, and strategic initiatives. Effective engaging externally. Brings credibility with donors and partners while focusing primarily on enabling others to succeed.
Additional Preferred Qualifications
• 10–15+ years of senior leadership experience in nonprofit, social impact, or related sectors, with demonstrated accountability for revenue strategy and performance.
• Demonstrated success leading complex organizations, initiatives, or revenue functions.
• Experience managing teams and operating across multiple functional areas.
• Strong financial acumen, including forecasting, budgeting, and revenue modeling.
• Experience working closely with CEOs, boards, and senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing IT systems, websites, and social media platforms.
• Comfort with digital tools and platforms that support organizational effectiveness.
• Familiarity with United Way or comparable federated / campaign-based fundraising models is strongly preferred.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $223,000 - $266,000 with a generous benefits package.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Molly Brennan and Amber Brown. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22997. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NPSIsearchoperations@dsgco.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
United Way promotes a culture of inclusion and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected factor.
About DSG | Koya
DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.
Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's https://www.dsgco.com/industry/nonprofit-and-social-impact/
To apply, visit: https://apptrkr.com/7084024
