Vice President of Business Development

Fireseeds; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

4word, a national Christian nonprofit, seeks a Vice President of Development to lead revenue growth and donor development. Reporting directly to the CEO, this executive will oversee donor development, corporate partnerships, sponsorship strategy, and major gifts, while expanding both philanthropic and earned revenue.

The ideal candidate has a strong track record engaging C-suite leaders, closing high-value opportunities, and building scalable advancement systems that advance Kingdom impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree is a plus.
• 10+ years in sales, fundraising, or business development with a track record of closing deals.
• Experience building revenue through sponsorships and strategic partnerships.

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 national initiatives.
• Develop strategic partnerships with ministries, corporations, and mission-aligned organizations.
• Manage donor portfolios with consistent prospecting, follow-up, and closing rhythms.
• Represent 4word with executive presence among CEOs, board members, and senior leaders.
• Collaborate with the CEO to execute the three-year strategic growth plan.
• Help build scalable advancement systems that integrate fundraising, business development, and membership growth.
• Participate in key organizational events including Board and executive membership events.
• Speahead 4word’s annual fundraising event(s).

Skills

Donor development

Executive-level fundraising

Strategic partnerships

Major gifts

Sales & business development

Pipeline management

Executive presence

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Graduate degree

Job description

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.