Chief Philanthropy Officer

About PENCIL

PENCIL links community resources to Nashville Public Schools to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. PENCIL exists to create a world where Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) students and teachers have equitable access to resources and opportunities, empowering students to succeed now and in the future. We will do this by creating a community that respects the unique perspectives and experiences of all stakeholders through proactive listening, continuous learning, and tireless advocacy for every student.

Our work is guided by the needs of MNPS, is student‑centric, and is achieved through intentional partnerships and tangible engagements.

• Be collaborative and inclusive
  —By encouraging conversations that amplify and uplift the voices of all students and communities, especially those marginalized by inequitable systems.
• Act with transparency and integrity
  —By striving to continually educate ourselves, intentionally recruit and retain diverse staff and stakeholders, and encourage everyone to share their authentic perspectives and experiences to our work.
• Demonstrate kindness and gratitude
  —By valuing the unique experiences that each student, staff, and community member bring to our work.

The next PENCIL CPO joins an organization that is financially strong and growing to meet demand for our programs. PENCIL’s revenue portfolio is driven by private philanthropy and balanced between corporate and foundation grants, major and mid‑level gifts, and special events; an endowment fund and planned giving program are also in place to ensure the organization’s longevity. With a highly engaged board of directors, visionary CEO, and high‑performing development and marketing team of three FTE, the CPO will be positioned for success.

The Chief Philanthropy Officer is responsible for all activities related to conceptualizing and implementing a comprehensive donor development strategy for PENCIL to ensure that we achieve our mission and meet strategic plan targets. The CPO will also own all marketing and branding activities to assure overall team success at recruiting and onboarding a steady stream of new programmatic partners.

Specific responsibilities include development and implementation of a development and marketing vision; leadership in implementing those strategies and activities with a focus on financial sustainability; oversight of staff and volunteers to assure their engagement and productivity; development of productive relationships with key donors, potential donors, and community leaders; coordination with other senior PENCIL leadership for overall organization management.

• Assure organizational success at annual budget targets for contributed revenue.
• Support the CEO, board, and external consultant in executing the capital campaign that will fund PENCIL’s transition to a larger, long‑term facility by the fall of 2027. Create compelling collateral for the Case for Giving used in donor visits; cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects during the campaign and after PENCIL’s relocation to the new facility; manage and strengthen operational infrastructure to support the solicitation process;
  
  and ensure revenue targets are met for Capital Campaign.
• Manage a portfolio of 75‑80 major donors, including individuals, corporations and foundations; maintain a pipeline of potential donors.
• Collaborate with the CEO to manage the endowment campaign (and other special campaigns), including recruitment of annual campaign chairs; prospective donor visits; maintaining collateral; and overseeing communications.
• Oversee overall execution of events to assure they achieve their respective fundraising and engagement goals.
• Oversee the creation of compelling proposal documents to retain and acquire funders – individuals, corporations, foundations – both local and national.
• Be a principal thought leader at PENCIL in growing opportunities for fiscal sponsorship & our Grant Making work with MNPS; share relationship management expertise, and provide oversight to assure best practices for fund development are followed.
• Direct and guide…