Vice President of External Affairs (Fundraising/Communications)

Company: Planned Parenthood of Delaware
Location: Wilmington
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

Job description: Job Summary: The Vice President of External Affairs organizes and directs strategic vision and goals related to, Development, Public Affairs and Education. Serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and works closely with the President and CEO, senior colleagues and board members to provide guidance and share information regarding their area of expertise. The Vice President of External Affairs will demonstrate collaborative leadership and management of Planned Parenthood’s statewide development, communications, public affairs, and educational outreach programs. Responsible for supervising and direct implementation of Planned Parenthood of Delaware’s fundraising program. Fundraising programs include but are not limited to: individual giving, major donor cultivation, dire mail, online giving, planned giving, special events, and foundation relations with a focus on identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of fundraising prospects. Responsible for setting strategies that advance the mission of Planned Parenthood and expand our base of support with the public, professional organizations, public policy makers, staff, volunteers, and board members. Guides, develops, oversees and provides leadership to staff in promoting healthy human sexuality through outreach and by providing individuals with tools, knowledge, and/or skills they need to make healthy and responsible decisions concerning sexual and reproductive health. The VP of External Affairs develops the advancement of PPDE’s mission through the strategic implementation of electoral and advocacy activities that promote policies to evidenced based reproductive health. Expands agency involvement and promotes agency resources with schools, and the statewide community. The Vice President of External Affairs supervises the following staff departments: Development, Public Affairs, and Education. Essential Job Functions (Development): Oversees Development Director to help evaluate goals for donations, grants, community events, and fundraising opportunities.Responsible for creating, overseeing, and achieving fundraising projections as determined by the President and CEO and Board of Directors.Develops annual strategies to create, maintain, and designate donor cultivation and increase annual giving for high, mid, and low donors as well as increase new donor cultivation and annual giving. Oversees the development of effective personal solicitation programs, providing leadership to staff, board, and committee members.Directly oversees and works collaboratively with the Development Department to design and implement fundraising social events including the large annual Chocolate and Champagne Gala.Coordinates with the Chief Operating Officer and Medical Director as well as community agencies to assist in identifying community, patient and agency need.Ensures that records, reports, database data, and documentation of all training are completed in accordance with state programs, grants, and contract requirements. Essential Job Functions (Public Affairs): 1. Oversees the Public Affairs Director and public affairs strategies statewide that advance our mission and expand our geographic, political, and demographic base of support. Supporting the collaboration of projects between Public Affairs, Development, and Education staff. 2. Creates sophisticated, effective, and flexible grassroots advocacy programs that advance policy goals, electoral goals and legislative strategy through organizing. 3. Monitors local, state, and national legislative activity with the intent of informing supporters, educating policy makers, and oversees the drafting of legislation in collaboration with the Public Affairs Manager. 4. Works to center health equity in all policy and advocacy work. Ensure teams members have adequate resources (training, budget, materials, etc) to meet or exceed PPDE DEIB standards. 5. Coordinating with CEO, develops and manages a pro-active agenda for the media coordinating news stories, radio and television presentations and educating media personnel about Planned Parenthood, reproductive health and rights issues. 6. Develops plan to build supporter base and increase engagement in advocacy. Develops and maintains strategic partnerships e.g. Repro Round Table 7. Maintains a safe and healthy work environment by establishing and enforcing policies and procedures and adhering to legal requirements. 8. Maintains current knowledge of family planning tools, methods, and service models as well as professional knowledge by attending workshops, training, meetings, and other professional/community events. Represents agency goals and mission in the community. Essential Job Functions (Education): Oversees education strategies and curricula statewide that advance our mission and expand our education presentations, curriculums, and training to schools, individuals and community groups on issues related to reproductive health, human sexuality, and promoting healthy sexuality. 2. Oversees Education Department to help evaluate and to develop new programs, materials and training activities related to reproductive health and human sexuality Serves as PPDE resource on state law and policies regarding delivery of education and training of sexuality, maturation, and healthy lifestyles promotion.Support the Education Department in monitoring grant objectives, goals, and fiscal management.Maintains professional knowledge by attending workshops, training, meetings, and other professional/community events. Represents agency goals and mission in the schools and the community. 6. Essential Job Functions (Other Executive Functions): Directs the collaboration of projects between Education, Development, and Public Affairs staff. 2. Serves as a point of contact for PPFA and local legal teams. Provide support, documentation, and institutional knowledge as needed. 3. Networks nationally, including PPFA, statewide and locally for ideas, policies and contacts to expand and promote PPDE programs. 4. Serves as a spokesperson and expert on sexual and reproductive health on behalf of PPDE. Creates and delivers agency training, presentations, and appeals both internally and externally for a broad array of stakeholders. 5. Maintains staffing levels by interviewing, selecting, training and evaluating staff in accordance with agency policies and procedures. Develops personal and professional growth opportunities for supervised staff. 6. Ensures annual budget, scheduling expenditures, and adhering to legal requirements annual budget for education, public affairs, development, comms/marketing departments. Serves as liaison with auditors and accounting staff achieving financial objectives by forecasting needs, preparing annual budget, scheduling expenditures, and adhering to legal requirements. Maintain confidentiality according to HIPAA and PPDE policy. 8. Participates in annual team review process. Collaborates with VP of Finance and VP of Human Resources of agency DEIB initiatives. 9. Demonstrates respect for diversity in daily activities. Performs other duties as required or requested. Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Education and/or experience: 1. Possession of a bachelor’s degree in business management, Organizational Leadership, Communications, Public Health, Political Science or related degree required. 2. Possession of a master’s degree preferred. 3. Minimum five years successful non-profit fundraising experience required. 4. Minimum 5-10 years progressively responsible experience in program management required. 5. Minimum of 3 years supervisory experience required, management experience at senior level preferred. 6. Previous experience in grant-funded programming required. 7. Experience developing and implementing innovative programs desired. 8. Experience with capital campaigns and planned giving highly desirable 9. Experience in and knowledge of health education, family planning and/or reproductive health care issues preferred. 10. Familiarity with community leaders and agencies in health education and prevention in Delaware preferred. Reasoning Ability Must have the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to multi-task and to work effectively under pressure due to conflicting demands is required. Must be flexible, highly organized, creative and detail-oriented with the ability to set and meet deadlines. Must demonstrate a commitment to a positive and proactive approach to problem solving. Language Skills Ability to read, analyze and interpret published research, periodicals, procedure manuals and technical procedures. Must have the ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Requires excellent verbal and written communication skills, listening and interpersonal relationship communication skills. Requires effective public speaking and presentation skills. Must be able to communicate clearly and interact comfortably with a diverse group of clients, staff and volunteers in a non-judgmental, professional and sensitive manner. Mathematical Skills Must possess the ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Must have the ability to manage a budget, along with familiarity with basic accounting principles. Computer Skills Excellent keyboarding skills with a high level of accuracy required. Proficiency in Internet usage and Microsoft Outlook required. Must possess capacity to learn software programs required for specific position and access electronic communications, including e-mail, extranet and intranet. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. All the job functions listed within this job description involve to greater and lesser degrees the following physical demands: close vision; hearing/listening; clear speech; walking; lifting and carrying up to 40 or more pounds; stooping; kneeling; bending; sitting; standing; and use of hands to finger, handle, feel and use keyboard. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. · Work in a diverse environment, build productive relationships, and effectively work independently and collaboratively as part of a team. · Work in an environment where protestors may be present at work and related sites. · Work when needed on an irregular schedule, which could include some weekends, early mornings, and evenings. · Work in a cost-effective and flexible manner, multi-task, and work effectively under pressure due to conflicting demands. · Work in an environment where the noise level is occasionally low but usually moderate. · Be willing and able to travel to local, statewide, regional, and national destinations. A valid driver’s license and insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage as required by the State of licensing or other ability to provide own reliable transportation is required for local, regional, and statewide travel. This description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements associated with this job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, PPDE reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different duties, responsibilities, and/or requirements be made part of the job. Paragraph headings are for convenience only and are not intended to have substantive meaning. Job Type: Full-time Benefits: Work Location: In person $90,000 - $100,000 a year We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Keywords: Planned Parenthood of Delaware, Wilmington , Vice President of External Affairs (Fundraising/Communications), PR / Public Relations , Wilmington, North Carolina