MassChallenge · 19 hours ago
VP of Advancement
Boston, MA
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$175K/yr - $220K/yr
12+ years expMassChallenge is a globally recognized network for innovators aiming to solve humanity’s biggest challenges. They are seeking a Vice President of Advancement to oversee grant and donor development, strengthen external relationships, and secure mission-aligned funding to support long-term institutional growth.
FinanceFinancial ServicesSocial EntrepreneurshipSocial Impact
Hiring Manager
Zara M.
Responsibilities
In collaboration, create annual development strategy and revenue goals
Collaborate with MassChallenge’s Chief Growth Officer and Chief Executive Officer in building short- and long-range grant strategies with a focus on major and multi-year commitments
Target, prioritize, and foster relationships with large philanthropic donors, family offices, and public and private foundations
Serve as a senior steward of MassChallenge’s philanthropic narrative, ensuring that funding strategies, proposals, and funder engagement consistently reflect the organization’s mission, long-term vision, and measurable impact
Lead our efforts to identify, build, develop, and maintain a global network of leaders, major influencers, thought leaders, and philanthropists who will become advisors, major donors, and brand ambassadors
Partner with executive leadership to engage MassChallenge’s Board and senior advisors in philanthropic cultivation, stewardship, and donor relationship-building activities
Support board members in their roles as ambassadors and champions for MassChallenge’s mission and funding priorities, including preparation for funder meetings and external engagements
Represent MassChallenge externally with philanthropic, civic, and institutional partners at events, convenings, and meetings, elevating the organization’s visibility among mission-aligned funders
Partner with internal leaders to translate programmatic outcomes and ecosystem impact into compelling cases for philanthropic investment and long-term partnership
Design and implement an alumni engagement strategy that fosters stronger donations from successful MC founders and supports our MC Network Team
Oversee all activities pertaining to grant writing and research for existing and prospective funders, including Federal, State, Foundation, Major Donors, and corporate grant opportunities
Ensure alignment between MassChallenge’s external funding priorities and its broader growth, innovation, and ecosystem strategy
Establish, grow, and manage the development team and provide leadership and direction to the team as well as external consultants and freelancers
Establish and manage the portfolio of grants and steward MassChallenge’s relationships among grantors, including organizing regular exchanges, briefings, and other contacts between relevant MassChallenge staff and funders
Develop policies, procedures, and communications to administer grants, monitor progress against performance indicators, including required financial and impact reporting, and track cycles and renewals
Be a thought leader and expert on the changing landscape of philanthropy, government funding, and grant management—ensuring MassChallenge remains ahead of trends
Coach colleagues and team members on how to effectively manage grants, including their fiscal and programmatic reporting requirements, scope of services, terms, project closeout, and other related activities, specific to each grant, as needed
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of experience in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of government, foundation, major donor, and/or corporate funder relationships, with a proven record of successful proposal submission and grant management
Proven experience managing a complex funding portfolio with the ability to develop and foster lasting funder relationships
Demonstrated ability to operate as a senior external-facing leader, representing an organization with credibility and clarity among philanthropic and institutional partners
High degree of personal integrity and a passion for wanting to change the world
Ability to network and build trust-based relationships with funders, board members, and senior stakeholders
Strong collaborative orientation and ability to work closely across teams and leadership levels
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write and edit clear, structured, and persuasive proposals and reports and prepare budgets
Ability to handle ambiguity and juggle multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment while maintaining organization and attention to detail
Benefits
Excellent benefits
Competitive salaries
Company
MassChallenge
MassChallenge is a global non-profit organization that supports startups through accelerator programs.
51-200 employees
H1B Sponsorship
MassChallenge has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (2)
2023 (1)
2021 (1)
2020 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$0.05MKey Investors
National Science Foundation
2013-09-19Grant· $0.05M
Leadership Team
Cait Brumme
Chief Executive Officer
Michelle Williams
Vice President | Head of Texas Strategy
Recent News
2025-10-17
2025-09-30
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