Chief External Affairs Officer

Job Description

Job DescriptionDescription:

WHO WE ARE We’re an organization like no other. The YMCA is the leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community by empowering young people, improving the health and well-being of people of all ages and inspiring action in and across communities. The Y is a powerful association of men, women, and children of all ages and from all walks of life joined together by a shared passion: to strengthen the foundations of community. OUR MISSION To put the Christian principles of love, respect, honesty, responsibility, and service into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. ABOUT THE YMCA OF COLUMBIA-WILLAMETTE: The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette is an equal opportunity employer committed to valuing diversity and practicing inclusion. The Y proudly serves as a hub of health and community engagement for individuals and families across six counties in the Portland metropolitan area and Southwest Washington with a population of 2.7 million. EQUITY STATEMENT Our Y is committed to treating everyone with dignity and empowering all to reach their full potential as we build thriving, inclusive communities. While we have not always lived up to that vision, our Y is on a journey toward creating an organization that fully embodies anti-racist, multi-cultural values and advances equity for all.

The Chief External Affairs Officer (CEAO) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team and is responsible for advancing the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette’s mission through strategic leadership of philanthropy, marketing, communications, and community engagement. Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the CEAO develops and executes a comprehensive external affairs strategy that elevates Y-CW’s visibility, deepens community relationships, and builds a sustainable culture of philanthropy. This leader will guide and empower small but high-performing teams in philanthropy and marketing while directly managing a select portfolio of major donors and funders.

The CEAO will play a central role in positioning the association to achieve and sustain $4 million+ in annual philanthropic revenue, while preparing for future capital campaigns led by association and regional teams. This is an executive-level position designed for an experienced, ready-now leader who brings a strong record of success in philanthropy, marketing, and strategic communications. The CEAO will arrive prepared to shape vision, systems, and relationships from day one, meaning this is not a developmental or training role.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement an integrated external affairs strategy that unites philanthropy, marketing, communications, and community engagement under one clear vision.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and executive team on visibility, resource development, and partnerships.
• Lead through an equity and belonging lens to ensure all external strategies reflect community voice, cultural humility, and inclusive storytelling.
• Collaborate with program and operations leaders to translate community impact and outcomes into compelling narratives and funding opportunities.
• Represent Y-CW externally in civic, corporate, and philanthropic networks, including advocacy related to youth development, wellness, and equity.
• Ensure all strategies and communications center equity, belonging, and authentic community voice.
• Collaborate with peers (COO, CFO, CPO) to advance association-wide priorities such as modernizing systems, redesigning sustainable business models, and expanding childcare, youth mental health, and wellness offerings through storytelling, partnerships, and philanthropy.

Philanthropy & Resource Development

• Lead all aspects of the association’s philanthropic strategy, including annual campaigns, major gifts, foundation and corporate giving, grants, sponsorships, and events.
• Build the systems, culture, and infrastructure necessary to grow annual philanthropic revenue to $4 million+ within three years.
• Partner closely with the President & CEO, who maintains an active portfolio of major donors and funders, to coordinate cultivation and stewardship efforts.
• Personally manage a portfolio of 25–30 major donors and funders capable of $25K–$250K+ gifts, while providing strategic and logistical support for the CEO’s donor portfolio through the philanthropy and marketing teams.
• Oversee philanthropy and marketing systems, ensuring data integrity, CRM utilization, and analytics that support informed decision-making and donor engagement.
• Partner with regional Executive Directors to align and support local fundraising campaigns, providing strategic guidance and shared tools while honoring local donor relationships.
• Lead planning and readiness for future regional and/or association-wide capital campaigns, including feasibility and case development.
• Support board and staff in donor engagement and stewardship, ensuring data-informed, mission-centered practices.
• Develop and launch an annual comprehensive philanthropy plan in collaboration with the board’s Philanthropy Committee by connecting donor investment to impact, strengthening stewardship, and equipping regional teams and advisory boards with tools for fundraising success.

Marketing, Communications, & Brand Strategy

• Oversee all marketing and communications functions, ensuring a consistent, compelling brand narrative across all platforms.
• Serve as final authority for external messaging, while partnering with the CEO on organizational and sensitive internal communications.
• Direct content and storytelling strategies that connect community impact with donor and partner engagement.
• Support brand visibility efforts across the association and guide future expansion into earned-revenue partnerships.
• Ensure compliance with Y-USA brand and philanthropy standards, including timely reporting through Y-USA’s Data and Learning Platform.
• Collaborate with the COO and CFO to communicate progress on enterprise initiatives such as modernizing systems, addressing chronic deficits, and exploring new revenue models by helping stakeholders understand the Y’s business model transformation through clear storytelling.

Governance & Board Partnership

• Serve as staff lead to the Board Philanthropy Committee and the Branding, Positioning & Marketing Task Force, both permanent, chartered committees of the Board of Directors.
• Partner with committee chairs to design agendas, lead discussions, and advance strategic goals.
• Attend a portion of all board meetings to provide updates and participate in committee share-outs.
• Engage and educate regional Advisory Boards, in collaboration with philanthropy and marketing staff, to strengthen local advocacy and ambassador roles.
• Represent the CEO externally when requested and build trusted relationships with board and community leaders.
• Collaborate with the board on shared priorities that leverage brand recognition and community trust to build partnerships and broaden engagement.

Capacity Building & Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and mentor a high-performing team consisting of philanthropy and marketing staff.
• Oversee development of comprehensive philanthropy and marketing toolkits that establish strategy, messaging, and tactical guidance for regional teams and boards.
• Foster collaboration, innovation, and accountability across all external affairs functions.
• Model YMCA values and ensure an inclusive, equitable, and mission-centered team culture.
• Foster a culture of shared leadership in philanthropy, partnering with the CEO and senior executives to model active donor engagement and relationship stewardship.

Success In Year One

• A clear, actionable External Affairs Strategic Plan is developed and implemented.
• Annual philanthropic revenue shows measurable growth and a defined path toward $4 million+.
• Systems and toolkits for philanthropy and marketing are created and adopted across regional teams.
• Strengthened relationships with regional Executive Directors and alignment of local campaigns with association goals.
• Improved board and volunteer engagement in philanthropy and advocacy.
• Consistent, equity-centered brand voice and storytelling framework established across all platforms.
• By the end of Year 3: association achieves $4 million+ in annual philanthropic revenue, readiness for capital campaign launch, and a sustainable culture of philanthropy embedded across regions.

Requirements:

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience. Relevant experience and demonstrated results may substitute for formal education.
• Demonstrated, executive-level experience in leading integrated philanthropy, marketing, and external-affairs strategies within complex organizations.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including at least 5 years with enterprise-wide responsibility for fundraising and/or marketing strategy.
• Proven success securing major gifts ($50K–$500K+) and managing diverse revenue streams.
• Demonstrated experience leading integrated fundraising and marketing strategies.
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with selective, high-impact hands-on execution.
• Familiarity with YMCA culture and values is a plus.
• A collaborative, persuasive, and adaptive leader who brings creativity, resilience, and optimism to relationship building and storytelling.
• This position is not a developmental or training role; candidates must bring established expertise in high-level strategy, relationship management, and executive leadership.

About the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette is one of the region’s longest-serving community organizations, dedicated to building strong communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. We are a values-driven association committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging in all that we do.