Executive Director at Classic Wines Foundation

Reports To: Board of Directors

Status: Full-time with occasional evening and weekend hours

Location: Portland, OR – Remote (Work from home)

About Us

Classic Wines Foundation (CWF) transforms a passion for wine and community into life-changing support for local nonprofits, having raised over $53 million since 1982 and impacting millions of lives.

Our mission: to make a life-changing difference in the lives of the most vulnerable children and families of our community. Our distinct events inspire sponsors and donors, they pull together the best of Oregon wine and food scene, and they create exponential impact. We change lives by producing extraordinary experiences and gift event proceeds as unrestricted funds to nonprofit organizations in Oregon that benefit children and families.

Our small but mighty 501(c)(3) is led by a dedicated Board of 17 business and community leaders and philanthropists and currently has one staff member.

Summary

We seek a visionary Executive Director to lead our growth, amplify our impact, and inspire a dedicated team and board to new heights.

The Executive Director is a high-profile, high-energy leader responsible for the vision and growth of the Classic Wines Foundation. This position is the first in command and is responsible for giving strategic direction and supervising all aspects of the organization, volunteer and industry leadership, strategic planning implementation, fundraising strategies, event oversight, board recruitment, partnership and beneficiary development. 

The Executive Director is an enthusiastic and committed leader and spokesperson for the Classic Wines Foundation’s beneficiaries, donors and wine industry peers, representing each in a balanced manner. The Executive Director is both a leader and consensus builder, charged with developing innovative approaches and activities to raise both awareness of our beneficiaries and our partners.

The Executive Director must possess excellent organizational and management skills, ranging across team building, strategic planning, budget planning and management, personnel management and communications. The Executive Director is an attentive listener, sensitive and deferential to the needs of the constituents and staff alike and must be able to function in a multi-faceted work environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Development & Fundraising (45%): Lead fundraising efforts, securing sponsorships ($200,000), grants, major gifts ($25,000), and annual donations through strategic outreach, cultivation and stewardship. Build and maintain partnerships with key community stakeholders to expand CWF’s impact. Execute the annual fundraising calendar, including a major event, wine dinners, wine tasting events, and other event opportunities through securing sponsorships, donations, auction items and other support.

Strategic Vision, Planning, Organizational Leadership & Management (30%): Collaborate with the Board of Directors to shape the next chapter of CWF’s 40-year legacy by 1) developing CWF brand strategy, marketing initiatives, public relations opportunities, and general community reputation development, 2) defining & developing the foundation’s 3-5 year strategic vision and 3) managing and advancing all relationships with existing partner organizations as well as having a firm understanding of all potential future partner organizations.

Manage operations and infrastructure, streamlining accounting and administrative systems.

Board Governance & Development (15%): Suggest possible nominees to the Board who are persons of achievement and can make significant contributions to the work of the Board and the progress of the organization. Participate in and contribute to the development of Board of Directors meetings, retreats, and committee roles. Help shape and edit Bylaws and outline committee roles. Establish a board and committee calendar, including scheduling and facilitating event committee meetings. Design and implement onboarding processes for new board members, including orientation materials and ongoing communication.

Event Management & Execution (10%): Oversee the planning, branding, marketing, and execution of the annual event and other events. Manage staff training and meetings, ensuring ongoing professional development for event planning and execution. Attend events hosted by CWF.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Proven experience in sales, development and fundraising
• Strong background in hospitality and event planning
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills
• Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and develop teams
• Financial acumen, particularly in managing budgets
• Passion for community support and commitment to CWF’s mission
• Bachelor’s Degree and/or equivalent experience in the nonprofit field required, Master’s Degree and/or nonprofit certifications a plus
• Interest in gourmet food and wine is a plus
• Resides within a reasonable commuting distance of Portland, with the ability to meet with staff in-person and attend external meetings and events

Top Priorities:

• Develop and implement a new 3- to 5-year strategic plan to include metrics and KPIs
• Get to know and build relationships with key stakeholders, including staff, donors, beneficiaries, wineries, sponsors, new audiences, etc.
• Initiate immediate fundraising goals & action plans to enhance fundraising success
• Evaluate the existing organization, including but not limited to the current event lineup, marketing plan, staff, organizational structure, budget, mission, policies and procedures

Salary & Benefits: Competitive market salary, based on experience. Benefits are negotiable and may include health insurance, paid time off, sick leave, holidays, etc.

To Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter to: https://classicwinesfoundation.exacthire.com/

Deadline: December 19, 2025. Consider applying early; the Hiring Team will review applications on a rolling basis. Preferred start is February 2, 2026.