The Chief Development Officer serves as lead strategist for agency fund development and marketing, helping the CEO and management team marry a multi-year revenue and marketing plan to the agency’s growth agenda. The CDO manages the development and marketing Department and serves as primary staff support (in fund-raising and marketing matters) for the CEO and Board. The CDO functions as the agency’s principal major gift fundraiser.
The agency’s current development strategy encompasses annual campaign including major gift solicitations; staff and Board solicitations; a wide variety of special event fundraisers and donor/prospect cultivation and stewardship events; corporate/foundation/government grant requests; United Way; and donor cultivation and acquisition programs, including the communications and marketing strategies for such.
The CDO is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift donors and major gift donor prospects and will be expected to achieve substantial growth in this area by 2020. As well, the CDO will be charged with growing a more robust planned giving program.
As a senior member of the executive team this position is also responsible for helping shape global agency strategy and for playing a leadership role in implementing the agency’s operating plan. The CDO shall be a strategic thinker capable of creating long term vision for the development and marketing team as well.
- Serves as the leader of the development and marketing team managing a team of 10 part-time and full-time staff members in Louisville and outlying counties.
- Recruiting, hiring, training, and managing (for performance and retention) fund development and marketing staff according to agency protocols and national fund-raising and marketing professional standards.
- Budgeting for and achieving, in close collaboration with the CEO, multi-year and annual agency revenue goals.
- Revitalizing the agency’s current strategic plan for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift and planned giving donors and donor prospects, and working the plan to achieve high growth. Specifically:
- Personally, managing a portfolio of 150 to 200 prospective individual donors.
- Making 10 – 15 one-on-one visits per month with both donors and donor prospects.
- Developing and implementing written strategies based on capacity and readiness to give.
- Determining how assigned prospects will be solicited for their annual fund gift.
- Soliciting and closing 15+ major gifts per year.
- Works with the CEO to develop a portfolio of 20-30 key donors and donor prospects for the CEO to manage with the support of the CDO.
- Recruits, motivates and manages an engaged giving and getting Board Fund Development Committee.
- Provides strategic leadership to effectively communicate the mission, goals and accomplishments of the organization to donors, prospective donors, and the broader community, including the oversight of the marketing team and creating marketing initiatives of the agency.
- Developing demonstrable understanding of and supervisory capacity for special event fundraisers, grants solicitations, and United Way programs as well as database management, stewardship systems, and prospect research.
- Serving as a vital member of the leadership team by staying abreast of organization-wide issues and contributing to the development and achievement of the agency’s long-term vision and short-term operating plans.
- Ensures ethical and appropriate financial administration of contributed income and following all regulations, policies, laws, and guidelines that impact donations. Adhere to the Association of Fundraising Professional’s (AFP) Code of Ethics.
- 10+ years of experience in non-profit fund development with a proven track record of success as well as management experience with at least 3 direct reports.
- Demonstrated fundraising experience, especially with capital campaigns, major gifts, and planned giving.
- Strong written and verbal communications skills with professional presentation, social media, and philanthropic marketing skills in particular.
- Understanding of the nature and purpose of Big Brothers Big Sisters and a strong commitment to the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission.
- Experience working with volunteers (Board level preferred).
- Experience working with Donor Relationship Management databases.
- Proficient use of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
- Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings.
- Valid US driver’s license and ability and willingness to travel
- Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community; track-record of building authentic, constructive relationships with others.
Key Characteristics:
- Strategic Agility / Visionary Thinker
- Strong leadership and management skills
- Ability to cultivate, solicit and close gifts
- Excellent oral and written communications skills, including honed reflective listening ability
- Commitment to best practices in fund raising administration
- Integrity – honors donor intent and confidentiality
- Sense of humor
- Salary commensurate with qualifications/experience.
- Comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance for employee and dependents, life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with matching, paid days off, and more.
- Professional development support through membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and Fund Raising Executives of Metro Louisville (FREML)