As a member of the National Audubon Society’s Executive Team and a direct report to the President & CEO, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) will play a pivotal role in shaping Audubon’s future and in advancing field conservation at a time where there is enormous need. This is a unique opportunity for a strategic and innovative leader to shape the narrative, architecture, and practice of Audubon’s development plan, and to directly impact Audubon’s ability to save birds and habitats across the Americas.
As a key senior spokesperson for Audubon, the Chief Development Officer will be an outstanding communicator who is at ease in a front-facing role, with the stature and credibility to cultivate and maintain senior-level relationships across a variety of donors including individuals, foundations, corporations, investors, and other partner organizations. S/he will work closely with the President & CEO, the Board of Directors, and with members of senior management and other development teams, and will establish strong and collaborative working relationships with them and their staff.
The Chief Development Officer will directly lead a staff of 21 including major principal, institutional and planned giving, research, development communications, and events. S/he will also help set goals for the full range of Audubon relationship managers and natural partners.
Audubon’s budget for 2017 is $100 million. National and state offices, Chapters, and Centers all raise funds to support their respective budgets, and Audubon’s national development team supports these efforts by raising funds collaboratively for Audubon’s conservation strategies. Currently 50% of the annual budget is raised at the national level and 50% at the state level. The organization’s strategic plan envisages ambitious growth, including a significant capital campaign to fulfil its goal of becoming a $150 million organization.
- Analyze Audubon’s national fundraising potential, and design and implement a development plan to support the growth of the network;
- Develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with Audubon’s distributed network and, together, work on the identification and implementation of innovative, mutually beneficial fundraising efforts;
- Articulate a clear and compelling case for support for Audubon, and craft a communication strategy that will inspire and motivate constituencies to achieve ambitious revenue generation goals;
- Guide, manage and actively participate in efforts to identify, cultivate and solicit sources of funds and gifts, including major gifts, foundation/corporate grants, and gift planning;
- Work closely with the CEO and the Board to build a powerful and resourceful national Audubon Board;
- Together with the CEO and the Board, put in place the strategy and implementation for a significant capital campaign;
- As part of Audubon’s Executive Team, implement Audubon’s strategic plan and set priorities for the organization;
- Recruit, train, and develop staff, creating a dynamic, supportive, and effective development team that is impactful with donors across the Audubon network; and
- Institute a system of accountability and a constructive means of critical evaluation of the effectiveness and success of Audubon’s national development activities and programs.
This role reports directly to Audubon’s President & CEO, David Yarnold, and is based at Audubon’s headquarters in New York City.
he successful candidate will be an inspiring and creative leader with a passion for conservation, who brings a compelling vision for accelerating the growth of private support for the organization, and the experience and the will to implement it effectively across the network. S/he will be a highly strategic and dynamic individual able to leverage Audubon’s new structure and strategy to energize supporters around its mission.
We are looking for an exceptional revenue generator and strategic thinker – someone with a track record of meeting revenue goals as well as proposing innovative and sustainable resource-generating ideas. S/he will have campaign experience, will be results-oriented, and have the ability, experience and stature to communicate effectively at all levels within the organization and externally.
The ideal candidate is a warm, collaborative individual with a demonstrated passion for learning, and the ability to quickly gain an understanding of Audubon’s culture, mission, and organizational structure. S/he will possess the experience and leadership skills necessary to establish a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization, and to align Audubon’s development plan to its strategic goals. A demonstrated capacity to recruit, lead, and marshal the talents of a diverse staff is an integral part of this role.
Skills/experience include:
- Excellent communication and presentation skills. S/he will be an inspiring communicator who can articulate Audubon’s mission in a clear and compelling manner to a broad, diverse audience;
- Strong strategic and implementation skills. S/he will quickly grasp the opportunities and challenges of the organization and the role, and understand how to work effectively within a networked structure to develop innovative and creative fundraising plans that integrate national, regional, and state goals;
- The personal inclination and professional ability to be a positive and unifying figure who can lead by influence and example in order to create an integrated development culture across the Audubon network.
- The successful candidate is someone who can persuade and influence; someone who can build and preserve trust and agreement, as well as confidence and respect, among various constituencies;
- Ability to work thoughtfully yet decisively in a decentralized organizational structure with multiple internal and external constituencies;
- Ability to help shape and articulate reporting relationships and network management strategies;
- Previous experience creating and implementing a fundraising program for a leading nonprofit organization with defined priorities, sophisticated metrics, and clear accountability;
- Demonstrated ability to personally secure funds from a wide range of donors with a focus on major/principal gifts;
- A flexible, inclusive approach to leadership, which adjusts to different audiences and gives focus to colleagues’ work;
- A healthy, balanced ego and the confidence to recognize his/her own strengths and weaknesses; and
- Personal drive and integrity; exemplary levels of professionalism, probity, and resilience.
Audubon is partnering with Russell Reynolds Associates for this search. To be formerly considered, please submit your resume and a cover letter to [email protected].