Chief Development Officer

Job Title:  Chief Development Officer

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Status:   Exempt

Location:  Mableton Business Center / Hybrid work model 

JOB SUMMARY

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for the strategy, planning, execution, management, and oversight of all fundraising and donor relations activities that will continuously and sustainably grow the organization’s contributed income from a diverse pool of donors.  The CDO is responsible for all annual and multi-year fundraising, which includes annual fund, major gifts, institutional giving, capital campaign management, donor relations, planned giving, and fundraising events. The CDO provides leadership, guidance, coaching and support to the development staff and provides direction in all activities and initiatives, including research and prospect identification, cultivation and stewardship, donor segmentation, communications strategies, proposal development, grant application writing, tracking, reporting and compliance, solicitations strategies, donor stewardship, database management, communications and outreach activities, and development-related volunteer relations. Reporting to the CEO, the CDO works collaboratively and maintains clear and regular communications with the organization’s Board of Directors, Fund Development Committee, volunteer leadership and donor prospects.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Understands and applies basic principles and best practices of fundraising to identify, cultivate, ask and steward individuals and institutions for annual giving campaigns, capital campaigns, major gifts, planned giving, in-kind donations, endowments, scholarships and special events.
• Stays current with emerging trends and fund development best practices to create new and innovative strategies to increase donations.
• Serves as staff executive support to Fund Development Committee, providing input and guidance to the committee as it sets the strategic direction of the organization’s fundraising activities.
• Incorporates Council policies and procedures, mission, and vision in all development plans.
• Works in partnership with the CEO, senior management and fund development staff to evaluate existing fund development strategies and develop new fundraising efforts.
• Develops annual stewardship plan for different donor segments, including goals, objectives and action steps.
• Provides strategic guidance to staff and Fund Development committee regarding institutional giving (corporation, foundation, and United Way) and fundraising and stewardship events.
• Oversees the writing of grant proposals, direct mail letters, special event materials, and other fundraising support documentation.
• Leads all aspects of the fund development department and builds an effective development team through recruitment, professional development, coaching, mentorship and motivational leadership.
• Provides strategic oversight of the donor database system and builds a best practices environment to support the development of external engagement efforts.
• Together with development team members, directs strategy for institutional partner cultivation, serving as primary relationship manager and personally soliciting high-level gifts from a portfolio of current and prospective donors.
• Together with development team members, systematically identifies, cultivates and stewards major gift donors.
• Works collaboratively with the organization’s marketing department to develop social media campaigns, press releases, online and print marketing collateral, and other communications pieces to deepens donor relationships and expand the donor base and partnership opportunities.
• Maintains a significant portfolio of principal donors and facilitates relationships between donors and CEO.
• Collaborates across departments to create an environment that nurtures a fundraising mindset throughout the organization.
• Participates in community events or with community groups relevant to the agency’s mission
• Fosters an environment of cohesiveness, collaboration, inclusion and achievement and ensures staff accountability for excellence through clearly defined and measurable goals.
• Models high levels of motivation, professionalism, performance, dedication, and commitment.
• Successfully executes other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Proven track record of developing successful partnerships with companies, and proven track record of personally developing strategies, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major individual, governmental and institutional donors at the six- and seven-figure level.
• Demonstrated experience training and working with executives, senior staff and board members on development-related activities, providing them with quality support, and increasing their comfort with and success in fundraising.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills
• Strong HR skill set and experience in managing a departmental team, including multiple direct reports
• Knowledge of budget development and administration, financial reporting, and ethical and compliance rules related to fundraising
• Ability to manage and prioritize many projects of varying size, scale, and importance with competing deadlines
• Proficiency in the use of fundraising management tools (Raiser’s Edge NXT, Salesforce), as well as Microsoft Office products.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of the Greater Atlanta area philanthropic community
• At least ten years’ of demonstrated fundraising experience that includes eight years of development management in nonprofit sector.
• Leadership of a multimillion-dollar capital campaign is preferred.
• Ability to travel locally during the business day; some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be expected.
• Ability to work closely with racially, ethnically, religiously, and economically diverse groups of volunteers, parents, girls, media representatives and the public.
• Authentic passion for the work, mission, promise and law of Girl Scouting

*Must successfully complete a criminal, motor vehicle and credit background check.