Chief Development Officer

 

Description:

Reporting to the President and CEO, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) is an essential member of the senior leadership team, working with the directors in charge of the Quebec Region, Annual Giving, and Leadership and Corporate Partners, as well as the Senior National Director of Events, to oversee a national team of 20-plus fund development professionals. The CDO acts as coach and mentor to the team, working collaboratively with staff and Board members to develop a strategic fund development plan that is aligned with CF's strategic goals and provides organizational growth and long-term sustainability.

It is a critical point in time for the CDO to help identify and create exciting funding opportunities. In an organization that relies completely on donor dollars, this will mean thinking outside traditional forms of fundraising to help team members elevate their fundraising skills and ensure the right programs are in place to help them achieve success.

Creating accountability is also essential, through the development of key fundraising performance metrics that bring rigor and discipline to the fundraising process.

The CDO will be responsible for creating an “asking” culture among staff, senior leaders of the organization, the CEO, the Board, and Board committees. They must lead by example, cultivating and managing a personal donor prospect pipeline.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Strategic and Operational Planning

 

• Build a dynamic fund development strategy with clearly defined revenue goals and a diverse mix of giving that advances the strategic objectives of the organization. Communicate priorities and wins to the whole organization.

 

Fund Development

 

• Develop and execute a robust major gifts/mid-level/planned giving program, with appropriate administrative support, to meet key financial objectives.
• Ensure CF has a solid donor pipeline, helping staff and volunteers to cultivate, steward, and solicit key prospects.
• Personally manage a portfolio of donors and develop strategies for the CEO's portfolio. Coach, mentor, and support key leaders of the organization in their own fundraising efforts.
• Work closely with the CEO to seek and advance revenue generating strategies aligned with mission related activities.

 

Fund Development Marketing & Communications

 

• Work closely with the Marketing team to collaborate on key donor support materials.
• Provide insights to champion other elements of the fundraising program, including stewardship, donor recognition, and donor reports.

 

Human Resources and Volunteer Leadership

 

• Develop the structures to support an integrated, motivated revenue generating team nationally.
• Develop volunteer and leadership structures (e.g., campaign cabinets) to deliver on fund development strategy.
• Create accountability through the application of metrics and goal setting.
• Build and maintain positive, collaborative working relationships with CF Canada staff, Board, and volunteers.

 

Finance, Systems and Operations

 

• Manage the fund development budget to ensure a strong return on investment.
• Enhance reports that inform the CEO, Board, and leadership team of fundraising results nationally.
• Use data analytics to evaluate current funding activities to ensure they are meeting ROI expectations.
• Create regular reports that reflect the status of giving activities, trends, and opportunities.

 

The Opportunity

 

To lead a national team of staff and volunteers who are passionately committed to children and adults living with cystic fibrosis. The CDO has a broad range of responsibilities and plays an essential role in ensuring that CF Canada can meet its mission objectives.

 

Experience

 

The CDO is a seasoned, well-rounded professional leader with over 10 years of fundraising experience in a charity setting, ideally in a national organization with established regional connections and strong community interactions. The ideal person will have demonstrated staff management skills through direct and indirect reports, with experience managing a diverse range of fundraising areas, including major gifts, corporate giving, annual and mid-level contributions, planned giving, peer-to-peer fundraising, and national events. Their experience clearly indicates that they have earned the respect of high-performing teams. The ideal candidate will also have experience raising funds in the Quebec market.

In addition to experience in soliciting donations and leading a large team of staff, the right person has created fundraising plans and strategies that led to increased revenue through leading-edge fundraising programs. Ideally, this includes not just major gift programs but also mid-level giving programs that increased revenue and set the stage for major gift fundraising.