Chief Development Officer

Job Title

Chief Development Officer

Department

Development & Marketing

Reports to

Chief Executive Officer

Overtime Status

Exempt

Location

San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland) / Hybrid per Company Standards

Number of Direct Reports

Development & Marketing/Communications staff (5–6 FTEs, including 2–3 direct reports) and consultants/contractors

Salary

$160K–$175K + bonus

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Eligible for comprehensive bonus program.

Ready to spark big change in the Bay Area?

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area (BBBSBA) is seeking a creative, strategic, and relationship-driven Vice President, Development & Advancement to help us grow our community of supporters and raise critical funds to power our life-changing mentorship programs. This is your chance to join a collaborative and passionate team at one of the Bay Area’s most respected youth-serving nonprofits where your work directly fuels brighter futures for hundreds of young people each year. If you're energized by impactful philanthropy, storytelling, strategic events, building meaningful donor relationships, and you’re ready to bring fresh ideas to a legacy organization, we want to meet you.

Agency Vision and Mission - Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area (BBBSBA) ignites the potential of youth across nine counties through one-to-one mentorship. For over a century, we’ve empowered young people to achieve their dreams through evidence-based, community-driven programming.

As we enter a new era of growth and transformation, BBBSBA is in the quiet phase of a multi-year capacity campaign designed to expand our reach and strengthen long-term sustainability. This is a pivotal moment to join a legacy organization as we scale our impact across the Bay Area.

Position Summary: The Vice President, Development & Advancement serves as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for leading BBBSBA’s fundraising, marketing, and communications strategy. This role drives both annual and long-term revenue growth through individual, corporate, and institutional giving, while also elevating the organization’s brand and visibility.

Reporting to the CEO, the VP will oversee a talented team that manages fundraising, events, grants, marketing, and communications. They will play a critical leadership role in advancing the quiet phase of BBBSBA’s capacity campaign—partnering closely with the CEO, Board, and Campaign Committee to secure transformational gifts and deepen donor engagement.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a strategic, creative, and relationship-driven leader who thrives on collaboration, storytelling, and community-building.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising & Campaign Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with agency priorities and campaign goals.
• Lead and manage all aspects of fundraising including major gifts, institutional giving, corporate partnerships, planned giving, and events.
• Partner with the CEO and Campaign Committee to advance the quiet phase of BBBSBA’s capacity campaign, including case development, prospect engagement, and gift solicitation.
• Manage a personal portfolio of 60–75 major donor prospects and spend significant time cultivating and soliciting gifts of $10,000+.
• Oversee all foundation and corporate fundraising, including proposal development, reporting, and relationship management.
• Develop strategy for signature fundraising events to ensure they serve as effective cultivation and stewardship opportunities.
• Analyze donor data, forecasting, and fundraising trends to drive decision-making and ensure continued growth.

Marketing & Communications

• Provide strategic oversight of the Marketing & Communications team to ensure alignment with fundraising and mission goals.
• Guide the creation of compelling donor communications, impact stories, annual reports, digital campaigns, and collateral materials.
• Strengthen brand consistency and messaging across all platforms, including social media, website, email, and print.
• Partner with program leadership to amplify stories that showcase BBBSBA’s impact and inspire community investment.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, coach, and mentor a high-performing team with a culture of accountability, innovation, and professional growth.
• Partner with peers on the Executive Leadership Team to foster a culture of philanthropy and shared responsibility for revenue growth.
• Serve as the staff liaison to the Board’s Development and Campaign Committees, preparing reports, donor pipelines, and engagement strategies.
• Oversee development operations including CRM systems, gift processing, and donor data integrity.
• Represent BBBSBA in the philanthropic and corporate community, building strong networks and partnerships.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic thinker with a results-oriented, entrepreneurial approach.
• Exceptional relationship-builder with strong emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership style.
• Skilled communicator — persuasive writer, confident public speaker, and active listener.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with keen attention to detail.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and cultural competence.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and adapt to evolving priorities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (or SKILLS & EXPERIENCE)

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including major gifts and campaign management.
• Demonstrated success leading fundraising teams and meeting or exceeding multi-million-dollar goals.
• Proven experience managing marketing and communications functions.
• Strong track record cultivating and soliciting major gifts ($10K+), corporate partnerships, and foundation support.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong familiarity with the Bay Area’s philanthropic and corporate landscape.
• Proficiency with fundraising CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and data-driven strategy.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Direct experience managing a capacity or capital campaign.
• Experience with planned giving, digital fundraising, or brand strategy.
• CFRE certification or equivalent.
• Familiarity with youth development or mentoring organizations.

HOW TO APPLY

You must click here to apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BBBSBA provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or non-disqualifying physical or mental handicap or disability.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Applicants as well as employees who are or become disabled must be able to perform the essential duties & responsibilities either unaided or with reasonable accommodation. The organization shall determine reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.

Job Responsibilities

The above statements reflect the general duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential duties & responsibilities of the job and should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. BBBSBA may change the specific job duties with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.