Chief Development Officer

About the Role

Are you an accomplished institutional fundraiser looking for an opportunity to create and drive a ground-up strategy supporting meaningful work? The National Democratic Institute is searching for its next Chief Development Officer. NDI is transforming to meet historic challenges to democratic freedom worldwide and adapting to dramatic shifts in the philanthropic environment. We are looking for a senior strategist who will bring innovation and experience to expand our outreach, inspire new connections, and increase both the yield and diversity from our private fundraising efforts - all building toward a major 50th anniversary campaign.

NDI's new CDO will be more than a fundraiser-they will be a strategic leader who will shape how we grow, connect, and sustain our mission for years to come. Reporting directly to the President and partnering closely with our Board and senior leadership, the CDO is a member of the NDI Executive Management Team who will lead all philanthropic revenue generation while building a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

This is a unique opportunity to design and drive a comprehensive fundraising strategy that establishes a sustained and diverse resource platform supporting NDI's work to advance freedom, democracy and dignity for all.

What will the CDO do?

The CDO will work closely with NDI's senior leadership, and the talented, global NDI program staff, to marry identified priorities for funding to financial support from foundations, individuals, corporations, donor-advised funds, pooled funds, partnerships, and other revenue sources. The CDO will also work closely with the program teams to maximize the impact of their existing partnerships with official development donors, and to cultivate new opportunities for partnership and impact. The CDO will have a Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships as a direct report to start, and will be able to grow the team as they grow their yield.

What kind of person are we seeking?

We're looking for someone who is creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial. We seek a CDO who is mission-driven, a skilled communicator, and a team builder who thrives on work that makes a difference. We seek a seasoned professional, who can access new philanthropic sources like AI-generated wealth, can leverage technology for impact, knows how to build and execute a comprehensive development strategy, and can move with speed and agility to accomplish our goals.


Strong candidates will demonstrate:

• Successful partnership with thought leaders to translate world-changing ideas into marketable pitches and anchor gifts.
• Curiosity about, and ability to engage audiences on, NDI's mission and programs.
• A track record of securing transformative seven-figure gifts and of building and executing campaigns.
• Experience building effective partnerships with aligned entities including corporations, foundations, research institutions, and fellow programmatic organizations.
• An established network of top-level contacts at major funding prospects including individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Knowledge and understanding of policies and procedures of a variety of institutional donors.
• Skill at building and nurturing a team to support your strategy and cultivating their skills and success.
• Experience collaborating with colleagues and Board members to leverage networks, outreach, and program content to identify and attract new supporters and keep them engaged and committed.
• The ability to integrate special events and milestones (e.g. NDI's International Leaders Forum every four years, and our annual Day of Democracy) into an overarching outreach and revenue-generation strategy.
• Success cooperating closely with communications teams and managing special events engaging a variety of teams across the organization.
• Comfort working within a global organization of individuals from an array of backgrounds, who work in multiple languages and on different time zones.
• Comfort operating within the ethical, legal, and fiduciary lines relevant to a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) institution that accepts federal grant funding.

Your Purpose and Impact:

Leadership and Strategy:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy and timeline that integrates the private philanthropy you will focus on alongside official development assistance supporting. specific programs, and that builds toward a major campaign around NDI's 50th anniversary.
• Create and develop donor pipelines, stewarding donors to higher levels of commitment over time, and securing sustained support to advance NDI's mission.
• Create and manage an annual fundraising budget that corresponds with the Institute's fiscal year and the fundraising strategy; to include plans to resource additional development staffing as needed.
• Expand revenue streams including monthly giving, alumni giving, and more.
• Lead with integrity, ensuring a culture of mutual respect, collaboration, high performance, continuous professional development, and in accordance with NDI's established values, policies, standards and procedures.

Board and Donor Engagement:

• Nurture NDI's relationships with individual and corporate donors, foundations, and other sources of private funds at all levels of giving, including through events, affinity circles, and other platforms.
• Make strategic use of the president and Board to advance fundraising strategy and yield, and provide leadership and support to board members in their fundraising efforts.
• Provide relevant data analysis to the president and Board.
• Advise President and Board on development strategy and approach.

Organizational Cohesion and Excellence:

• Collaborate closely and effectively, especially with the program, communications, and operations teams to advance NDI's fundraising strategy.
• Maintain compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors and ensure compliance with codes of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives.
• Manage donor and prospect information systems, including maintaining accurate giving records, acknowledgements, and other donor reporting.
• Prepare the annual report in cooperation with Finance and Communications, and sustain and advance NDI's status with nonprofit evaluators like Candid and the Better Business Bureau.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent relevant work experience required.
• CFRE certification preferred.
• Fifteen (15) years of progressive leadership, five (5) in senior management roles, preferably working within a non-profit institution, and/or international organization.
• 7-10 years of successful development experience, including in major gifts and/or capital campaigns, in particular experience working for an organization that operates internationally and is not primarily a provider of direct humanitarian or social services.
• Demonstrated experience leading and executing strategy within a nonprofit context in alignment with the organization's vision, mission, and values.
• The ability to build/foster relationships by reinforcing trust and respect and demonstrating high standards of tact, diplomacy and discretion.
• Knowledge of business operations, including effective budget development and management processes, as well as the ability to translate strategic thinking into action plans and related outcomes.
• Exceptional written and oral communication capabilities and ability to craft successful development communication materials.
• Effective persuasive skills to engage staff, Board of Directors, current and prospective donors
• Strong project management skills.
• Integrity, interpersonal skills, and a senior executive presence to effectively interact with and influence others, both internal and external to NDI.
• Ability to manage uncertainty and address/resolve conflicts with integrity, maturity, and professionalism.
• Excellent organizational and information management skills to manage and master prospect/donor records and stewardship.
• Effective management skills to achieve results through fostering the initiative and abilities of others.
• Technical proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office. Previous experience with Google Suite and Salesforce preferred.
• Knowledge of and/or previous work experience with NDI preferred.

What We Offer:

We offer an environment committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as a core part of our culture. We strive to foster empowerment and belonging as these values are central to our mission and to our impact. We believe that diversity in thought helps us solve the complex problems we face around the globe.


We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, a generous PTO policy, flexible schedules, and a 10% employer contribution to the retirement pension.

This position offers an anticipated salary range of approximately $187,600.00 - $243,900.00

Additional Information:

While there may be flexibility for remote/hybrid work environment and to comply with tax and legal obligations, successful candidates must be residents of MD, DC, or VA, or relocate prior to the start of employment at NDI.


Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.

NDI is an equal opportunity employer (EEO). As such, NDI makes employment decisions and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to an applicant's or employee's race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state and local laws. As an equal opportunity employer, NDI encourages individuals with disabilities, including disabled veterans or veterans with service-connected disabilities, to apply.


If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please notify NDI's Human Resources department at View email address on click.appcast.io. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

About Us

Founded in 1983, the National Democratic Institute pursues a world in which freedom and democracy prevail, with dignity for all. We work on every continent to accompany our local partners - civic groups, government leaders, electoral candidates, parliaments and political parties - as they build and consolidate their own democratic societies. We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan, global organization with our headquarters in the United States. We don't treat democracy simply as a technical exercise, but as the fairest, most transparent way to determine who holds political power and to keep those people accountable to citizens.


NDI receives core programmatic funding through an annual allocation from the National Endowment for Democracy, as well as awards and gifts from foundations, government development agencies, corporate donors, and individual donors.


NDI seeks to drive forward progress on freedom in a world where democracy is facing mounting challenges: from autocratic adversaries, foreign propaganda, extreme political polarization, and deep erosion of public trust in government. NDI's unique impact comes from our deep relationships with democratic actors around the world, our leadership in building global norms and networks to support democratic actors, and our recognized expertise in areas like women's political leadership, election monitoring, citizen participation and strategic communications. Democratic politics grow differently in every community. NDI leverages our global reach to connect people across continents to learn from one another, tackle shared challenges, and establish the standards by which they want democratic politics to work. By embedding learning and innovation across our global programs, we aim to build on our proud legacy of positive change and drive progress for the global democratic movement.