Chief Development Officer and Grants Strategy Lead

Job description

About Family Service Center
Family Service Center is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to strengthening individuals and families through accessible mental health services, prevention programs, and community support across Galveston County and surrounding communities. As we expand services and deepen our impact, we are seeking a visionary development leader to build and scale a comprehensive fundraising and grants strategy that sustains our growth and advances access to care.

Position Overview
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will lead and execute a comprehensive fundraising, grants, and philanthropic strategy that fuels the organization's growth and long-term sustainability. Reporting directly to the CEO/Executive Director, this executive will serve as a strategic partner responsible for building strong revenue pipelines across individual giving, foundations, corporate partners, and government grants.
This hybrid leadership role is ideal for an innovative, data-informed development professional with a strong track record in fundraising strategy and grant writing (local, state, and federal). The CDO will help position Family Service Center as a premier philanthropic investment in the region while expanding resources to serve children, families, and individuals.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Development & Fundraising
-Design and implement a multi-year, diversified fundraising strategy aligned with organizational growth goals
-Lead major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation relations, annual giving, and campaign initiatives
-Partner with the CEO and Board on donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship
-Prepare and position the organization for major gifts, capital opportunities, and long-term philanthropic investment
-Build innovative revenue streams and community investment strategies

Grants & Public Funding
-Lead the full lifecycle of grant strategy: prospecting, writing, submission, reporting, and compliance
-Secure and manage local, state, and federal grants
-Maintain a proactive grants calendar and pipeline
-Collaborate with program and finance teams on outcomes, budgets, and reporting
-Build strong relationships with government agencies and foundations

Innovation, Data & Technology
-Utilize CRM and AI tools to support prospect research, donor engagement, and grant writing
-Implement metrics-driven fundraising dashboards and forecasting
-Analyze giving trends and identify growth opportunities
-Support digital fundraising campaigns and technology adoption

Leadership & Collaboration
-Serve as a member of the executive leadership team
-Provide revenue forecasts and development reports to CEO and Board
-Build and lead a high-performing development and grants function
-Support Board fundraising engagement and committees
-Represent FSC in Galveston County and with regional and state funders

Minimum Qualifications
-Bachelor's degree required
-7+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising and/or development leadership
-Demonstrated success with grant writing (local, state, and federal)
-Proven fundraising strategy experience and donor cultivation success
-Experience using CRM systems and fundraising analytics
-Experience leveraging AI tools and metrics in fundraising or grant writing
-Exceptional writing, relationship-building, and communication skills

Preferred:
-CFRE certification (preferred but not required)
-Experience in mental health, family services, healthcare, or human services
-Experience working closely with a CEO and Board of Directors

What We Offer
-Hybrid work structure based in Galveston, Texas
-Executive leadership role with direct CEO partnership
-Opportunity to build and scale a development department
-Competitive salary and benefits (commensurate with experience)
-Mission-driven, community-centered culture
-Opportunity to shape regional impact and funding growth