Chief Development Officer (CDO)

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Congregation Beth Elohim | Brooklyn, NY

ABOUT CBE

Congregation Beth Elohim (CBE) is one of Brooklyn's largest and most vibrant Reform Jewish congregations, founded in 1861. Located on Garfield Place in Park Slope, CBE draws members from across the borough — multi-generational families, young professionals, interfaith families, and those exploring Jewish life for the first time. Through worship, learning, social justice, and community-building, CBE creates meaningful Jewish experiences that strengthen our members and the broader community.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a new senior executive role responsible for shaping CBE's philanthropic vision and long-term financial sustainability. On the senior leadership team, the CDO partners with the Executive Director, Senior Rabbi, clergy, lay leadership, and Board of Trustees to execute a development strategy spanning annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, the Spring Fundraiser, and a transformational eight-figure capital campaign to renovate CBE's Garfield Place campus.

The campaign is the CDO's defining priority, led end-to-end from case-for-support through launch, solicitation, and stewardship. Its success will reshape CBE's home and build the infrastructure for the next generation of Reform Jewish life in Brooklyn.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned fundraiser with proven success leading capital campaigns, closing transformational gifts, and building high-performing teams — a strategic thinker and skilled communicator who engages donors, clergy, and lay leaders with warmth and professionalism.

SCOPE AT A GLANCE

• Capital Campaign: eight-figure renovation of the Garfield Place campus — the flagship priority
• 1,400+ member households; 567+ individual donors $800,000+ raised in FY 2025–26 annual support
• Spring Fundraiser: ~$400,000 raised annually
• Early Childhood Center: 239 students across two locations — largest in CBE's history
• Yachad youth education: 555 students — record enrollment

WORK SCHEDULE & LOCATION

Core hours are 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, Tuesday–Friday (40-hour week); evenings and weekends are required for events, donor cultivation, and religious observances. This position is in-person at CBE; candidates must reside within commutable distance of Brooklyn, NY.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

Set the vision, strategy, and multi-year roadmap for development, aligned with CBE's mission and financial goals. Partner with the Executive Director, Senior Rabbi, and Board to align fundraising with institutional priorities. Establish and continuously improve development goals, policies, and procedures. Provide fundraising guidance to clergy, staff, lay leaders, and volunteers.

Capital Campaign Leadership (Flagship Priority)

Serve as chief architect, lead solicitor, and public face of the campaign, partnering with the Executive Director, Senior Rabbi, Board, and volunteer leadership. Identify, cultivate, and personally solicit lead and principal gifts; build a pipeline across the membership and beyond. Recruit, train, and support campaign cabinets and volunteer solicitors. Oversee campaign communications, donor reporting, pledge management, and coordination with the renovation.

Fundraising Programs

Oversee all development efforts: annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, capital campaign, endowment, grants, and project-specific fundraising. Partner with lay leadership to grow revenue and refresh the donor experience. Personally manage a major gift portfolio through the full cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycle. Build CBE's planned-giving program, including Legacy Society stewardship and bequest cultivation. Meet annual budget goals; monitor performance and adjust strategy.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship

Oversee prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship — including donor events, trips, and personalized engagement plans. Manage CBE's donor recognition program, including events, plaques, and naming opportunities. Work with clergy to cultivate new prospects and deepen giving through personalized outreach. Partner with the Directors of Membership and Engagement to build a holistic view of member donors and profile future leaders for the nominating committee.

Marketing & Communications

Design communications strategies for the Annual Appeal, planned giving, and project fundraising with CBE's marketing team. Collaborate on print, email, web, and social media to advance development goals. Write and oversee solicitation letters, campaign materials, and donor communications that reflect CBE's voice and values.

Team Leadership & Operations

Lead and mentor the development team: Director of Advancement (annual fund, daily operations) and Development Assistant (gift entry, acknowledgments, admin support). Manage the Development Committee in partnership with the Development Chair. Oversee development operations: CRM management, gift processing, acknowledgments, and tax correspondence; partner with finance on accuracy. Maintain naming and gift acceptance policies; ensure compliance on restricted funds. Develop and manage the department's expense budget. Use data and analytics to evaluate effectiveness and report to the Board and Executive Director. Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFRE preferred. Minimum 15 years of progressive development experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership overseeing teams and multi-channel programs. Track record of personally closing six- and seven-figure gifts, including principal gifts of $1M+. Proven success in a senior role on a multi-million-dollar capital campaign (eight figures+ preferred). Demonstrated success growing planned giving and major gifts programs. Experience at a synagogue, Jewish nonprofit, or faith-based organization strongly preferred; familiarity with Reform Jewish values a plus.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and CRM/donor databases (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, ShulCloud).

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Visionary leadership that turns strategy into measurable results
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills; engages authentically with donors, clergy, lay leaders, and staff
• Creative approach to donor engagement and fundraising strategy
• Effective project management across competing priorities and deadlines
• Takes initiative, motivates others, inspires shared ownership
• Sound judgment and discretion with confidential donor information
• Data-driven; strong analytical skills and attention to detail
• Collaborative, cross-departmental, customer-service mindset

SALARY & BENEFITS

• Salary range: $200,000–$250,000, commensurate with experience
• Generous PTO: vacation, holidays, sick and personal days, parental leave
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Short- and long-term disability and life insurance

CBE is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex/gender (including gender identity), creed, sexual orientation, marital or partnership status, pregnancy, familial status, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, citizenship status, arrest or conviction record, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, abilities, and merit.