Chief Financial & Advancement Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary  

The Chief Financial & Advancement Officer (CFAO) is accountable for how Morris Animal Foundation generates, stewards, and optimizes the financial resources required to advance its scientific mission. This is an integrated enterprise leadership role - not a traditional CFO position with fundraising attached and not a traditional development role with finance added.

Reporting to the President/CEO and serving on the Executive Team, the CFAO leads four functions: Finance, Accounting, Mission-Aligned Giving, and Donor Experience. The role connects donor passion, scientific priorities, philanthropic investment, financial discipline, and measurable impact into one enterprise system.

Responsibilities of Position  

Enterprise Leadership & Strategy  

• Serve as a member of the Executive Team, helping establish organizational strategy, priorities, key performance indicators, budgets, and operating plans aligned with Morris Animal Foundation's scientific mission.

• Align financial resources, philanthropic growth strategies, and operational investments with organizational priorities and long-term objectives. 

• Partner across Scientific Programs, Marketing, Operations, and other departments to translate scientific opportunities into compelling mission investments and coordinated execution plans.

• Lead through influence and collaboration, building consensus among executives, trustees, donors, and stakeholders with varying priorities and perspectives.

• Serve as a visible change leader who promotes accountability, transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization. 

Financial Leadership & Stewardship  

• Provide strategic leadership for Finance and Accounting operations, including budgeting, forecasting, investments, financial planning, liquidity management, accounting operations, and financial reporting. 

• Oversee financial controls, risk management, audits, compliance activities, and fiduciary responsibilities to ensure organizational sustainability and accountability.

• Develop board-ready financial reports, forecasts, and analyses that support informed decision-making and strategic planning.

• Monitor organizational financial performance and ensure disciplined resource allocation consistent with Foundation priorities. 

• Protect and strengthen the Foundation's financial health through sound stewardship, effective controls, and long-term planning. 

Mission-Aligned Giving & Philanthropic Growth  

• Lead the Mission-Aligned Giving function, connecting donor interests and philanthropic investments with Morris Animal Foundation's scientific priorities.

• Oversee major gifts, planned giving, legacy giving, campaign planning, donor proposals, stewardship strategies, and pipeline development.

• Build and execute strategies that drive philanthropic revenue growth and increase investment in priority research initiatives.

• Partner with donors, trustees, and organizational leaders to cultivate meaningful relationships and long-term philanthropic support.

• Ensure disciplined revenue forecasting, donor pipeline management, and fundraising performance measurement.

Donor Experience & Performance Optimization  

• Lead Donor Experience as a comprehensive donor growth and engagement function focused on acquisition, retention, stewardship, and lifetime value. 

• Oversee donor relations, tribute giving, digital and direct response fundraising, mid-level donor programs, and engagement strategies.

• Develop and manage performance systems that leverage CRM data, donor analytics, segmentation, testing, and reporting to improve donor outcomes and organizational performance.

• Drive data-informed decision making by establishing metrics, dashboards, forecasting models, and performance reporting practices.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor retention, upgrade rates, donor lifetime value, and overall fundraising effectiveness.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development  

• Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams across Finance, Accounting, Mission-Aligned Giving, and Donor Experience.

• Establish clear expectations, accountability measures, decision rights, and performance standards across departments.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, and shared accountability.

• Mentor and develop leaders while strengthening organizational capacity for future growth and success.

Experience & Qualifications

· Significant executive leadership experience in finance, accounting, revenue growth, philanthropy, advancement, or a mission-driven enterprise of comparable complexity.

· Demonstrated financial and business judgment across planning, budgeting, forecasting, performance reporting, resource allocation, risk, and fiduciary oversight.

· Proven ability to drive revenue growth and build disciplined performance systems around pipeline, forecasting, analytics, customer/donor economics, or comparable growth engines.

· Demonstrated success leading significant change, building consensus, and influencing outcomes in a complex or matrixed organization where authority is shared.

· Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and partnering effectively with CEOs, Boards, senior leaders, donors, advisors, auditors, and external stakeholders.

· Strong analytical, communication, and listening skills, including the ability to turn complexity into clear decisions and compelling cases for mission investment.

· Strong connection to Morris Animal Foundation's mission and credibility representing a science-driven organization.

Strongly Preferred

· Experience in nonprofit advancement, major giving, planned/legacy giving, donor experience, or mission-aligned revenue generation.

· Experience with nonprofit finance, investments, restricted funds/endowments, audit, compliance, and Board fiduciary responsibilities.

· Experience using CRM, donor data, segmentation, testing, and analytics to improve revenue, retention, and lifetime value.

· Experience in scientific research, health, animal health, veterinary medicine, or another evidence-driven mission environment.

Position Specifications  

Full-time, exempt position. Job duties are performed in a general office environment and include sitting and operating a computer and other office machinery. Must be able to read, write, and communicate fluently in English. Proof of authorization to work in the United States required. 

Work Location Requirements: Hybrid Work Model (some in-office work required at MAF's central office in Denver; the specific schedule will vary based on position duties, current projects, and organizational needs). Colorado candidates preferred; remote work may be considered in certain circumstances. MAF is not currently hiring in CA, HI, NY, or NJ. Candidates are welcome to apply if willing to relocate prior to start date.