Chief Philanthropy Officer

Young Search Partners has been retained by the CEO and Board of Directors of Meals On Wheels of Tampa to recruit its next Chief Philanthropy Officer. Reporting to the CEO and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, the CPO will lead an integrated philanthropy and community engagement function encompassing development, donor relations, communications, outreach, and strategic partnerships.

The Chief Philanthropy Officer will build on a strong foundation of community trust, loyal donors, nearly 300 sustainers committed to annual support over multiple years, and approximately $3 million in annual development revenue. Working alongside the CEO, Board, and senior leadership team, the CPO will shape and lead a comprehensive philanthropy and community engagement strategy that strengthens existing support, deepens relationships, and opens new opportunities for investment and partnership.

As Meals On Wheels of Tampa prepares to serve 500 more neighbors and expand its regional impact, the organization anticipates needing to generate an additional $1 million to $1.5 million annually over the next several years through philanthropy and strategic partnerships. The CPO will establish a thoughtful, achievable path toward that goal by aligning the right people, systems, relationships, and investments while preserving the personal, community-centered approach that has defined Meals On Wheels of Tampa for more than 50 years.

Meals On Wheels of Tampa seeks a Chief Philanthropy Officer to enrich and deepen relationships across our community and grow the revenue, visibility, and partnerships needed to serve more neighbors and advance our mission.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CPO will serve as a key member of the senior leadership team and lead an integrated philanthropy and community engagement function across development, planned giving, donor relations, communications, outreach, and specialized consultants.

The Chief Philanthropy Officer joins the CFO, COO, and Senior Director of Food Services on the senior leadership team. The CPO will lead an integrated philanthropy and community engagement function.

The proposed structure includes planned investments in planned giving and other capacity as the CPO assesses the optimal team design. The successful candidate will inherit a strong foundation of donor relationships, institutional knowledge, and community goodwill. The initial assignment is not simply to manage an existing fundraising calendar; it is to shape the strategy, team, systems, and external relationships that will support Meals On Wheels of Tampa's next era of impact.

The CEO will remain actively engaged in principal gifts, strategic partnerships, and community visibility. The CPO will build the strategy, systems, pipeline, and team that make this shared work successful.

Primary Responsibilities

Philanthropy Strategy and Revenue Growth

• Create and execute a multiyear philanthropy and community engagement plan aligned with the organization's strategic vision, service expansion, operational capacity, and financial goals.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major donors, prospects, and strategic partners while equipping the CEO and Board for high-value cultivation and solicitation.
• Own annual revenue planning, forecasting, pipeline management, performance measurement, and accountability for meeting or exceeding development goals.

Partnerships Community Engagement and Visibility

• Build funding, referral, and impact partnerships with healthcare systems, insurers, corporations, foundations, civic organizations, and other regional partners.
• Strengthen the organization's brand, public presence, storytelling, and thought leadership in coordination with communications, outreach, and external consultants.
• Ensure donor, volunteer, recipient, and community communications reinforce a consistent mission narrative and support organizational growth priorities.
• Represent Meals On Wheels of Tampa at community, philanthropic, business, and sector events and cultivate relationships that expand the organization's reach and influence.

Team Leadership and Organizational Integration

• Lead, coach, and develop an integrated team spanning senior development advising, donor relations, communications and outreach, and specialized grants, marketing, and public relations consultants.
• Partner with the Senior Development Advisor to preserve donor continuity, institutional knowledge, and key relationships while establishing clear portfolios, ownership, and accountability across the team.
• Assess the optimal timing and structure for future planned giving and other capacity investigations; positions shown as planned or open on the organizational chart are not assumed to be currently filled.
• Partner closely with the CEO, CFO, COO, Senior Director of Food Services, and program leaders to connect growth priorities with operational capacity, recipient experience, volunteer engagement, and financial sustainability.
• Build a collaborative, accountable, and mission-centered culture that supports professional growth, strong execution, and shared ownership of results.

Systems Stewardship and Governance

• Strengthen CRM use, donor data, prospect management, gift processing, acknowledgment, reporting, recurring giving, and performance dashboards.
• Partner with Finance to develop the annual revenue budget, reconcile fundraising results, monitor return on investment, and provide accurate forecasts.
• Serve as the primary staff partner to the Board's philanthropy-focused committee and support the CEO in engaging the full Board in philanthropy, partnerships, and community engagement.
• Maintain high standards for donor intent, confidentiality, ethics, compliance, and stewardship.

Shared Leadership Across Functions

The CPO will lead strategy for philanthropy, donor engagement, communications, and partnership development. The CEO will remain actively engaged in principal relationships, community leadership, and major strategic opportunities. Volunteer operations and recipient service delivery will remain operational functions, with the CPO and COO partnering closely to align volunteer recruitment, community outreach, referrals, and supporter engagement.

Initial Priorities

• Assess the current revenue portfolio, donor pipeline, team capacity, systems, consultants, and near-term opportunities.
• Develop a multiyear plan for generating the philanthropic and partnership revenue needed to sustainably serve 500 more neighbors.
• Establish a coordinated major gifts, planned giving, sustainer, corporate, foundation, and healthcare partnership strategy.
• Clarify team roles, portfolios, decision rights, cross-functional partnerships, and performance expectations.
• Create practical dashboards and forecasting routines connecting activity, pipeline, revenue, retention, acquisition, return on investment, and mission growth.
• Strengthen the partnership among the CPO, CEO, Board, and community leaders in cultivating and securing significant investments.

Experience and Qualifications

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in philanthropy, advancement, fundraising, partnerships, communications, or related nonprofit leadership, including significant team leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success growing and diversifying a multimillion-dollar portfolio, personally securing major gifts or strategic investments, and advancing corporate, foundation, stewardship, retention, campaign, and event strategies. Planned giving and healthcare partnership experience are highly valued.
• Proven ability to lead teams, consultants, cross-functional initiatives, and organizational change; excellent communication skills and experience working with boards and senior community leaders; fluency with fundraising CRMs, pipeline management, forecasting, and performance measurement.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience; CFRE, CAP, or a comparable credential is preferred. Commitment to the dignity and independence of older adults and homebound neighbors is essential. Tampa Bay relationships and experience engaging diverse communities are preferred; bilingual English and Spanish capability is a plus.