Chief Development Officer

Chief Development Officer

Covenant House Missouri (CHMO) welcomes youth who are runaway, trafficked, at-risk, or experiencing homelessness with unconditional love, absolute respect and a place to call home. Beyond shelter and basic needs, we deliver transformative solutions to help young people ages 16 to 24 build productive, independent and sustainable lives.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) plays a critical role in driving the organization's growth and is responsible for leading growth strategies, fundraising, partnerships, and overall business development. The ideal leader in this role is a skilled and experienced fundraiser, strategic, and a mission-driven leader who ensures sustainable growth, deepens donor engagement, and maximizes the impact of an organization. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CDO is expected to align fundraising and development efforts with the organization's mission, vision, and long-term goals.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a full-time position. The CDO is responsible for all aspects of successful fundraising and development, inclusive of strategy and planning, crafting the case for support, annual events and campaigns, individual giving, corporate and foundation grants, online and digital fundraisers, legacy gifts, donor research and prospecting, engagement and stewardship, marketing and communications, technology and data management, and compliance and ethics. In partnership with the Chief Executive Officer, this position is responsible for leading growth strategies, fundraising, partnerships, and overall business development. The CDO serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Fundraising Leadership and Revenue Generation

• Create Organizational Fundraising Strategy
• Set Clear Goals
• Building Relationships
• Engage Stakeholders
• Ambassador
• Identify Target Donors
• Donor Stewardship
• Grant Management
• Evaluating Success
• Event Planning and Campaigns
• Marketing and Outreach

Organizational Leadership

• Strategic Leadership
• Make Critical Decisions
• Growth-Mindset
• Monitor and Report
• Forecast
• Collaboration
• Financial Oversight & Fiduciary Responsibility
• Time and Priorities
• Utilization

Talent Leadership, Management & Development

• Hiring and Talent Development
• Empower Teams & Effective Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Mentorship
• Transparency
• Succession Planning

Performance Excellence, Monitoring, Impact Evaluation, & Accountability

• Measure Success
• Accountability
• Critical Thinking

Supervisory Duties

This position directly supervises the Director of Development, Volunteer & Community Relationship Coordinator, Donor Database and Stewardship Specialist, Grant Management Specialist, and Marketing and Communications Specialist.

Working Relationships

Regular internal contact with all CHMO staff, members of the Board of Directors, outside contact with vendors and suppliers, and regular contact with outside agencies.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Bachelor's degree required in Marketing, Public Relations, Business Administration, Communications, Human Services or related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years professional experience overall, with a minimum of five years' experience in direct fundraising across many public and private channels.
• Minimum of 3 years' experience managing a team of at least three staff members.
• A proven track record of successfully soliciting six- and seven-figure gifts from both individuals and institutions.
• Have an understanding of and appreciation for the importance of developing operations and cross-team collaboration, especially with finance and program.
• Know how to support a CEO to be an effective fundraiser.
• Use data to inform strategies and decisions.
• Would enjoy working as a part of a federated organizational system.
• Are a passionate and engaging public speaker with excellent negotiation skills.
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and scaling business or nonprofit initiatives.
• LOVE fundraising!
• Non-profit youth serving or housing focused leadership experience preferred.
• Knowledge in mental health, trauma, substance abuse, homelessness, and the impact of poverty.

In addition to the above requirements, candidate must

• Have a valid driver's license.
• Follow all agency policies;
• Pass State Child Abuse and Neglect and criminal background checks;
• Carry out the essential functions of the position with, or without, accommodation.
• Perform all job duties in a manner which demonstrates a commitment to organizational values and mission.
• Demonstrate awareness, understanding, and cultural competence and ethnic diversity of clients, staff and other community partners.

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated history of leading high-performing development teams with integrity, transparency, and accountability in fundraising practices.
• Strong relationship management skills with donors, board members, and stakeholders.
• Understands financial management, budgeting, and ROI on fundraising initiatives.
• Demonstrated history of using analytics and donor data to refine fundraising strategies.
• Ability to navigate changes in donor behavior, market trends, and technology.
• Ability to cultivate and steward donor relationships for long-term support.
• Creative approach to solving fundraising challenges.
• Comfortable with digital transformation and new fundraising technologies.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, assessment tools, database systems, and Windows environment.

Work Environment/ Physical Demands

• Moderate concentration.
• Frequent interruptions.
• Moderate noise level.
• Moderate travel
• On-call responsibilities.
• Moderate sitting, standing and eye strain, light walking, bending and lifting.