Chief Development Officer

The client seeks a highly experienced and motivated Chief Development Officer to help support the next phase of growth and strengthen its fundraising program. Reporting to the CEO and serving as a core member of the Executive Leadership Team, the role will work closely with the Board of Directors to develop and lead an ambitious, forward-looking fundraising strategy. The CDO will act as a key thought partner to the CEO and help ensure development efforts align with the organization’s operational capacity and evolving community needs. The CDO will oversee major gifts, principal gifts, and institutional partnerships, including foundations and government, as well as development communications and development operations. They will lead a development team of approximately 24 people, including the Vice President of Development, and will be responsible for driving revenue growth through these channels. The advancement function will require close collaboration with the Chief External Relations Officer to coordinate development-related activities and create synergy across teams responsible for direct response fundraising, business partnerships, enterprise-wide marketing and communications, special events, and volunteer programs. Qualifications include a strong connection to the mission and broader efforts to address food insecurity, along with at least 15 years of progressively responsible nonprofit development experience and at least 10 years in a senior leadership role. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success securing major and principal gifts from high-net-worth individuals and institutions, including experience managing annual fundraising goals at a substantial scale. Additional requirements include strong relationship-building and communication skills, knowledge of giving trends and major philanthropic players, and a track record of managing, mentoring, and retaining high-performing fundraising teams.