Chief Development Officer (CDO)

ABOUT US:

At AbilityFirst, we are dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities achieve their personal best. Our mission is to look beyond disabilities, focus on capabilities, and expand possibilities. We believe in looking beyond disabilities, focusing on capabilities, and expanding possibilities. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to provide programs that assist people with disabilities in achieving their personal best throughout their lives.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for driving all aspects of AbilityFirst’s fundraising and external engagement efforts. This includes individual donors, foundations, and corporations. The CDO is responsible for developing and maintaining cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CDO reports to the CEO and works closely with the Board of Directors and senior staff to develop and execute a comprehensive development strategy aligned with the organization’s mission and growth objectives.

The ideal candidate is a proven fundraiser, strategic thinker, team player, effective communicator and superior writer, and skilled relationship-builder. They must be able to convey AbilityFirst’s mission in compelling ways to prospects and key stakeholders. The CDO is a results-oriented self-starter with a proven track record of securing transformational gifts, building and expanding donor relationships, developing and leading successful fundraising campaigns, and elevating brand presence.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership:

Develop and lead an annual fundraising campaign, defining revenue and activity goals along with metrics.

Oversee individual gifts, planned giving, grants/foundations, special events, corporate sponsorships, and annual appeals.

Design and implement new strategic fundraising campaigns and initiatives to diversify and grow fundraising revenues.

Manage a personal portfolio of major donors and prospects (including individuals, foundations, and corporations).

Board Engagement:

Serve as a key advisor to the CEO and Board on fundraising priorities and initiatives.

Partner with the CEO and Board members to cultivate and solicit high-level donors and prospects.

Support and build a culture of philanthropy across the organization and the Board.

Engage the Board in establishing special event/fundraising committees.

Executive Leadership Team:

Work collaboratively with the Executive Team on building and fostering a welcoming, positive, and responsive work culture.

Partner with the Executive Team on all aspects of business operations, serving as a respectful and dedicated thought partner to colleagues and helping the team move towards solutions.

Collaborate on all strategic initiatives, frameworks, and plans and actively engage in the implementation of the organization’s goals.

Donor Engagement & Stewardship:

Lead strategies for donor cultivation and retention, maintaining and expanding donor relationships

Ensure high-quality stewardship and recognition practices are consistently applied

Collaborate with Communications/Marketing to craft compelling donor-facing materials and messaging.

Team Development & Operations:

Lead, mentor, and grow the Development team to ensure high performance and accountability.

Oversee Marketing/Communications for special events and fundraising campaign collateral, including annual impact report.

Create development budgets, revenue forecasting, and donor database/CRM (e.g., Salesforce).

Ensure compliance with ethical fundraising practices and financial reporting standards.

External Relations & Brand Visibility:

Increase visibility and community awareness of AbilityFirst through events, partnerships, and media

Represent the organization in public forums, sector events, and donor/community engagements

Other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the mission of the program and organization.

A Bachelor’s Degree is required.

A CFRE certification is preferred but not required.

Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit fundraising, including major gifts and campaign planning, is required.

A proven track record of securing 6 and 7-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations is required.

Demonstrated success managing development teams and cross-functional collaboration is preferred.

Exceptional strategic planning, communication, and relationship-building skills is preferred.

Experience working directly with Boards and executive leadership is required.

Proficiency with donor databases and CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).

Deep commitment to AbilityFirst’s mission and values

A valid California driver's license with a clean driving record is required.