Position Overview
The Advising Corps seeks a proven and entrepreneurial development professional to lead our development efforts. The Chief Development Officer (“CDO”) will serve on the organization’s senior leadership team which is responsible for organization-wide strategy and operations. In addition, the individual will work closely with the Board of Directors and Founder and CEO to ensure development success, and, potentially, build a Development Team to achieve our ambitious fundraising goals and steward our donor relationships with sophistication.
Over the next five years, the CDO will be responsible for significantly increasing our national philanthropic revenue. To achieve these objectives, he/she must be adept and have a successful history of identifying, cultivating, and closing multi-year commitments from individual, family, corporate, government, and institutional investors, including six- and seven-figure commitments. He/she must also be resourceful and creative in identifying new, high-potential prospect networks as well as leveraging the College Advising Corps’ existing relationships.
The CDO will be a proactive frontline fundraiser responsible for cultivating and expanding the major gift pipeline. The CDO will be responsible for the design and execution of the organization’s fundraising strategy across all development functions including major gifts, corporate and foundation giving for annual operations. In addition to expanding the Advising Corps’ current fundraising programs, the CDO will work with senior leadership and the development team to create and implement new revenue streams.
The CDO will also participate in external engagement with a wide range of sectors, including government, nonprofit, technology, academia, corporate, philanthropy, and media. The CDO will be able to move seamlessly between these sectors and cultivate lasting relationships to advance the Advising Corps.
Candidates will demonstrate passionate alignment with the Advising Corps’ mission, tenacious drive to convince strategic partners to join our cause, an engaging intelligence and curiosity, a nose for finding the win-win opportunities in partnerships, impeccable follow-through, and an ability to bring out the best in colleagues and board members.
As the Advising Corps is staffed leanly, operates nationally, has many partners, and is supported from diverse, complex funding sources, the CDO must manage multiple roles in the design, delivery, and maintenance of development initiatives.
Job Responsibilities
Key responsibilities for the position are as follows:
Expand the Advising Corps’ prospect pipeline and funding base by accessing new networks and leveraging the Advising Corps’ existing networks;
Identify, cultivate, and secure six- and seven-figure, multi-year commitments from individual, family, philanthropic and corporate donors;
Effectively communicate the Advising Corps’ mission, vision, strategy, and value proposition to ensure the Advising Corps’ prospective investors are informed, aligned, inspired, and engaged;
Build and maintain strong, positive relationships with individual, family, institutional, and corporate prospects, working collaboratively and strategically with the Advising Corps’ development team, senior staff, and Board of Directors;
Develop meaningful and compelling engagement opportunities for the Advising Corps’ existing donor community, connecting them powerfully to our mission and impact;
Provide strategic support and guidance to the Advising Corps’ programs at partner universities as they craft development strategies and build their donor base; and
Contribute to the Advising Corps’ professional, high-performance environment.
Competencies
The CDO will be a mature leader with experience in development for a national non-profit organization and/or a university.
The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following competencies and attributes:
Demonstrable passion for the Advising Corps’ mission.
A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree; a Master’s degree would be a plus.
Minimum 10 years of high-level professional experience, including at least 5 in frontline fundraising.
Broad and deep knowledge of the myriad components that comprise a successful fundraising program, including annual, capital, major, public sector grants, corporate and foundation giving.
Experience supporting satellite programs or partner programs in their development efforts, fundraising and relationship building at both the national and local levels.
Successful track record of identifying, cultivating and closing 6+ figure major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations.
Ability to bridge fundraising planning and goal setting with execution.
Experience with the design and execution of capital campaign efforts.
Excellent management skills.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills and comfort working with remote partners.
Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills, plus excellent organization skills.
The highest writing skills with attention to clarity and tailoring writing to appropriate audience.
Ability to craft resonant messaging both internally and externally.
Unwavering attention to detail.
Mature and proactive.
Persistent.
Diplomatic problem-solver.
Ability to travel up to 40-50% of the time.
Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, Board of Directors and staff.
Ability to operate as an effective tactical as well as strategic thinker.
Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a team while fostering a team-focused environment that encourages collaboration and peer support.
How to apply
If you are interested in applying, please send your resume (w/ references), cover letter to Chuck Kaylor at ckaylor@advisingcorps.org