Chief Development Officer

Description

Chief Development Officer, Girls Inc.
Position Statement

The Opportunity

For more than 150 years, Girls Inc. has inspired all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Through a national network of local affiliates across the United States and Canada, Girls Inc. gives girls research-based programming, mentoring relationships, and safe, girls-only spaces where they build the skills and confidence to navigate life's challenges and pursue their dreams. Girls Inc. also advocates for policies and practices that expand opportunities for girls everywhere.

Girls Inc. is seeking a visionary and accomplished Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead the organization's fundraising strategy at a pivotal moment of growth. This is a rare opportunity for a seasoned development leader to shape the resources behind a mission that changes lives, and to help ensure every girl has the support she needs to thrive.

The Role

Reporting to the President and CEO and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CDO will design and lead a comprehensive, organization-wide fundraising strategy. The CDO will build and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, corporate partners, and board members, and will lead a high-performing development team to significantly grow and diversify revenue.

The CDO will be a strategic thought partner to the CEO and board, a visible ambassador for Girls Inc., and a collaborative leader who works across the organization and the affiliate network to strengthen fundraising capacity at every level.

Key Areas of Impact

• Revenue growth and strategy: develop and execute an ambitious, multi-year fundraising plan that expands and diversifies revenue across individual, institutional, corporate, and planned giving.
• Major and transformational gifts: personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-level donors and partners, and position Girls Inc. for transformational investments.
• Board and executive partnership: equip and engage the CEO and board members as effective fundraisers and champions of the mission.
• Team leadership: build, mentor, and inspire a talented development team, creating a culture of excellence, accountability, and collaboration.
• Network impact: partner with the affiliate network to share best practices, strengthen fundraising capacity, and      coordinate national and local efforts.
• Data and infrastructure: use data, systems, and analytics to guide strategy, measure results, and continuously improve performance.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic, relationship-driven development executive with a proven record of securing major and transformational gifts and growing revenue at a national or multi-site organization. They bring:

• 10 or more years of progressive fundraising leadership experience, including senior-level management of development teams
• A demonstrated record of closing six- and seven-figure gifts
• Experience partnering with CEOs and boards to build a strong culture of philanthropy
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and relationship-building skills
• A collaborative, inclusive leadership style and the ability to lead through influence
• A deep commitment to equity and to Girls Inc.'s mission of inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold

Why Girls Inc.?

This is a chance to lead fundraising for one of the nation's most respected youth-serving organizations, with a powerful brand, a proven model, and a clear vision for the future. The next Chief Development Officer will play a defining role in expanding Girls Inc.'s reach and impact for generations of girls to come.

Location: New York, NY (hybrid); based at the Girls Inc. National Headquarters, with 2 days per week in the office.

Requirements

Departmental Role: 

To lead, develop and direct a comprehensive and integrated fund development plan to secure unrestricted and restricted contributed income to advance the vision, mission, business plan and annual goals of Girls Inc.  

Position Summary: 

Responsibilities: 

• Work closely with the President/CEO and Board leadership to set high standards of philanthropy within Girls Inc. 
• Monitor philanthropic trends and develop short- and long-term fundraising strategies aimed at maximizing contributed income from individuals, foundations, and corporations as appropriate. 
• Solicit gifts 
• Increase annual giving levels to reach approximately $20 million 
• Formulate, coordinate and monitor all fund development programs within Girls Inc.
• Major Gifts & Planned Giving 
• Annual Fund (direct mail and affinity group strategies, e.g. Director's Circle) 
• Special Events (Celebration Luncheons and other events) 
• Cause Related Marketing 
• Institutional Giving/Grants 
• Capital and asset building campaigns 
• Work closely with the Pres/CEO, COO, CFO and department heads to assess fundraising needs as determined by business plan goals, operating needs and annual plan priorities.  
• Prepare, with Pres/CEO, COO and CFO, the annual income plan for unrestricted and temporarily restricted funds. 
• Work with all development directors to develop annual fundraising budgets, and to prepare and monitor income projections, progress reports and long-range/business plan forecasts. 
• Provide staff leadership to the Philanthropic Development Committee; serve as a staff advisor regarding income forecasts to the Fiscal Oversight Committee; and serve on other board and staff task groups as appropriate. 
• Maintain and develop new contacts with funders, both individuals and organizations, and build the involvement of the President/CEO and Board members in the solicitation and donor stewardship processes. 
• Direct, coordinate, and support ancillary activities of the fundraising plan including prospect research, development of proposals and appeals, reports to funders, and donor acknowledgements.  
• Oversee the implementation of data management systems and fundraising records for all Girls Inc. fundraising activities. 
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications Department to develop and publish fundraising related materials (annual report, newsletters, brochures, website content) and activities including special events, honorees and spokespersons, cultivation and marketing opportunities.  
• Provide support to Pres/CEO in developing, with appropriate staff and volunteers, an overall approach to fundraising as relates to Girls Inc. affiliates. 
• Participate as a member of the Girls Inc. Leadership Team, communicating the fund development goals and objectives, and seeking opportunities for synergy with other organizational strategies to advance the Girls Inc. vision and mission. 

Supervisory Responsibilities:  

Director of Corporate Partnerships, Director of Institutional Giving, Director of Major Gifts, and other development staff as appropriate.  

Job Qualifications and Skills:  

• Ten or more years of experience in diversified fundraising; demonstrated experience in strategic philanthropy, marketing, major and capital gifts solicitation, donor stewardship, and long-range fund development planning, proposal development and presentation.; or equivalent experience. 
• Advanced degree in organizational development, non-profit or public administration, marketing or business, or equivalent experience. 
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills; ability to create and sustain strong working relationships with donors, board members and staff. 
• Demonstrated success in a leadership role; ability to serve as an articulate and compelling spokesperson for the organization. 
• Passion about the organization’s mission. 
• Entrepreneurial; ability to recognize opportunities and proactively pursue them. 
• Ability to synthesize disparate ideas and organizational needs; strong strategic planning skills. 
• Must be able to appreciate, embrace and advance diversity and have experience working with multicultural populations 
• Understands and thrives in a team environment. 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
• Exceptional organizational skills. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.  

Girls Inc. Benefits: 

• 2-day hybrid work schedule out of our NYC office, with one of those days being Tuesday.  
• Vacation, Sick, & Personal Time + 11 company holidays  
• Healthcare, vision, and dental insurance  
• Gente Card (HRA benefit) provided by Girls Inc.  
• 401(k) available with up to a 5% employer match  
• Wellness Stipend  
• Fun, friendly office environment  
• Professional development opportunities 

OUR MISSION 

To inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. 

OUR VALUES 

The Girls Inc. Strategic Plan, Leveraging the Network and the Brand, reaffirmed the values that underlie our work: 

• Respect the dignity of each human being. 

• Recognize and support the strength in every girl. 

• Appreciate, embrace, and advance diversity. 

• Drive for results anchored in accountability. 

• Operate collaboratively. 

Girls Inc. Character Pillars  

• Confidence                           
• Respect  
• Emotional Intelligence         
• Self -Advocacy  
• Critical Thinking                   
• Kindness 

Equal Opportunity Employment Opportunity & Non-Discrimination Policy 

At Girls Inc., employment is based upon one’s capabilities and qualifications. It is the policy of Girls Inc. to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, military status and political belief or any other protected characteristic as protected by law. Girls Inc. prohibits and will not tolerate any such discrimination or harassment by supervisors or employees. Girls Inc. will not tolerate harassment of our employees by anyone, including vendors. 

The policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and non-discrimination applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment, hiring, training, evaluation, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, layoff, termination, and all other privileges and conditions of employment. 

Employees’ questions or concerns relating to Equal Employment Opportunity, discrimination and harassment should be referred to the Office of People and Culture. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any employee violating this policy. 

As a measure of creating awareness, Girls Inc. will include the statement, ‘Equal Opportunity Employer’ in all advertisements and job postings.
 
 

Our Workplace 

We believe that in order to be most effective in generating positive and measurable outcomes for the girls we serve, we must always value what makes each of us unique. We must respect and appreciate the multitude of ideas, approaches, and perspectives that result from people of different backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and experiences coming together for a common purpose. We must not discriminate against anyone for any reason. 

We also believe that our organization should mirror the girls and communities we serve, so our Girls Inc. community of management, staff, and volunteers reflects the girls and young women who participate in our programs.