Job Overview

The Chief Development Officer serves as a key leadership team member and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting AVANCE. In partnership with the CEO, this position is responsible for all fundraising and business development activities. The Chief Development Officer will help forge new relationships to build AVANCE’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. The Chief Development Officer will design and implement a comprehensive plan for developing key external alliances by cultivating individual and philanthropic support and new business partners.

The Chief Development Officer will have primary responsibility for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow through the solicitation of major gifts, federal and state grants, licensing partnerships, and corporate and foundation support. They will expand and diversify AVANCE’s Nonprofit’s donor base/pipeline and work closely with other team members to secure funding for new initiatives. It is expected that the amount raised by AVANCE will increase in future years as the Chief Development Officer systematically and effectively strengthens the organization's overall fundraising capacity and secures new business partners.

Job Responsibilities

• Support and partner with the CEO on all major fundraising initiatives
• Actively work with the executive leadership team to develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy to include corporate, foundation, and government grants as well as individual donors
• Establish yearly partnership and fundraising goals
• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of key markets to support expansion of core programming and determine necessary adjustments for increased customer engagement
• Create action plans and sales strategies that will help up reach our growth initiatives — including new customer acquisition and client optimization
• Work with the CEO to bring on and cultivate new partners
• Collaborate with the Chief Program Officer (CPO) to develop a comprehensive plan to expand core programming through licensing
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop and implement AVANCE’s financial strategy
• Work with the communications team to develop and implement strategies for increasing brand awareness and increasing market share within target markets
• Have primary responsibility for development and execution of all proposals; write and archive all proposals with a long-term relationship-management approach
• Oversee research funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position AVANCE ahead of major funding changes or trends
• Monitor all donor information; provide and present statistical analysis to board and senior leaders
• Develop and implement a stewardship program aimed at cultivating deeper ties with donors
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program
• Identify, develop, and mentor the development team
• Performs other duties as assigned

AVANCE Core Competencies

• Execution & Accountability
• Problem Solving & Decision-Making
• Communication & Influence
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Stakeholder Focus
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning

Education

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or similar field required

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in business, marketing, or similar field

Work Experience

Required:

• Five-plus years of having expanded and cultivated existing donor relationships over time in a nonprofit organization.
• Demonstrated success building the business development, marketing, and relationship management of people, processes and systems to drive and support growth.
• Proven track record in enhancing financial growth and sustainability for non-profits.

Preferred:

• Ten-plus years of progressive successful development experience in a high growth, partner-driven organization.

Additional Skills

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships
• Strong organizational skills
• Flexible and adaptable style; a leader who can positively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising initiatives
• Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside AVANCE
• High energy and passion for AVANCE’s mission is essential
• Strong alignment with AVANCE’s values, especially in meeting our clients where they are
• Ability to construct, articulate, and implement annual strategic development plan
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Customer focus

Travel 

• Ability to travel to various sites: Dependable transportation is required daily with a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record (subject to annual MVR (Motor Vehicle Report) check and policy), current auto liability insurance and be bondable by AVANCE, Inc.
• Travel required up to 25% of the time for work-related site visits, meetings, and functions.

Working Conditions  

• Work is generally performed in an office environment.
• Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).
• Standard office equipment generally used includes:
  • Telephone
  • Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet
  • Printer/Photocopy Machine
  • Calculator

• May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties. 

Mental and Physical Demands  

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Factors  

ADA/ADAAA Statement

AVANCE is committed to equal opportunity in employment for persons with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, and any other applicable state and federal laws. Accordingly, AVANCE does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in regard to application, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, training or other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. Moreover, it is AVANCE’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations in employment to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of AVANCE’s business or would change the essential functions of the position. Retaliation against an individual with a disability for utilizing this policy or seeking a reasonable accommodation is prohibited.  Individuals with any questions or requests for accommodation should contact the Human Resources Department.