Chief Development Officer

About the role

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will report to and partner with the President & CEO on fundraising efforts and lead a culture of philanthropy at the United Way of Greater Newark (UWGN).

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy and program with a focus on increasing individual giving (family foundations, individuals, and major donors).
• Lead and manage key relationships and donor lifecycles, including stewardship and recognition.
• Work in collaboration with the CEO on annual and long-term strategic financial planning to ensure organizational growth and sustainability.
• Develop a robust Corporate Partners program that enhances current and future corporate relationships through employee giving, volunteerism, and corporate support of UWGN initiatives.
• Outline concrete fundraising metrics and benchmarks, track ongoing goals to accurately measure growth and determine areas of opportunity.
• Report on progress on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
• Leverage and integrate development strategies using UWGN’s media and digital platforms, including the website, newsletters, and social media.
• Ensure alignment between fundraising best practices and the organization's mission and values.
• Research, identify and cultivate individual giving and major gift opportunities.
• Partner with the CEO and board to solicit major gifts and develop tailored proposals in alignment with donors’ interests and organizational priorities.
• Manage the organization's donation management system and other aspects of donor stewardship and communication.
• Report monthly on metrics relating to individual donor acquisition, retention, and engagement.
• Create and maintain a suite of fundraising materials to include, but not limited to, organization and program materials, case-making materials, promotional decks, and reports.
• Plan and execute development events to include cultivation events and annual fundraisers.
• Create and implement strategies to engage affinity groups including Women’s United and Young Professionals United, with the goal of increasing membership, participation, and revenue.
• Lead and mentor a team of three, fostering a culture of accountability, results, collaboration, and communication.

Qualifications

• Commitment to and excitement for UWGN’s mission.
• A desire to network and build meaningful and trust-based relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and constituents.
• Demonstrated leadership experience; a desire to foster and implement a culture of philanthropy for an organization.
• At least 10 years of development experience and a proven track record of raising at least $1-2M annually from a diverse stream of contributed revenues.
• Extensive experience with individual giving, major donors, and corporations.
• Track record of increasing existing donor bases and securing major gifts ranging from five to six figures.
• Excellent understanding of development principles, techniques, and strategy, including annual giving, major giving, event planning, and community/workplace campaigns.
• An excellent storyteller, with the ability to successfully and effectively tell the story of UWGN to an array of stakeholders.
• Strong fluency with CRM’s and best practices around data collection and maintenance.
• Experience in building a data-driven team culture.
• Ability to utilize, leverage, and evolve data to convey stories and impact to a variety of audiences.
• Experience with board management and working with development committees.
• Entrepreneurial self-starter that takes initiative, prioritizes, ideates, and implements multiple projects effectively in a collaborative and fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and effective networking.