Chief Development Officer for A Precious Child

Chief Development Officer

A Precious Child, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing children in need with opportunities and resources to empower them to achieve their full potential. A Precious Child envisions a future where every child grows up to be a secure, self-reliant, contributing member of their community.
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is A Precious Child’s lead fundraiser and the leader of our Development team. This person builds and carries out the fundraising and outreach plans that support our mission, and makes sure the organization meets or exceeds its Board-approved annual budget through individual donors, major gifts, corporate and foundation support, grants, annual giving and events.
We are looking for a proven people leader who can grow, coach and support a talented team, and a seasoned fundraiser with an established network across the Denver metro area. The ideal candidate already knows the local giving community; including donors, foundations, businesses and civic leaders, and can open new doors for A Precious Child’s growth plans.
The CDO will create and lead a strategic Development Plan that broadens and strengthens our funding base, adds new sources of support for both general operations and capital needs, and raises awareness of our programs across the region.

Leadership and Team Development:

• Lead, manage, coach, mentor and support the Development Team by setting clear goals and expectations and holding the team accountable for results.
• Build a positive, collaborative team culture based on trust, open communication and shared success.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, training and performance reviews for the Development team.
• Ensure team members have clear roles, measurable goals and the tools, training and resources they need to succeed.
• Ensure project management tools (such as Monday.com) and the Raiser’s Edge donor database are used well and consistently by the entire team.

• Ensure Development processes and procedures are documented, current and follow best practices.
• Serve on the Executive Team. Take part in senior leadership discussions, budget planning, process oversight and general organizational management.
• Participate in Board and Committee meetings and serve as a staff resource to the Board. Help Board members take an active role in fundraising and donor introductions.

Fundraising Strategy and Results

• Create and implement an annual Development Plan with the CEO that ensures clear goals, tactics, measurable outcomes and timelines.
• Personally manage and cultivate a portfolio of major donors and prospects.
• Grow the major gifts and donor pipeline, working with the Board of Trustees and CEO to deepen ties with loyal donors and find new ones.
• Raise gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, community groups, faith communities, government sources and special events to meet budget, increase revenue and expand the donor base.
• Prepare a detailed fiscal year plan and solicitation calendar for annual giving, including goal setting, donor segmentation, and all renewal, reactivation and new donor campaigns.
• Design and manage with the Chief Communications Officer the yearly donor communication and fundraising strategies across multiple channels.
• Develop and carry out plans to identify, cultivate and secure planned/legacy gifts.
• Oversee signature, private donor and third-party fundraising events.
• Oversee strategy for giving campaigns, crowdfunding campaigns and end of year giving.
• Oversee giving programs such as recurring monthly giving, employee payroll giving and employer matching.
• Support the Grant Writers in reaching foundation and government funders.
• Track funding trends so A Precious Child can stay ahead of changes in the giving landscape.
• Prepare and share regular reports that track results against goals on the annual giving dashboard, including reports to the Board of Directors.
• Work with Finance and other staff to ensure accurate reporting of fundraising revenue and expenses.

Denver Metro Community Relationships

• Use and grow an existing network of donors, business leaders, foundations and civic partners across the Denver metro area to increase support for A Precious Child.
• Serve as a visible, trusted face of A Precious Child in the community at networking events, chambers of commerce, Rotary clubs, corporations, faith communities and other groups.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with Denver-area corporations, including corporate giving, employee giving, volunteer and sponsorship programs.
• Build relationships with local and regional community and family foundations.
• Lead tours and share the impact of A Precious Child’s work with children, families and agency partners in a way that inspires a diverse range of audiences to give.
• Meet with current and prospective donors on an ongoing basis to build strong, lasting relationships.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience and Qualifications:

•  
• At least five (5) years of experience supervising, coaching and motivating staff, including experience leading a multi-person development team.
• A clear track record of building, developing and retaining high-performing teams.
• Experience serving as part of a senior or executive leadership team and working closely with a CEO and Board of Directors.
• Strong management and collaboration skills.
• Proven ability to work well with colleagues who have different working styles and skill levels.
• Hands-on supervisory knowledge of grant writing, events, donor communications and database management.
• Strategic planning experience, with the ability to set a vision for the future and build a culture that reaches long-range goals.
• At least seven (7) years of direct, progressive fundraising experience, with a track record of meeting or exceeding annual fundraising goals.
• Proven success personally asking for and closing major gifts, including five- and six-figure gifts.
• Experience growing individual giving, corporate and foundation support, and planned giving programs.
• Demonstrated ability to help raise the Board-approved budget and manage a department budget responsibly.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising strategies, trends and best practices.
• Established relationships with donors, business leaders, foundations and civic leaders in the Denver metro area.
• Deep understanding of the Colorado giving landscape, including local foundations, corporate giving programs and Colorado Gives Day.
• Comfort and skill in building relationships with high net-worth donors, grant makers, businesses, elected officials and other community leaders.