Chief Advancement Officer

Chief Advancement OfficerCleveland, OHThe Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) plays a critical leadership role in driving the organization's fundraising and financial strategies. This senior-level position will manage all aspects of the organization's advancement efforts, ensuring effective strategic fundraising, donor relations, and financial oversight of charitable giving and restricted funds. The CAO will work closely with the CEO, Finance Committee, Advancement Committee, Business Specialist, Communications & Grants Specialist, and Advancement Assistant to meet organizational fundraising goals, ensure proper financial oversight, and advance the organization's mission.Leadership and Management

• As a member of the leadership team, the CAO will assist with setting goals and priorities for the organization, day-to-day team management and development, and work to continuously develop and improve systems and strategies to meet business goals and objectives.
• Manage and oversee the completion of the duties/responsibilities of the advancement arm of the organization. This includes, but may not always be limited to, the Advancement Assistant, Communications & Grants Specialist, grants consultants, marketing and social media consultants, and event planners.
• Serve as a community representative for the organization, building relationships with strategic stakeholders including government officials, community leaders, volunteers, media, and more.

Fundraising and Donor Relations

• Work with the CEO to establish annual and long-range fundraising goals.
• Coordinate all efforts to ensure a cohesive and coherent plan is executed that is geared towards growth and sustainability for the organization.
• Develop and oversee giving appeals and campaigns, including the production of marketing materials, determining of campaign timelines, finalizing donor lists, developing written materials and case statements, accounting and acknowledgements, and executing donor stewardship.
• Develop, launch, and lead the major gifts program, corporate giving program, and volunteer giving program. The CAO will be responsible for developing cases for support and making asks.
• Oversee the donor stewardship process, growing relationships and ensuring all gifts are properly acknowledged, recorded, and recognized in a timely and accurate manner.
• Oversee the grants program, with a specific personal focus on foundation/corporate
• relations and financials. Grant writing and narrative reporting will be completed by grant consultants and the Communications & Grants Specialist, but the CAO will review and approve all work, determine the nature of asks, monitor and ensure appropriate fund usage, provide financial details needed for program budgets and reports, and serve as the primary contact for foundation/corporate relations along with the CEO.
• Along with the CEO and the advancement team, plan and execute fundraising events. This includes the annual major fundraiser and may include smaller events. The CAO will be responsible for developing sponsorship opportunities for events and actionable prospect pipelines, serving as the primary fundraiser.
• Use data-driven insights to inform fundraising strategies and decision-making, ensuring optimal allocation of resources.
• Serve as the primary staff liaison/lead to the Advancement Committee, working with the Chair to develop meeting agendas, provide organizational updates on fundraising, progress committee projects forward, and engage/recruit committee members.
• Along with the CEO, develop a communications plan for the organization, comprehensive of marketing platforms and methods. Oversee the work of the Communications & Grants Coordinator, marketing consultants, and social media consultants to ensure the plans are executed.

Financial Management

• Collaborate with the Business Specialist and CEO to develop and manage individual program budgets based on program needs, fundability, and organizational goals, ensuring alignment with the overall organizational budget and strategic plan.
• Work closely with the Business Specialist and CEO to monitor the organization's financial health and ensure that financial records are accurate and up-to-date.
• Work with the Advancement Assistant to ensure all pledges are received, properly recorded, and acknowledged.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure alignment of financial and fundraising goals, ensuring smooth implementation of strategies across the organization in keeping with fund receipts.
• Serve as a liaison to the Finance Committee, providing regular updates on fundraising pipelines and progress toward financial goals.
• Maintain close oversight of restricted fund usage, working with the Business Specialist to ensure compliance with funding restrictions and reporting requirements.
• Regularly analyze financial reports, donor data, and fundraising metrics to assess progress toward goals and identify areas for improvement.

Key Qualifications:

• At least 7 years of experience in fundraising within a nonprofit organization.
• At least 5 years of direct team management experience.
• At least 3 years of nonprofit financial management experience.
• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, nonprofit management/administration, or a related field is preferred.
• Proven ability to grow fundraising efforts of a nonprofit with demonstrated success in major gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience in budgeting, financial reporting, and working with financial teams. Proven ability to manage restricted funding and ensure compliance with grant restrictions.
• Excellent record-keeping and organizational skills, with proficiency in Excel and other financial management software.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present compelling information to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated expert knowledge of best practices for donor database management, gift acknowledgements, and moves management.
• Ability to succeed in a fast-paced, non-traditional work environment.
• Must pass a background check and drug screen.

Schedule: Full-Time with an in-office presence Tuesday-Friday from 8am-5pm. Some nights and weekends will be required for special events and meetings.