Under the direction of the President & Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Development Officer serves as a member of the President/CEO’s senior leadership team, providing strategic leadership in financial development to advance the YMCA’s mission through annual giving, capital campaigns, government and foundation grants, as well as endowment bequests and gifts. Partners with the CEO in engaging our volunteers and Governance Board in active philanthropy, and helps to position the YMCA as a vital community resource – powerfully communicating our organizational impact for greater influence and reach.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Fund Functions and Responsibilities:

• Inspires and influences an environment conducive to success in fund development. Champions and creates a culture of philanthropy.
• Collaboratively partners with association leadership and key stakeholders to develop and implement a funding strategy that aligns and supports the long-term fundraising needs of the organization. Provides subject matter guidance and education.
• Serve as a peer and partner of the President/CEO in representing the Y out in the community with a goal of building strategic relationships. High visibility and engagement in the community is a must.
• Directs and coordinates association capital development, annual campaign and endowment programs.
• Develops communication plans to insure members, participants, and the community understand the case for support.
• Work with Marketing Team to create campaign resources for staff and volunteers including campaign packets, website design, capital project booklets, etc…
• Develops processes and is actively involved in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major gift prospects.
• Serves as primary staff to the Financial Development Committee and other assigned committees of the Board of Directors. Develops strategies to increase volunteer involvement at all levels of financial development.
• Ensures proper tracking of all gifts and pledges by source and purpose, and provides reports as needed. Works with finance/accounting/information technology/data management teams ensuring the receipting of contributed revenues are managed according to approved practices and data integrity processes are followed. Through indirect supervision of the development support staff, ensures thank you letters/acknowledgements, billings, tax letters, capital pledge payments, etc. are accurately produced and mailed in a timely and efficient manner. Ensures proper maintenance of database resource files on all donors and prospects.
• Strategically guides the association’s key special events to ensure quality and consistent messaging.
• Prepares and coordinates proposals for grants from government sources and private foundations.
• Develops systems and manages resources needed to carry out the fundraising plans. Establishes and monitors the financial development department budget for the Tampa YMCA.
• Develops appropriate fundraising policies and procedures for the association.
• Provides training in fund raising. Educates, motivates and provides feedback to individuals related to best practices in the fundraising process.

Team Leadership 

• Provides leadership to development staff members to create and maintain meaningful and impactful relationships with members, program participants, volunteers and community leaders.
• Mentors and guides our local Y Executive Team on all philanthropic endeavors.
• Ensure teams are executing on Association initiatives.
• Represents the YMCA with key community organizations and events as required.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education/ Experience Required:

• BA/BS from an accredited college or university in business, non-profit management, public relations or related field, or equivalent experience required. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of eight years of experience in fundraising, annual campaign, capital campaign, planned giving, major gifts, moves management and grant management required. Proven experience in cultivating and soliciting donations.
• Minimum of four years of experience in staff supervision/development and volunteer development required. Desire and proven ability to provide strong leadership to inspire, influence, develop and motivate staff and volunteers.
• Highly motivated with the consistent ability to meet or exceed goals, cultivate and retain donors and volunteers, and drive change.
• Ability to quickly build rapport and develop effective relationships with members, volunteers, donor prospects and others to achieve goals.
• Consistently self-driven and goal-oriented with the ability to set effective team and individual goals and take ownership for results.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and adapt to changing contexts and priorities.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to identify and leverage relevant data to use in planning and decision-making.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to understand, adapt to and interact with diverse people, teams, perspectives and cultures. Ability to relate and interact with top community leaders.
• Proficient in using email, Internet, and other PC-based applications (e.g. Microsoft Office, customer service/tracking applications) with the ability to learn and adapt to new technology.

Certifications/Trainings Required:

• CFRE or equivalent preferred; YMCA Organizational Leader certification preferred.
• Must obtain within 30 days of employment and then maintain current certifications in CPR, First Aid, AED and Oxygen Administration.
• Maintain position-specific required certifications as agreed upon with supervisor.