Chief Development Officer

To apply: Jewish Federation of St. Louis - Chief Development Officer

Position Summary:

The Federation seeks a dynamic, results-driven Chief Development Officer (CDO) with a strong track record in fundraising to lead the organizations philanthropic strategy, including the annual campaign, donor-directed giving, corporate giving, special events and planned giving.

Reporting to the CEO, the CDO serves on the executive management team and leads a 7-member Philanthropic Advancement team. The CDO is responsible for developing and executing a robust donor-centric strategy focused on stewardship, relationship management and volunteer collaboration.

The CDO will drive innovation, enhance fundraising efforts, and play a key role in identifying, cultivating and soliciting major donors while expanding the donor base across diverse demographics. Additionally, the CDO will strengthen donor retention through endowments and planned giving initiatives.

Job Responsibilities:

Leadership & Executive Management

• Develop and communicate a clear vision and strategy for expanding Jewish Federation of St. Louis Annual Campaign and Endowments.
• Relationship Building: Cultivate deep relationships within the St. Louis Jewish community and across the broader network to enhance donor engagement and support.
• Campaign and Planned Giving Enhancement: Oversee and innovate the annual campaign and implement a robust planned giving strategy to secure long-term funding.
• Cultural Change Management: Partner with the CEO to navigate and manage organizational change by socializing new ideas and reducing resistance among stakeholders.
• Total Financial Resource Development (TFRD): Increase TFRD to support the programs and services not covered by the annual campaign.
• Act as a strong and influential voice on the Federation Executive team.

Development Strategy

• Develop and implement strategies to attract new major donors.
• Develop and communicate a clear vision and strategy for expanding Jewish Federation of St. Louis Annual Campaign and Endowments.
• Create and implement a comprehensive strategic and operating plan for integrated resource development, encompassing planned giving, the Annual Campaign, supplemental giving, corporate contributions and foundation support.
• Serve as a strong organizational leader, offering guidance and direction to Jewish Federation of St. Louis fundraising staff and the Boards in all areas of Fund
• Establish a system of accountability and a constructive approach to evaluating the effectiveness and success of the Federations development activities and programs.
• Set fundraising goals and objectives with measurable outcomes aligned with the Federations mission and community priorities.

Fundraising

• Lead the professional team responsible for planning and executing financial resource development within the community, focusing on strategies to grow the Annual

Campaign, increase donor numbers, diversify the donor base, and engage the next generation of donors.

• Cultivate, steward, and strengthen strong relationships with a select portfolio of major donors, including multi- generational families, while soliciting support for the Annual Campaign, designated campaigns, and endowment funds.
• Create and implement a comprehensive strategic and operating plan for integrated resource development, encompassing planned giving, the Annual Campaign, supplemental giving, corporate contributions and foundation support.
• Drive philanthropic advancement to support Community Engagement and programming, including Womens Philanthropy, Affinities, YPD, PJ Library and Israel and Overseas initiatives.
• Establish and implement data-driven systems and structures to enable Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the community to adapt to, thrive in, and understand shifts in charitable giving and evolving trends within the Federation world.

Community Impact

• The CDO must be a community leader who will develop relationships with agencies, organizations, day schools, synagogues, and other professionals across the community.
• Strengthen St. Louis deep commitment to fundraising for Israel and the Community Partnerships.
• Ensure that the Jewish Federation of St. Louis story, message and positions are effectively communicated and shared with both the Jewish and general communities.
• Act as a visible and engaged representative of Jewish Federation of St. Louis in the community.

Board Development

• Collaborate with the Boards, Board Presidents, Campaign Chairs and the Executive Committee to drive Campaign and other fundraising objectives.
• Cultivate Board and lay leadership support for the stewardship of current and prospective donors.
• Develop relationships with agencies, organizations, day schools, synagogues, and other professionals across the community. Act as a visible and engaged representative of Jewish Federation of St. Louis in the community.
• Strengthen St. Louis deep commitment to fundraising for Israel and the Community Partnerships.
• Ensure that the Jewish Federation of St. Louis story, message and positions are effectively communicated and shared with both the Jewish and general communities.

Qualifications:

The ideal CDO candidate must have:

• At minimum of 5 years of experience in development, with a proven track record of measurable fundraising success and securing significant (6 and 7-figure) financial support.
• A demonstrated ability to cultivate and steward major donors and their families, with a strong history of monetizing these relationships.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience managing and supervising a team of dynamic development professionals.
• Prior experience working with a nonprofit Board.
• Extensive experience balancing organization management responsibilities with community development, relationship-building, and collaboration with key stakeholders.
• The ability to articulate the complex mission of Jewish Federation of St. Louis in an engaging and completing manner.
• Strong persuasive communication skills, both verbal and written, and the ability to listen effectively.
• A deep understanding of the organizational and political aspects of Jewish life locally, nationally, and internationally with proven success in raising significant funds for Jewish life.

Core Competencies and Qualifications

• Experience in Jewish communal development, preferably with a strong presence and relationships in the Jewish community.
• Proven track record in leading and managing fundraising campaigns, including annual campaigns, planned giving, and securing significant (6 and 7-figure) financial support.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic development plans aligned with organizational vision.
• Experience in building a team from scratch or rebuilding a team in addition to team leadership, coaching, and talent assessment to build a high-performing development team.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are necessary for storytelling, donor engagement, and internal collaboration.
• Familiarity with interdepartmental collaboration, especially with marketing and communications teams.
• Need to manage organizational change, navigate community politics, and reduce resistance to new initiatives.