Chief Advancement Officer

United Way Worldwide; Sarasota (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

United Way Suncoast is seeking a Chief Advancement Officer to provide strategic leadership for the organization’s integrated advancement function, overseeing revenue development, marketing, and communications. The role reports to the CEO and focuses on growing, diversifying, and sustaining philanthropic investment across multiple income streams.

The CAO will lead a results-oriented team, establish measurable goals, and align advancement activities with UWS’s mission and community impact.

Qualifications

• Fifteen years of relevant experience with senior leadership and revenue growth.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; CFRE preferred.
• Evening and weekend availability.
• Ability to travel throughout the Suncoast region.
• Bilingual or multilingual (English/Spanish/Creole) a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead an integrated advancement strategy to drive sustainable revenue growth and diversify funding sources.
• Oversee an integrated marketing and communications strategy aligned with fundraising priorities.
• Build, lead, and retain a high-performing Advancement team with clear goals.
• Manage departmental budgeting, revenue forecasting, and resource allocation.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree (related field)

CFRE preferred

Job description

Location: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto Counties, FL (Hybrid Work Environment)

Why United Way Suncoast?

Do you want to be part of a non-profit organization that makes a difference in your community? Do you want to be part of a passionate team focused on improving the lives of others? Now is your opportunity! United Way Suncoast is seeking a Chief Advancement Officer to provide strategic leadership for United Way Suncoast's (UWS) integrated advancement function, encompassing revenue development, marketing, and communications. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the CAO is responsible for developing and executing an ambitious, sustainable advancement strategy that grows and diversifies revenue, strengthens donor and partner relationships, elevates organizational visibility, and advances the UWS mission.

The CAO leads a results-oriented team focused on expanding philanthropic investment through individual giving, major and planned gifts, workplace giving campaigns, corporate partnerships, institutional funding, and emerging revenue opportunities. This leader will identify and pursue new sources of revenue, build a strong pipeline of prospective donors and partners, and establish clear goals, performance metrics, and accountability for achieving results.

The CAO also oversees marketing and communications, ensuring that UWS's brand, storytelling, and external messaging are aligned with organizational strategy and reinforce a compelling, consistent narrative about the organization's impact and value to the community. By integrating revenue strategy with communications, the CAO will strengthen the connection between awareness, engagement, philanthropy, and long-term donor loyalty.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, entrepreneurial, and execution-oriented leader who can translate vision into measurable results, inspire high-performing teams, and build the systems, relationships, and organizational discipline necessary to grow revenue and position UWS for long-term sustainability.

Objectives:

• Develop and execute an integrated Advancement strategy that drives sustainable revenue growth, diversifies funding sources, strengthens donor relationships, and advances UWS's mission and long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead the development and execution of diversified fundraising strategies across individual giving, major and planned gifts, corporate partnerships, institutional funding, and workplace giving. Identify and pursue new revenue opportunities, modernize existing fundraising models, and reduce reliance on any single funding source.
• Oversee the development and execution of an integrated marketing and communications strategy that advances UWS's organizational priorities, strengthens brand awareness, engages key audiences, and supports revenue growth and community impact.
• Ensure consistent, compelling, and aligned messaging across all internal and external communications. Partner with the CEO and executive leadership to articulate UWS's mission, impact, strategic priorities, and value to donors, partners, employees, and the broader community.
• Align marketing, communications, storytelling, and donor engagement strategies with fundraising priorities to strengthen donor acquisition, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention. Establish measurable objectives to evaluate communications effectiveness, audience engagement, campaign performance, and return on marketing investment.
• Build and strengthen mission-centered relationships with philanthropists, corporate leaders, foundations, and other strategic partners. Personally lead and support high-level cultivation and solicitation efforts, secure leadership gifts, and develop data-informed strategies to grow philanthropic investment.
• Engage and equip the CEO, Board of Directors, executive leadership, and other staff in advancing a culture of philanthropy. Provide strategic guidance on donor portfolios, relationship management, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to maximize organizational fundraising effectiveness.
• Ensure Advancement strategies align with UWS's Community Impact model, organizational priorities, and the needs of the communities served. Partner with executive leadership to connect funding opportunities, programmatic priorities, and impact storytelling.
• Provide strategic leadership to volunteer committees, campaign leadership, and other volunteer structures that support fundraising, donor engagement, and organizational priorities.
• Recruit, develop, lead, and retain a high-performing Advancement team with clear responsibilities, measurable goals, and a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and results. Establish consistent performance management practices and ensure team resources and capabilities align with organizational goals.
• Lead departmental budgeting, revenue forecasting, expense management, and resource allocation. Partner with the CEO and CFO to assess performance, evaluate investments, and ensure Advancement strategies support UWS's financial sustainability.
• Establish and maintain effective operating procedures, policies, and processes that promote consistency, accountability, collaboration, and efficient execution across the Advancement function.
• Embody and consistently reinforce Our Suncoast Code and Values, demonstrating effective leadership of self, team, and organization while fostering a culture of integrity, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Skills for Success:

• Typically requires fifteen (15) years of relevant experience including significant senior leadership experience and a demonstrated record of revenue growth and diversification.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; CFRE preferred.
• Ability to work some evening and weekend hours.
• Ability to work and drive extensively in the field within the Suncoast region.
• Bilingual or multilingual (English/Spanish/Creole) a plus.