Chief Development Officer

Islamic Relief USA; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) in Alexandria, VA seeks a dynamic Chief Development Officer to lead fundraising, develop strategy, and ensure financial sustainability. Reporting to the CEO, the CDO will oversee major gifts, capital campaigns, donor services, marketing, and engagement teams.

The role requires strategic leadership, exceptional communications, and the ability to build lasting partnerships with foundations, corporations, and government funders, while aligning program impact with revenue

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years in professional fundraising and development.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
• Proven track record leading fundraising initiatives and campaigns.
• Ability to build and maintain long-term donor and partner relationships.
• Extensive experience with digital fundraising, social media campaigns and donor tech.
• Strong management, mentoring and team leadership capabilities.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate plans into action.
• Demonstrated creativity with new media technologies for fundraising.
• Proven capacity to engage diverse stakeholders including foundations, corporations, institutions.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to strategic and operational planning as a member of the executive committee.
• Develops and executes a comprehensive fundraising strategy to meet revenue goals.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, and funders.
• Lead capital campaigns, annual giving, grants, and special events.
• Oversee donor engagement programs ensuring stewardship and recognition.
• Represent IRUSA at events to improve visibility and donor engagement.
• Build and lead a high-performing development and marketing team.
• Collaborate with program teams to communicate impact and stories to donors.
• Monitor fundraising metrics and prepare reports for senior leadership and board.
• Diversify revenue streams and manage development budget and compliance.
• Provide leadership for branding and revenue-generation campaigns.

Skills

Fundraising Leadership

Stakeholder Relations

Digital Fundraising

Donor Management

Team Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Communication Skills

Travel Willingness

Work Eligibility

Diversity & Partnership Building

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Donor Management Systems

Job description

Position Summary

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Chief Development Officer (CDO) to develop, execute, and oversee the organization’s fundraising and development strategy and activities to ensure financial sustainability and stimulate growth. The CDO is a c-suite executive leadership position reporting directly to the CEO. The CDO will work closely with the CEO, Executive Committee, staff, and external stakeholders to develop and implement fundraising strategies , strengthen relationships with donors, foundations, corporations and funding partners, and expand and advance the organization’s mission through innovative resource mobilization. As a member of the Executive Committee, the CDO oversees and supervises various divisions including: community fundraising, major gifts, donor services, corporate gifts, marketing, planning giving and engagement teams. The candidate must possess and demonstrate strategic leadership, communications, community relations, management, and creative problem-solving skills. The candidate must also demonstrate a commitment to IRUSA’s faith-based values, humanitarian principles, and the vision and mission for the organization.

• Contributes to IRUSA’s strategic and operational planning and execution as a member of the executive committee; collaborates with the CEO to identify external organizational challenges and spearhead effective solutions.


• Develops and executes a comprehensive fundraising strategy to meet annual and long-term revenue goals.


• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with high net worth individuals, foundations, corporations and government funders.


• Lead the planning and implementation of major capital campaigns, annual giving, grant applications, and special events.


• Oversee donor engagement programs, ensuring excellent stewardship and lasting organizational recognition.


• Represent the organization at fundraising events and engagements, including public speaking engagements to enhance visibility, donor engagement, and successful fundraising activities.


• Build and lead a high-performing development and marketing team, providing mentorship, alignment, efficiency, and ensuring professional growth.


• Collaborate with program teams to communicate impact and success stories that inspire and stimulate donor support.


• Monitor and analyze fundraising performance metrics and prepare regular reports for senior management and the board of directors.


• Follow funding trends and potential opportunities to diversify and expand revenue streams, particularly in the international humanitarian NGO sector.


• Manage the development budget and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and donor requirements.


• Develop and implement a strategy to diversify the organization's revenue streams.


• Help prepare, develop and implement the organization's annual budget, track fundraising expenses and revenue, provide performance reports to the CEO, Board and executive committee, and adjust strategies based on need.


• Provide leadership and guidance to the organization branding, brand visibility and brand reputation.


• Engage senior leadership on developing and executing branding and revenue generation campaigns.


• Ensure alignment between programmatic needs and fundraising strategies. Performs other duties as assigned.

JOB TITLE: Chief Development Officer
LOCATION: Alexandria, VA
STATUS: Full-Time
DEPARTMENT: Executive

Position Summary

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Chief Development Officer (CDO) to develop, execute, and oversee the organization’s fundraising and development strategy and activities to ensure financial sustainability and stimulate growth. The CDO is a c-suite executive leadership position reporting directly to the CEO. The CDO will work closely with the CEO, Executive Committee, staff, and external stakeholders to develop and implement fundraising strategies , strengthen relationships with donors, foundations, corporations and funding partners, and expand and advance the organization’s mission through innovative resource mobilization. As a member of the Executive Committee, the CDO oversees and supervises various divisions including: community fundraising, major gifts, donor services, corporate gifts, marketing, planning giving and engagement teams. The candidate must possess and demonstrate strategic leadership, communications, community relations, management, and creative problem-solving skills. The candidate must also demonstrate a commitment to IRUSA’s faith-based values, humanitarian principles, and the vision and mission for the organization.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Contributes to IRUSA’s strategic and operational planning and execution as a member of the executive committee; collaborates with the CEO to identify external organizational challenges and spearhead effective solutions.


• Develops and executes a comprehensive fundraising strategy to meet annual and long-term revenue goals.


• Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with high net worth individuals, foundations, corporations and government funders.


• Lead the planning and implementation of major capital campaigns, annual giving, grant applications, and special events.


• Oversee donor engagement programs, ensuring excellent stewardship and lasting organizational recognition.


• Represent the organization at fundraising events and engagements, including public speaking engagements to enhance visibility, donor engagement, and successful fundraising activities.


• Build and lead a high-performing development and marketing team, providing mentorship, alignment, efficiency, and ensuring professional growth.


• Collaborate with program teams to communicate impact and success stories that inspire and stimulate donor support.


• Monitor and analyze fundraising performance metrics and prepare regular reports for senior management and the board of directors.


• Follow funding trends and potential opportunities to diversify and expand revenue streams, particularly in the international humanitarian NGO sector.


• Manage the development budget and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and donor requirements.


• Develop and implement a strategy to diversify the organization's revenue streams.


• Help prepare, develop and implement the organization's annual budget, track fundraising expenses and revenue, provide performance reports to the CEO, Board and executive committee, and adjust strategies based on need.


• Provide leadership and guidance to the organization branding, brand visibility and brand reputation.


• Engage senior leadership on developing and executing branding and revenue generation campaigns.


• Ensure alignment between programmatic needs and fundraising strategies. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications And Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in related fields strongly preferred.


• Minimum of 10 years related experience in professional fundraising and development capacity.


• This position requires travel as needed to support organizational activities.


• Proven track record of successful fundraising leadership in private or public sector.


• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain long‑term relationships with diverse stakeholders.


• Extensive experience with digital fundraising, social media campaigns, and donor management systems.


• Superior management skills: ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reporting staff members, senior management and executive leadership. Demonstrated experience in effectively building, mentoring, and coaching a team of specialists.


• Able to handle a fast‑paced work setting with diplomacy and composure.


• Strategic and innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking and planning into actionable plans and output to achieve tangible results.


• Demonstrated creativity and effectiveness when utilizing new media technologies and mediums; ability to make decisions in a rapidly changing environment and anticipate future needs.


• Proven ability to work and effectively lead a highly diverse community and partnership base in a sensitive and rapidly changing climate.


• Demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain effective and instrumental working relationships with community and major donors, corporations, institutions, and partner organizations.


• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication and presentation skills.


• Highly motivated and committed to humanitarian mission and values; ability to lead by example, with transparency and integrity that motivates staff at all levels.


• Able to travel internationally with a valid passport.


• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

At Islamic Relief USA we are committed to safeguarding and protecting all individuals we come into contact with through our work. IRUSA representatives must adhere to its organizational values: Sincerity, Excellence, Compassion, Social Justice, and Custodianship. In accordance with these values, IRUSA operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Code of Ethics, and Anti-Harassment and Discrimination.