Chief Development Officer

Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice & Empowerment; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

AD&D and life insurance

401(k) with 4% employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

Amigos de Guadalupe is seeking a Chief Development Officer to lead all revenue development activities, including major gifts, grants, and donor communications. The CDO will build a high-performing development team, partner with the CEO and Board, and expand funding across Silicon Valley and beyond.

The role is hands-on, overseeing grant writing, donor outreach, CRM management, and funder reporting in a lean, entrepreneurial setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience across major gifts, grants, individual giving, and institutional funding.
• Proven track record of closing significant gifts and managing donor portfolios.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to craft donor materials.
• Self-sufficient fundraiser able to execute across development functions without a dedicated team.
• Deep commitment to social justice, equity, and immigrant communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the vision, strategy, and execution of all revenue development activities.
• Develop and manage a multi-year fundraising plan focused on diversification and growth.
• Oversee major gifts, annual giving, mid-level programs, and planned/legacy giving.
• Manage corporate and foundation relations and sponsor packages.
• Direct grant writing, reporting, and donor communications.
• Supervise the Communications Specialist and build a high-performing development team.
• Engage with CEO and Board to foster a culture of philanthropy.

Skills

Fundraising

Major gifts

Grant writing

Donor communications

Strategic planning

Leadership

Bilingual in Spanish

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Donor CRM systems

Job description

Inspired by the power of our vibrant, determined community, our vision at Amigos de Guadalupe (“Amigos”) is to bring about transformational change in East San José. At Amigos, we ensure that the basic needs of our community are met, deliver high-quality programs, and mobilize and organize for justice. We do this by providing housing and rental assistance, mental health services, immigration legal services, education programs, and community organizing programs that advocate for systems change.

Position Title

Chief Development Officer

Reports To

CEO

Direct Reports

Communications Specialist (1)

Status

Full-Time, Exempt

Location

100% On-site, Amigos Office in East San José, CA (1897 Alum Rock Dr, SJ)

About Amigos de Guadalupe

Inspired by the power of our vibrant, determined community, our vision at Amigos de Guadalupe (“Amigos”) is to bring about transformational change in East San José. At Amigos, we ensure that the basic needs of our community are met, deliver high-quality programs, and mobilize and organize for justice. We do this by providing housing and rental assistance, mental health services, immigration legal services, education programs, and community organizing programs that advocate for systems change.

Position Summary

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a member of the leadership team and the Amigos' senior-most fundraising and external relations leader. The CDO is responsible for the vision, strategy, and execution of all revenue development activities at Amigos de Guadalupe, including individual and major giving, institutional grants, corporate and foundation partnerships, capital campaigns, planned giving, and donor communications. This role leads and builds a high-performing development team, serves as a strategic thought partner to the CEO, and engages directly with the Board of Directors to cultivate a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

The CDO will be instrumental in diversifying and growing the organization's funding base and deepening Amigos' philanthropic presence in the Silicon Valley region and beyond.

This is a hands-on, self-sufficient role. With one direct report (Communications Specialist), the CDO will personally carry out the full range of development functions - from grant writing and donor outreach to CRM management and funder reporting. The ideal candidate thrives in a lean, entrepreneurial environment and brings both the strategic vision and the day-to-day execution skills to build a robust development operation.

Primary Responsibilities Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as a member of the leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, budgeting, program sustainability planning, and values-centered growth.
• Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to build and sustain a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
• Engage regularly with the Board's Development Committee; provide leadership support for board member fundraising training, prospect identification, and cultivation activities.
• Provide the CEO with briefings, talking points, and full preparation for donor meetings, funder site visits, major events, and external presentations.
• Represent Amigos de Guadalupe at community, civic, and philanthropic events to elevate the organization's visibility and relationships in the region.
• Track equity-focused, community, and philanthropic trends to position Amigos competitively for emerging funding opportunities.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative working environment rooted in Amigos' values of radical hospitality, equity, dignity, and community empowerment.
• Directly supervise the Communications Specialist, providing clear direction, mentorship, and professional development support.

Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development

• Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive multi-year fundraising plan aligned with Amigos' mission, community aspirations, with a clear focus on portfolio diversification and revenue growth.
• Build and execute a major gifts program, including prospect research and identification, cultivation, solicitation, and long-term stewardship of high-capacity donors, with the CEO.
• Oversee all individual giving vehicles, including annual fund, recurring giving, mid-level donor programs, and planned/legacy giving.
• Manage corporate and foundation relations, including sponsorship packages, named gift opportunities, and multi-year partnership agreements.
• Support the Si Se Puede Collective's fundraising through coordinated grant strategy, joint proposals, and collaborative donor engagement.
• Set annual and multi-year fundraising goals, monitor progress against projections, and deliver regular performance reports to the CEO and Board.

Grant Writing & Research

• Provide strategic oversight of the full grants portfolio, including local, state, federal, and private foundation funding across all Amigos program areas: housing, education, immigration services, mental health, and community organizing.
• Write, review, and manage high-priority grant proposals and funder reports, ensuring quality, competitiveness, and on-time submission.
• Maintain a grants calendar and pipeline to ensure a steady flow of proposals, timely reporting, and strong funder relationships.
• Collaborate closely with Program Directors and Managers to gather accurate program data, outcomes, and narratives for grant applications and reports.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with program officers and foundation staff at key funders.

Donor CRM & Data Management

• Serve as executive steward of Amigos’ donor CRM, ensuring data integrity, accurate gift processing, and effective use of the system.
• Direct the generation of donor reports, dashboards, and analytics to inform strategy, segmentation, and stewardship decisions.
• Ensure compliance with best practices for donor record-keeping, gift acknowledgment, and tax receipt processes.
• Establish and manage a systematic donor acknowledgment and stewardship program that deepens relationships at all giving levels.

Donor Communications & Storytelling

• Provide strategic direction for all fundraising communications, ensuring consistent messaging, authentic storytelling, and strong alignment with Amigos' brand and values.
• Lead the development of compelling content for donor appeals, annual reports, newsletters, digital campaigns, and major gift materials.
• Coordinate with the CEO and leadership team on external messaging to donors, funders, media, and community stakeholders.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 - 7 years of progressive fundraising experience, including demonstrated success in more than one aspect of a comprehensive development, including major gifts, grant writing, individual giving, and institutional funding.
• Proven track record of personally closing significant gifts and managing a portfolio of major donors.
• Proficiency with donor CRM systems.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives, proposals, and donor materials.
• Demonstrated ability to function as a self-sufficient, hands-on fundraiser who can personally execute across all development functions without a dedicated support team.
• Deep commitment to social justice, equity, and the empowerment of underserved and immigrant communities.
• Supervisory experience.

Preferred

• Bilingual in Spanish.
• Experience working in or closely with community-based organizations serving immigrant and multi-cultural communities.
• Familiarity with the East San José/Mayfair community and the Silicon Valley philanthropic landscape.
• Experience leading or co-leading a capital campaign or other multi-million-dollar fundraising initiative.
• Experience engaging and supporting a nonprofit Board of Directors in fundraising activities.
• Knowledge of government grant compliance, federal/state reporting requirements, and nonprofit financial accountability practices.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $140,000 – $150,000 per year, commensurate with experience
• Benefits:
  • Multiple healthcare plan options (medical)
  • Dental and vision coverage
  • AD&D and life insurance
  • 401(k) with 4% employer match (available after one year of service)
  • Paid time off

Amigos de Guadalupe is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We strongly encourage candidates from the communities we serve to apply.