Chief Development Officer

Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, headquartered in Savannah, GA, is seeking a Chief Development Officer to lead fundraising, marketing, communications, volunteer engagement and advocacy to advance its mission to end hunger across 21 counties.

Reporting to the CEO, the CDO builds strategic resource development plans, diversifies funding, cultivates major gifts, and partners with donors, boards and community partners to increase impact and long-term sustainability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or CFRE preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit development, philanthropy, or related executive leadership, with demonstrated success leading comprehensive fundraising programs.
• Proven success securing major gifts, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, planned giving, capital campaigns, and government grants.
• Experience leading integrated marketing, communications, and brand strategy initiatives.
• Experience working with Boards of Directors, advisory boards, and volunteer leadership.
• Experience advancing advocacy, public awareness, or public policy initiatives in collaboration with community organizations, government agencies, and elected officials is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop fundraising plans and donor engagement strategies for sustainable growth.
• Oversee marketing, communications, and brand strategy to raise visibility and impact.
• Lead advocacy and public policy engagement to advance hunger relief.
• Provide strategic oversight for volunteer services and community engagement.
• Collaborate with CEO, Board, and partners to cultivate donors and partnerships.
• Manage departmental budgets and use analytics to improve fundraising effectiveness.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Strategic planning

Donor stewardship

Marketing & communications

Advocacy & public policy

Team leadership

CRM systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree or CFRE

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, headquartered in Savannah, GA, serves as the food safety net for tens of thousands of children, senior citizens, low-income families, and people with disabilities who are at risk for hunger throughout southeastern Georgia.We partner with over 225 faith-based organizations and non-profit agencies to provide food assistance across Coastal Georgia in twenty-one counties.Last year, Second Harvest provided more than 25 million pounds of food to hungry people in our 21-county service area through a variety of programs.We are currently hiring for the following position:

Chief Development Officer

Salary Range: $120,000-140,000 annually

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) serves as a key member of the executive leadership team, providing strategic vision and leadership for all philanthropic, marketing, communications, volunteer engagement, and advocacy initiatives that advance Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia's mission to lead the effort to end hunger and improve lives. Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Board of Directors, the CDO develops and executes comprehensive resource development strategies that ensure long-term financial sustainability, strengthen community engagement, and elevate Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia's impact across its 21 County service area.

The CDO leads a high-performing team responsible for fundraising, donor stewardship, marketing and communications, volunteer services, advocacy and community engagement while serving as a visible ambassador for the organization. This leader partners with the CEO, Board of Directors, corporate and community partners, government officials, and philanthropic leaders to cultivate meaningful relationships, expand organizational influence, and advance public awareness and advocacy efforts that support hunger relief and food security.

Executive Leadership & Strategic Planning

• Partner with the CEO and executive leadership team to develop and implement long-range organizational goals and strategic priorities.
• Serve as a strategic advisor, ensuring alignment of fundraising, communications, volunteer engagement, and advocacy initiatives with the organization's mission and strategic plan.
• Monitor philanthropic trends, community needs, economic conditions, and donor behavior to identify opportunities for innovation, growth, and sustainable revenue.
• Develop and implement annual and multi-year development plans with measurable goals and performance metrics.
• Lead all aspects of a comprehensive fundraising program, including direct mail, major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, foundation and institutional giving, grant management, planned giving, capital campaigns, special events, donor stewardship, and prospect development.
• Diversify funding streams to strengthen long-term organizational sustainability and reduce revenue risk.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational donors, sponsors, foundations, and community partners to build lasting philanthropic relationships.
• Develop compelling cases for support and donor engagement strategies that increase donor acquisition, retention, and lifetime value.
• Implement systems and processes to effectively track donor engagement, recognition, and fundraising performance.
• Ensure compliance with all legal, ethical, and professional fundraising standards and best practices.

Marketing, Communications & Brand Leadership

• Develop and oversee integrated marketing and communications strategies that strengthen the organization's visibility, reputation, and community impact.
• Direct traditional media, digital marketing, social media, public relations, storytelling, and direct response campaigns that inspire engagement and philanthropic support.
• Oversee the development of organizational communications including annual reports, newsletters, impact reports, press releases, campaign materials, and executive messaging.
• Serve as an organizational spokesperson when needed and represent the organization at community events, media opportunities, public presentations, and stakeholder meetings.

Advocacy & Public Policy Engagement

• Partner with the CEO and community leaders to advance advocacy initiatives that increase awareness of hunger, food insecurity, and related public policy issues.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with elected officials, government agencies, nonprofit partners, and advocacy organizations to support policies that improve food access and strengthen communities.
• Develop communication and engagement strategies that educate donors, volunteers, and community stakeholders about legislative priorities impacting hunger relief.
• Represent the organization in coalitions, public forums, and advocacy efforts while maintaining compliance with all applicable nonprofit lobbying and advocacy regulations.

Volunteer & Community Engagement

• Provide strategic oversight for volunteer services to ensure meaningful, mission-driven experiences that deepen community involvement and expand organizational capacity.
• Strengthen relationships with community organizations, corporate partners, civic groups, and volunteers to broaden engagement and philanthropic support.
• Foster opportunities for volunteers to become advocates, ambassadors, and long-term supporters of the organization's mission.

Board & Community Relations

• Partner with the Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and Development and Communications Committee to advance fundraising priorities and strengthen community engagement.
• Equip board members with strategies, tools, and resources to cultivate donors, expand partnerships, and serve as effective ambassadors.
• Provide regular reports and strategic recommendations regarding fundraising performance, market trends, and emerging opportunities.

Leadership & Organizational Excellence

• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing development, marketing, communications, and volunteer engagement teams.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and professional growth.
• Establish clear performance expectations, provide coaching and feedback, and recognize employee achievements.
• Encourage cross-functional collaboration to maximize organizational effectiveness and mission impact.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, ensuring responsible stewardship of organizational resources.
• Utilize fundraising analytics, performance metrics, and data-driven decision-making to improve fundraising effectiveness and return on investment.
• Identify opportunities to improve systems, technology, and operational processes that enhance efficiency and organizational effectiveness.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or CFRE preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit development, philanthropy, or related executive leadership, with demonstrated success leading comprehensive fundraising programs.
• Proven success securing major gifts, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, planned giving, capital campaigns, and government grants.
• Experience leading integrated marketing, communications, and brand strategy initiatives.
• Experience working with Boards of Directors, advisory boards, and volunteer leadership.
• Experience advancing advocacy, public awareness, or public policy initiatives in collaboration with community organizations, government agencies, and elected officials is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional strategic leadership and organizational planning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with donors, board members, volunteers, elected officials, community leaders, and corporate partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and public speaking skills.
• Strong financial management, budgeting, and analytical capabilities.
• Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising best practices, donor stewardship, and CRM systems.
• Understanding of advocacy, public policy, coalition building, and nonprofit lobbying regulations.
• Ability to analyze fundraising data and market trends to inform strategic decision-making.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Relationship Building
• Results Orientation
• Customer Focus
• Accountability
• Decision Making
• Executive Presence

Physical Requirements & Travel

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Local and regional travel up to 25%.
• Occasional evening and weekend work to support meetings, donor events, and community activities.

Join Our Mission

This is an opportunity to pair executive leadership with meaningful community impact. The Chief Development Officer will help shape the future of Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia while building the partnerships and philanthropic support needed to nourish our neighbors and create a more food-secure region.

Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.