Chief Development Officer

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead fundraising efforts and drive philanthropic growth. This role requires strategic vision, team leadership, and a passion for empowering young people. The CDO will manage donor relations and oversee a high-performing development team, ensuring the organization's mission is supported through innovative fundraising strategies.

Benefits

100% company paid medical/dental/vision coverage

401(K) plan with company contribution

Paid Parental Leave

Generous paid time off

Paid volunteer activity leave

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in fundraising and development.
• Proven track record of exceeding fundraising goals.
• Strong management and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy.
• Oversee all fundraising activities and donor engagement.
• Lead a team of fundraising professionals.

Skills

Fundraising

Team Leadership

Strategic Planning

Donor Engagement

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Blackbaud CRM

Job description

Be a Part of Something Bigger! Are you looking for work that inspires you? At JA of Greater Washington, we know what matters. We’re motivated by our mission – teaching young people how to succeed in a global economy – and we wake up every day inspired to serve more than 40,000 students in the Washington, D.C. area.

But a career at JA of Greater Washington is about more than our mission and programs. Here, you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow into new skills and responsibilities. You’ll find teammates that quickly turn into friends. You’ll find mentors that care, and help you reach new heights. And you’ll find the resources, flexibility, and support to live your life to the fullest outside of work, whether that means investing in your family, your education, your hobbies, or your wellbeing.

Join JA, and join us in a career that matters.

JA of Greater Washington is the local affiliate of JA USA, the nations’ oldest and largest economic education organization with over 100 years of experience. More information can be found at our website www.myJA.org.

Position Concept

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington (JA) seeks a dynamic, strategic, and hands-on fundraising executive to serve as its Chief Development Officer (CDO). This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned development leader to drive philanthropic growth and deepen community impact for an organization committed to empowering young people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in a global economy.

As a key member of the Executive Team, the CDO will lead the design and execution of a comprehensive development strategy that fuels JA’s mission and supports its long-term growth across the Greater Washington region. This includes overseeing all areas of fundraising and donor engagement—corporate and foundation partnerships, major and individual giving, events, and special campaigns.

The CDO must be adept at balancing big-picture strategy with the day-to-day hustle of development work and thrive in a fast-paced environment juggling multiple priorities. This leader will not only shape and steer strategic initiatives but will also be actively involved in cultivating a portfolio of major donors and prospects, personally stewarding relationships, and building and mentoring a high-performing development team.

With a passion for experiential education and a deep commitment to JA’s mission, the CDO will bring demonstrated success in fundraising, donor relations, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will be an entrepreneurial and collaborative leader who can drive innovation in philanthropic engagement, ensuring sustainable revenue growth to expand Junior Achievement’s reach, elevate programmatic impact, and create transformative opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Organizational Requirements

• Have ability to pass a federal background check, and to be permitted to work in the presence of children, prior to the first day of employment.
• Must reside in the Greater Washington region before the position start date.
• Must be COVID-19 vaccinated by date of hire to be considered.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) leads and manages a high-performing Development team, providing strategic direction, daily oversight, and professional development. The CDO fosters collaboration across departments, partners with the Board and Executive Team, and models a hands-on leadership approach to drive fundraising success.

Key Traits

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a strategic, experienced, and results-driven fundraising leader who has successfully led teams to grow charitable giving, deepen donor engagement, and resource mission-driven organizations for greater impact. As Junior Achievement of Greater Washington seeks to double its development goals over the next five years, the ideal CDO will bring a blend of strategic vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and hands-on leadership to drive transformational growth.

Key attributes include:

• Strategic Fundraising Architect: Skilled in formulating and executing a holistic, multi-year fundraising strategy that aligns with organizational goals and drives sustainable growth.
• Entrepreneurial Leader: Experienced in building, leading, and managing a small but effective development team, including volunteer leadership, with a focus on impact and innovation.
• Inspirational and Mission-Driven: A big idea generator who is passionate about creating lasting opportunities for students in the Greater Washington region.
• Relationship-Oriented: Expert in cultivating and stewarding donors, partners, and Board members, tailoring engagement approaches that deepen relationships and maximize giving potential.
• Collaborative Team Player: Energetic, flexible, and self-starting, with a direct, honest, and respectful approach to problem-solving. Fosters strong collaboration across staff, Board, and external stakeholders.
• Hands-On Manager: Models a roll-up-your-sleeves leadership style, mentoring by doing and supporting team development and accountability.
• Creative and Innovative: A thoughtful risk-taker who challenges the status quo, brings fresh thinking to traditional fundraising approaches, and embraces new opportunities for growth.
• Resilient and Adaptable: Thrives in a fast-paced, high-performing environment, balancing big-picture vision with the daily demands of development work.
• Operationally Strong: Detail-oriented and data-driven, with expertise in budgeting, revenue tracking, and development operations to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

• Design and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s organizational goals and growth plans.
• Lead annual and long-term revenue planning across all fundraising channels, including individual, corporate, foundation, event, and public funding.
• Vet, refine, and lead the successful launch of a comprehensive fundraising campaign, including feasibility assessment, messaging, donor engagement, and internal alignment.
• Collaborate closely with the CEO, Board, and Executive Team to build and sustain a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Fundraising Generation & Donor Engagement

• Oversee the execution of all fundraising activities, including annual giving, major and planned gifts, foundation and corporate giving, and special campaigns.
• Personally manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, guiding them through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Lead the creation and implementation of donor cultivation and stewardship strategies that maximize giving potential and deepen engagement.
• Use data and donor insights to drive effective moves management strategies, forecast pipeline progress, and report on performance metrics.
• Strategically grow existing corporate and individual partnerships and identify new prospects with significant giving potential.
• Support the development team in crafting and refining donor strategies through active coaching and collaboration.
• Lead the planning and execution of key fundraising events and campaigns.

Board Engagement

• Drive Board member engagement strategies, focusing on both personal giving and corporate partnerships.
• Serve as the lead gift officer for individual Board giving and larger Board-connected corporate gifts.
• Partner with Executive Team members to prepare for and present at Board meetings.
• Drive and support the objectives of the Development Committee and participate in related Board committees.

External Relations & Communications

• Serve as a compelling spokesperson and advocate for JAGW, representing the organization in high-level external engagements.
• Ensure all fundraising messaging, publications, and donor communications are compelling, consistent, and aligned with the JAGW and JA brand and voice.
• Collaborate with the Executive Team on organizational messaging, marketing strategy, and public relations efforts.

Team Leadership & Management

• Grow, supervise, coach, and support a team of three or more fundraising professionals, ensuring clear performance goals, accountability, and professional development.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture, ensuring strong cross-functional communication with programmatic, operational, and executive leadership.
• Model a roll-up-your-sleeves leadership style by mentoring through hands-on engagement and active participation in development work.
• Oversee development operations, including donor database management, prospect research, reporting, and gift processing.

Budgeting & Operational Oversight

• Set annual revenue targets in alignment with organizational budget needs.
• Work in partnership with the COO to manage annual and mid-year budget planning and revenue forecasting.
• Ensure operational excellence across all development functions, including accurate financial tracking and reconciliation in partnership with the finance team.

Professional Skills/Abilities

Required

• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in fundraising and development, including managing fundraising professionals and volunteers, with executive leadership experience.
• Proven track record of setting and exceeding ambitious fundraising goals across major gifts, individual giving, corporate partnerships, and donor stewardship.
• Strong management and organizational skills with the ability to lead, inspire, and develop a diverse, talented, and creative team.
• Demonstrated success in building and sustaining relationships with volunteers, Board members, senior management, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Experience working effectively with Boards and senior leadership teams, with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.
• Knowledge of the Greater Washington, DC philanthropic landscape.
• Skilled in moves management strategies and donor pipeline management
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver results on time.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with experience as a compelling public speaker and organizational ambassador.
• Ability to identify opportunities for innovation and implement changes effectively and swiftly.
• Inclusive leadership style, fostering accountability and actively soliciting team input.
• Unquestionable ethics, integrity, transparency, and accountability in all professional actions.
• Genuine passion for Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s mission to equip young people to succeed in a global economy.

Preferred

• Experience working with Blackbaud CRM/Dynamics 365 or similar fundraising technologies.

Education and Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s degree

Preferred

• Advanced degree
• ACFRE or other Professional Certifications a plus

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to talk and hear.

Work Environment

• The position will support the organizations Greater Washington service area, that includes the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and the Prince George's, Montgomery and Southern Maryland Communities.
• Local travel in the Greater Washington area is required.
• Requires hybrid work schedule, based operational flexibility to meet business need requirements
• Willingness to work outside standard established business hours.

Benefits

• 100% company paid medical/dental/vision coverage/group life insurance for employee.
• 401(K) plan in which JAGW contributes 3% of an employee’s pay after employee has worked at least two months.
• Paid Parental Leave offered to full-time employees who have been with JAGW for at least a year.
• Employees may be granted up to 16 hours of paid volunteer activity leave per calendar year.
• Generous paid time off program in which the benefits increase along with your tenure with the organization.
• Observe all federal holidays during the calendar year. In addition, JAGW observes December 25 – December 31 as a paid holiday.

JAGW is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, disability, sex, age, ethnic or national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or presentation, pregnancy, genetics, veteran status or any other status protected by state or federal law.

Other Duties

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Next Steps

To apply please email a resume and cover letter to [e-mail] and reference the position title in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone calls, please.