Chief Development Officer

Student Freedom Initiative; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

The Student Freedom Initiative in Washington, DC seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead our fundraising and capital campaign efforts. Reporting to the President and CEO, the CDO will oversee fundraising strategy, donor engagement, campaign management, partnerships, and advancement initiatives, including directing a $100 million capital campaign and building a robust donor network.

This executive role requires strategic vision, stakeholder leadership, and the ability to mobilize diverse

Qualifications

• Extensive progressive fundraising leadership experience in nonprofit or higher education.
• Proven record of securing major gifts and leading large campaigns.
• Ability to steward donor relationships across multiple segments.
• Executive presence, strong communication and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and execution of a multi-phase fundraising campaign.
• Advance the organization’s mission through philanthropy and sustainability.
• Partner with the Board, donors, foundations, corporations, and community leaders.
• Build and strengthen advancement programs and donor networks.
• Identify and attract new donors and strategic partners.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor engagement

Strategic thinking

Team leadership

Executive presence

Job description

Student Freedom Initiative® (“SFI”) is a national nonprofit advancing a bold vision: closing the wealth gap through the power of education. SFI helps students attending participating institutions gain freedom in their professional and life choices by increasing social and economic mobility through a student-centered, evidence-based, holistic, and collaborative model.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will serve as the organization’s senior fundraising executive and strategic leader, responsible for advancing a comprehensive development program and ultimately planning and directing a $100 million capital campaign. Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer and serving on the executive leadership team, the CDO will provide strategic oversight for fundraising, donor engagement, campaign management, philanthropic partnerships, and advancement initiatives.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the planning and execution of a multi-phase fundraising campaign to secure transformational investments.
• Advance the organization’s mission, expand organizational capacity, and strengthen long-term sustainability through philanthropy.
• Partner closely with the Board of Directors, campaign volunteers, donors, foundations, corporations, and community leaders.
• Foster and promote a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization.
• Position the organization for continued growth, visibility, and community impact.
• Secure principle and major gifts from individuals, foundation, and corporate donors.
• Lead complex capital and comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
• Build, manage, and strengthen high-performing advancement and fundraising programs.
• Leverage philanthropic, corporate, and community networks to expand fundraising opportunities.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships that support organizational goals and funding priorities.
• Identify, engage, and attract new donors and investors capable of making transformational contributions.
• Serve as the organization’s chief ambassador for philanthropy and donor engagement.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies that increase philanthropic investment.
• Strengthen donor relationships, engagement, stewardship, and long-term loyalty.
• Management and supervision of the development team, including the Associate Director of Fundraising.
• Advance the organization’s vision and mission through effective fundraising leadership and external relationship management.

Experience and qualifications:

• Extensive progressive fundraising, advancement, or development leadership experience, preferably in a nonprofit, higher education, mission-driven, or campaign-intensive environment.
• Demonstrated record of securing principal and major gifts, managing complex donor relationships, leading large-scale campaigns, and building high-performing advancement programs.
• Demonstrated ability to steward, deepen, and grow donor relationships across multiple segments while developing new sources of philanthropic investment.
• Ability to engage and inspire transformational donors around ambitious mission, impact, and campaign goals.
• An established network of philanthropic, corporate, foundation, family office, and community relationships relevant to SFI’s mission and growth strategy.
• Executive presence, strong communication, and sound judgment.
• Team leadership, including cross-functional collaboration.
• Operational rigor and execution excellence.
• Investment in and alignment with SFI’s mission.

Preferred Skills and Competences:

• Strategic thinking and financial acumen as a fundraiser.
• Experience leading complex capital/comprehensive funding campaigns.

See Position Details linked above for a comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities of and qualifications for the Chief Development Officer role.

Location: Washington, DC

DRiWaterstone Human Capital is proud to lead this search on behalf of the Student Freedom Initiative.