Strategic Development & Philanthropy Lead

Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice & Empowerment; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

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

The role is hands-on, with one direct report (Communications Specialist), and requires a lean, entrepreneurial approach to grow the organization’s funding

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Serve as a member of the leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, budgeting, program sustainability planning, and values-centered growth.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to build and sustain a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Engage regularly with the Board's Development Committee; provide leadership support for board member fundraising training, prospect identification, and cultivation activities.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Provide the CEO with briefings, talking points, and full preparation for donor meetings, funder site visits, major events, and external presentations.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Represent Amigos de Guadalupe at community, civic, and philanthropic events to elevate the organization's visibility and relationships in the region.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Track equity-focused, community, and philanthropic trends to position Amigos competitively for emerging funding opportunities.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: Foster an inclusive, collaborative working environment rooted in Amigos' values of radical hospitality, equity, dignity, and community empowerment.
• Organizational Leadership & Strategy: 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.
• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development: 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.
• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development: Oversee all individual giving vehicles, including annual fund, recurring giving, mid-level donor programs, and planned/legacy giving.
• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development: Manage corporate and foundation relations, including sponsorship packages, named gift opportunities, and multi-year partnership agreements.
• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development: Support the Si Se Puede Collective's fundraising through coordinated grant strategy, joint proposals, and collaborative donor engagement.
• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Development: 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.
• Grant Writing & Research: Write, review, and manage high-priority grant proposals and funder reports, ensuring quality, competitiveness, and on-time submission.
• Grant Writing & Research: Maintain a grants calendar and pipeline to ensure a steady flow of proposals, timely reporting, and strong funder relationships.
• Grant Writing & Research: Collaborate closely with Program Directors and Managers to gather accurate program data, outcomes, and narratives for grant applications and reports.
• Grant Writing & Research: 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.
• Donor CRM & Data Management: Direct the generation of donor reports, dashboards, and analytics to inform strategy, segmentation, and stewardship decisions.
• Donor CRM & Data Management: Ensure compliance with best practices for donor record-keeping, gift acknowledgment, and tax receipt processes.
• Donor CRM & Data Management: 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.
• Donor Communications & Storytelling: Lead the development of compelling content for donor appeals, annual reports, newsletters, digital campaigns, and major gift materials.
• Donor Communications & Storytelling: Coordinate with the CEO and leadership team on external messaging to donors, funders, media, and community stakeholders.

Skills

Fundraising

Grant Writing

Major Gifts

Donor CRM

Communications

Strategic Planning

Board Engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Donor CRM systems

Job description

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

The role is hands-on, with one direct report (Communications Specialist), and requires a lean, entrepreneurial approach to grow the organization’s funding