Chief Development Officer

About Empower Project

Empower Project is the national leader in both paid and volunteer relational organizing. 

Empower Project organizes to improve people’s lives using the power of relational organizing. Together with our partners, we’ve helped boost voter turnout, especially for BIPOC communities, through our approach of tapping into personal networks of friends and family. We provide the software and expertise to help communities, progressive organizations, and nonprofits leverage their personal relationships to build power and dramatically expand the electorate. Our cutting-edge technology, Empower, stands at the forefront of the industry and is trusted by over 1,500 organizations nationwide.

Job Description

About the Chief Operating Officer role

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be accountable for meeting the organization’s revenue and donor stewardship goals. The CDO will be a leader in driving best fundraising practices in a fast-growing, dynamic family of c3 and c4 organizations. The CDO will play a central role in raising $25M in 2024 and beyond.

We seek a mission-focused, seasoned, strategic, and process-minded leader with experience leading fundraising in large organizations or campaigns. This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior executive with a history of past success in leading development programs that prioritize major donors and foundations. They will join a group of successful mission-driven technology and advocacy organizations to drive growth, ensure a stable long-term base of support, and diversify revenue sources.

This is a full-time, remote, salaried position available immediately. The expectation is that staff are generally available between 8am–6pm Central time. 

 Job Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising planning: 

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, the Chief Operating Officer, the Development Director and the Board of Directors to plan and execute an annual fundraising strategy whose key components are individual major donors, foundations, and allied organizations.
• Develop and monitor annual revenue budgets for all fundraising programs.
• Design and lead a long-term plan to diversify Empower’s revenue mix, including exploring strategies that focus on mid level donors, recurring contributions, grassroots fundraising, social media and planned giving.
• Work with the Board of Directors on funding strategies, as appropriate.

Major donor and foundation fundraising:

• Preserve and expand the current base of support while overseeing donor prospect research and cultivation.
• Maintain a donor prospect list and prospect data file, including major individual donors, donor advised funds, and foundations.
• Represent Empower with the major donor and foundation funding community, and serve as a staff liaison with donors.
• Arrange and participate in meetings between staff and donors, as needed.
• Maintain a detailed fundraising calendar with clear deadlines.
• Work with program and development staff to create letters of inquiry, proposals, budgets and reports; and provide training to staff to strengthen budgeting and project summary preparation skills.
• Draft and edit fundraising letters, proposals and reports, and lead the creation of fundraising outreach publications, as needed.
• Coordinate the submission of grant proposals and grant reports (and accompanying materials for both).
• Integrate fundraising messaging into other activities and programs when appropriate.

Donor stewardship:

• Design and lead a comprehensive donor stewardship program to ensure that all supporters and prospects are engaged in a way that builds trust and long-term relationships.
• Oversee donor outreach communications, and lead engagement with major donors and foundations including periodic updates, mailings and acknowledgments.
• Plan and supervise donor events as needed to enhance donor involvement in Empower’s activities.

Staff and vendor management:

• Supervise, support and evaluate the performance of the Development Director to ensure that annual goals are met for individual donors, foundations and stewardship. 
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Empower’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems; interviewing, hiring, and training employees.
• Engage and supervise fundraising-related vendors as needed.

Required Qualifications 

• At least 5 years experience leading 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or PAC fundraising for entities with budgets in excess of $10 million, with a preference for election-related fundraising experience.
• Proven ability to lead complex development programs including senior-level experience in budget planning, material development, prospect research, proposal creation, donor solicitation, stewardship, and reporting.
• Outstanding interpersonal communication ability.
• Track record of effective, supportive staff management.
• Proven ability to manage your own tasks as well as those of your team.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving capacity, including the ability to lead a range of stakeholders in establishing a shared vision and executing it together.
• During the final 2 months of the election campaign season, have the ability to periodically work on weekends and evenings if needed to meet deadlines.
• Additional consideration will be given to candidates who are fluent in a second language.

Compensation Package 

This is a full-time, work-from-home position. Compensation is salary-based at $144,000 a year, plus benefits. 

Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, and paid time off. Paid time off includes vacation, sick leave, personal days, and federal holidays. 

How to Apply

The priority application deadline is July 15, 2024. Please submit a resume and answer the application questions in lieu of a cover letter. 

Empower Project is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate based on age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference or veteran status. Women, persons of color, and individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.