Regional Chief Development Officer

Job Description:

As one of the nation's premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs. If you share our passion for helping people, join us in this excellent career opportunity.

Job Summary

This highly visible, external-facing role represents the Los Angeles Region of American Red Cross in establishing, reinforcing, and growing private philanthropy efforts to meet critical financial goals. You will be expected to promote a resilient, revenue-oriented culture centered on market-driven targets, supporting the Regional Chief Executive in cultivating high-capacity donors on a consistent basis. You will lead your development team-including a sizable company of leadership volunteers-in blueprinting and executing impactful fund development strategies for Los Angeles Region's individual donor base, corporations, and foundations.

Responsibilities:

1. Strategy: Develops and executes annual and multi-year development strategies for the Region. Partners closely with the Regional Executive, DFVP and Board(s) in the Region to develop and execute the fundraising strategy in order to significantly grow annual revenues in the short term, while diversifying the funding base towards long term sustainability. Develops and implements a written plan for identifying, educating, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding donors across the Region. Leads focused growth in major gifts area; works directly with top major gift prospects in coordination with the Region's Major Gift Officer(s). Oversees implementation of organizational campaigns in the Region, such as Holiday Campaign, Disaster Relief, and March is Red Cross Month. Acts as a senior leader in the Region and directs the Regional Development team with respect to strategic decisions for the organization; ensures that the Region meets all reporting requirements related to fundraising.

2. Fundraising Targets and Portfolio Management: Accountable for achieving or exceeding Region's minimum fundraising target ($15M+ in the current fiscal year), and managing to meet the fundraising expense target. Revenue target may increase due to major domestic disasters. Maintains own portfolio of assigned major donors and prospects, responsible for personally making face-to-face donor solicitations and meeting national/regional fundraising metrics.

3. Prospect Development: Works with community Board members and other leadership volunteers to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward appropriate donors. Identifies potential planned giving prospects among assigned donors and partners with Region's assigned Gift Planning Officer to solicit those prospects. Implements programs/activities to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward donors at the $2,500 level or higher, with an emphasis on maximizing revenue for the American Red Cross.

4. Relationship Development: At the direction of the Regional Executive, serves as primary staff liaison for representatives of largest corporations and foundations for solicitation, cultivation and stewardship purposes. Collaborates with national ARC headquarters development staff to identify and maximize fundraising opportunities. Serves as the primary staff liaison for the Board's Philanthropy Committee. Orients new Board members to their fundraising responsibilities and ensures that they receive the support they need to be successful volunteer fundraisers.

5. Staff and Volunteer Management: Works with the Regional Executive, DFVP and DVP to determine reporting structure for the fundraising staff in the Region (including the Community chapter fundraising staff) based on the Regional structure, and ensures the use of best practices for measuring staff members' performance. Responsible for staff development of Major Gifts Officers and Associates.

6. Carries out any additional assignments required to fulfill the mission of the American Red Cross.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree is highly desirable.

• Experience: Minimum 10 years of fundraising leadership experience. Proactive development leader with an established track record of increasing philanthropic revenue from diverse constituencies. Experience in the development and implementation of a broad-based fundraising program including personally opening doors, cultivation and successfully closing major gifts. Significant expertise with the Region's funding community highly desirable. Progressive experience in successful development programs and knowledge of "best practices" in development. Corporate and/or Business-to-Business sales leadership experience may be substituted for fundraising experience.

• Management Experience: Minimum 7 years of supervisory experience.

• Skills and Abilities: Ability to relate well and work effectively with multiple constituencies and audiences. Excellent verbal and written skills. Knowledge of office systems: MSOffice preferred and fundraising database systems (e.g. Raiser's Edge, Salesforce.com). A team player committed to developing and working within a collaborative environment and ensuring the highest customer service orientation.

• Travel: Requires frequent travel within the Region. Occasional travel within the Division and to Washington, DC.

Competencies:

1. Customer Focus - is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

2. Interpersonal Savvy - relates well to all kinds of people - up, down and sideways; inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate support; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can defuse even high tension situations comfortably.

3. Drive for Results - Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently; one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.

4. Strategic Agility - Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans. Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects; sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into the process steps; develops schedules and task/people assignments; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks.

5. Building Effective Teams - Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team. Is a good judge of talent; after reasonable exposure, can articulate the strengths and limitations of people inside our outside the organization.

Essential Functions/Physical Requirements:

Depending on work assignment, may require ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations; or the ability to stand, walk and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of up to 20 pounds. Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read technical information. Overall mobility is essential. May include sitting for long periods of time, driving a vehicle and working under challenging conditions.

Work Conditions:

Work is performed indoors with some potential for exposure to safety and health hazards related to emergency services relief work. May travel and participate in meetings and conferences throughout chapter jurisdiction, state and Red Cross system. Because the Red Cross is a disaster response organization, staff may be asked to be on 24-hour call during period of major disaster.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Interested in Volunteering?

Life's emergencies don't stop, and neither do American Red Cross volunteers, who represent more than 90 percent of our workforce to help prevent and alleviate human suffering. You can make a difference by volunteering in a position that appeals to you and allows you to use your unique skills and talents. The Red Cross relies on generous volunteers who give their time and talent to help fulfill our lifesaving mission.

Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including our most-needed volunteer positions.

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