Chief Advancement Officer

Diabetes Research Institute Foundation•Westview, FL

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) is seeking an accomplished and visionary Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) to lead the organization’s advancement strategy and help accelerate its mission to discover a biological cure for diabetes. DRIF is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to funding and advancing groundbreaking diabetes research. Through strategic philanthropy, donor engagement, scientific collaboration, and public awareness, the Foundation supports the work of the Diabetes Research Institute while inspiring hope for millions of individuals and families affected by diabetes. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Chief Advancement Officer will lead an integrated advancement enterprise spanning fundraising, marketing, communications, and donor engagement. This is a high-impact executive opportunity for a relationship-driven fundraising leader who can combine strategic vision with hands-on donor engagement, build high-performing teams and systems, and translate a compelling scientific mission into sustainable philanthropic growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit advancement, philanthropy, development, or a related field.
Proven success leading comprehensive fundraising programs across multiple revenue streams.
Demonstrated experience securing and closing transformational and principal gifts.
Experience overseeing integrated marketing and communications
Proven ability to build fundraising infrastructure, systems, and high-performing teams.
Experience working effectively with executive leadership, governing boards, and volunteer leaders.
Exceptional relationship-building, communication, and presentation skills.
Strong strategic planning, organizational leadership, and financial management capabilities.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or CFRE certification
Experience in healthcare, academic medicine, biomedical research, or disease-focused nonprofit
Knowledge of diabetes research, healthcare philanthropy, or scientific advancement
Experience leading comprehensive or capital campaigns.
Experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT or similar donor management platforms.
Experience leading national fundraising and brand awareness

Responsibilities

Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and contribute to organizational strategy and long-term planning.
Partner closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, and executive leadership to establish advancement priorities and growth strategies.
Develop an integrated, multi-year advancement strategy that aligns fundraising, marketing, communications, and constituent engagement.
Establish key performance indicators and metrics to evaluate fundraising, marketing, and advancement performance.
Foster strong collaboration across departments to ensure advancement efforts support broader organizational goals.
Lead a comprehensive fundraising program across multiple revenue streams, including major and principal gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate partnerships, foundation relations, signature events, and donor stewardship.
Develop and execute a diversified, multi-year fundraising strategy designed to increase philanthropic revenue and long-term sustainability.
Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity donors and strategic partners.
Partner with the CEO and Board members on major donor cultivation, solicitation, and relationship management.
Build and manage a strong, balanced donor pipeline.
Establish fundraising forecasts, revenue goals, and performance measures.
Monitor fundraising performance and identify opportunities for continued growth.
Secure significant philanthropic revenue through solicitation of six, seven and eight-figure commitments.
Lead DRIF’s marketing, branding, communications, and public visibility efforts in close partnership with fundraising leadership.
Develop an integrated communications strategy that strengthens mission awareness and supports philanthropic objectives.
Ensure consistent and compelling messaging across digital, social media, print, public relations, and external communications.
Oversee brand positioning and thought leadership initiatives.
Partner with executive leadership on public speaking, media engagement, and executive visibility opportunities.
Use powerful, donor-centered storytelling to communicate scientific progress and demonstrate the impact of philanthropic investment.
Strengthen DRIF’s national visibility and position the Foundation as a leading voice in the pursuit of a biological cure for diabetes.
Build the systems and infrastructure necessary to support sustainable advancement growth.
Develop scalable processes for pipeline management, donor stewardship, campaign execution, reporting, and revenue forecasting.
Evaluate and optimize advancement technology and donor management systems.
Use fundraising analytics, prospect research, pipeline reporting, and market intelligence to inform strategy and revenue decisions.
Develop advancement budgets and monitor financial performance.
Establish policies and processes that promote operational excellence and accountability.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Advancement team.
Provide strategic leadership across fundraising, events, marketing, communications, and donor engagement.
Assess future staffing needs and recommend organizational structures that support continued growth.
Build a collaborative, mission-driven, and performance-oriented culture.
Partner with the Board of Directors to advance fundraising priorities and organizational growth.
Engage Board members in donor cultivation and philanthropic strategy.
Support Board development and Advancement Committee activities.
Prepare clear, compelling reports and presentations communicating fundraising progress, donor engagement, and organizational impact.