Chief Development Officer

Bread For The City•Washington, DC

About The Position

Bread for the City seeks a senior, relationship-driven leader to serve as Chief Development Officer (CDO) and a member of the executive team. Reporting to the CEO, this role leads fundraising, communications, and external engagement to drive a diversified $20M+ revenue portfolio and strengthen organizational visibility. The CDO partners with leadership and the board to align resources with strategic priorities and foster a culture of philanthropy grounded in racial equity.

Requirements

Proven success leading complex fundraising programs and securing major and principal gifts (five-, six-, and seven-figure levels).
Experience designing and executing comprehensive advancement strategies that drive measurable revenue growth.
Background leading integrated fundraising and communications functions, including capital campaigns.
Strong record of building and sustaining relationships with diverse stakeholders, including donors, board members, and community partners.
Experience managing external partners and consultants, and leading high-performing teams.
Strategic, systems-level thinker who translates vision into actionable results.
Strong relationship-builder with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Collaborative leader able to influence across all levels of an organization.
Self-directed, accountable, and results-oriented.
Deep alignment with the mission and commitment to racial equity and justice.
Dedication to ethical, community-centered, and donor-centered fundraising practices.
Ability to integrate an anti-racist lens into advancement and communications work.

Nice To Haves

10+ years of development experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership.
Familiarity with the Washington, DC philanthropic landscape.
Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM systems.

Responsibilities

Develop a multi-year strategy to diversify revenue and set ambitious goals with the CEO and CFO.
Serve as a strategic advisor on philanthropic trends and ensure resource development aligns with organizational priorities.
Oversee all giving streams, including individual, institutional, and special campaigns like Holiday Helpings.
Personally manage a high-capacity portfolio of five- to seven-figure donors while partnering with program leaders to create compelling funding opportunities.
Lead all phases of capital campaign planning and execution, maintaining strong relationships with campaign donors for sustained investment.
Lead an integrated strategy to advance fundraising, advocacy, and brand visibility through media relations and ethical storytelling.
Serve as a spokesperson, ensuring all messaging reflects BFC’s values of racial equity and dignity.
Act as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, fostering a culture of philanthropy and engaging members in donor cultivation and give/get expectations.
Lead and mentor the development, communications, and operations teams.
Manage departmental budgets and performance metrics while embedding an anti-racist lens across all advancement practices.