Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO)

Buffkin / Baker•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

Central Piedmont, an innovative and leading higher education institution, invites nominations and applications for the appointment of a Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO). The CPO is a visionary relationship-builder and strategic fundraising leader responsible for growing philanthropic support, strengthening community partnerships, and aligning donor investment with Central Piedmont's mission and strategic priorities. The CPO serves as a key advisor to the President, VP of Communications, Advancement & External Engagement (CAEE), Foundation Board, and Cabinet, helping position philanthropy as a strategic driver, sustainer and strengthener of student success, workforce development, and community impact. The Chief Philanthropy Officer has primary responsibility for establishing and implementing an annual growth strategy, including growing annual, major, and planned gifts, special events, and corporate and foundation support. The CPO grows existing relationships and helps forge new relationships to build the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. Specifically, the CPO designs and implements a comprehensive plan, built on the cultivation of key individuals and organizations, that results in greater philanthropic support from external constituents and advances a culture of philanthropy within the organization. The CPO leads and manages the philanthropy strategy for the entire organization to rigorously engage current and new individual donors, foundations, and corporations, growing overall financial resources and securing the necessary funders to provide a deep investment in program relevancy/expansion, student success, and faculty/staff development. This position requires a creative, collaborative, and results-oriented leader whose passion for Central Piedmont and community college education is matched with strong leadership, outstanding interpersonal skills, crisp decision-making in the face of complex challenges, and a proven track record of non-profit fundraising.

Requirements

An earned bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, or related field.
Eight (8) or more years of progressive experience leading a fundraising team and a working knowledge of fundraising strategies and operations.

Nice To Haves

An earned master’s or doctorate/terminal degree in public administration, higher education, business or related field from an accredited college or university.
CFRE certification.
Proven experience in a capital campaign.
Fundraising experience in higher education.

Responsibilities

Lead the creation of a comprehensive and integrated fundraising strategy; create plans that will ensure that the College's fundraising goals are achieved through multiple fundraising approaches/channels that reach a wide range of donors and is clear in its objectives, goals, target audiences, timelines, and assignment of responsibilities.
Develop strategies that grow endowment support, planned giving commitments, employee giving, and unrestricted philanthropic resources to ensure long-term financial sustainability for the College.
Lead the planning, readiness assessment, and execution of comprehensive and/or capital campaigns, including campaign strategy, volunteer leadership engagement, prospect development, and campaign communications.
Lead the work of the philanthropy team and ensure that the team is meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.
Recruit, hire, develop, supervise, coach, and evaluate team members and create a supportive, goal-oriented and productive work culture based on the organizational values of the College.
Set performance goals for team members and evaluate performance against goals on a regular basis.
Effectively coach team members and provide supportive and developmental feedback to enhance performance.
Ensure that team members develop technical, leadership, and professional skills to be successful.
Ensure processes, procedures, and assignments of responsibilities are designed to meet fundraising goals in an efficient, manageable, and effective manner.
Evaluate the fundraising activities annually to ensure quality, productivity, and relevance towards meeting goals; lead engagement to create strategies that support fundraising and awareness building goals as well as Program strategies that support engagement and increased donor/volunteer commitment to the College’s mission.
The CPO will be expected to secure an annual fundraising goal, which will be determined annually based on college needs, strategic goals, and the case for support for unrestricted giving.
Create a focus on prospect and donor research; be accountable for growth in the prospect pool for future relationship cultivation.
Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects.
Develop and lead a strategic presidential engagement program that maximizes the President's effectiveness in donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and community engagement.
Routinely advise the President and the VP CAEE on the relationship building and fundraising opportunities that are strategic and of the highest priority.
Ensure a donor stewardship program is in place that builds a culture of giving among constituents, leading to increased and repeatable philanthropic investments; this includes the implementation and management of donor recognition societies and events.
Establish and monitor key fundraising metrics, pipeline performance indicators, donor retention measures, and revenue forecasts to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
Work collaboratively with the Chief Financial Officer and the entire leadership team in creating the organization’s overall budget by providing accurate information and the best forecasts possible.
Create and monitor the philanthropy team budget.
Assist Finance in collecting and reporting any data necessary for funder and other external requirements.
Ensure the advancement team is processing and acknowledging gifts timely and accurately, updating records of all communications and donor information in appropriate secure databases, accurately customizing donor data, and accurately importing, exporting, and editing donor data in a variety of platforms and tools.
Work closely with the President in all phases of advancement and campaign leadership activities.
Work with the President and VP CAEE to keep the Foundation Board of Directors and College’s Board of Trustees informed of philanthropy activities; train Board members in fundraising and help to identify and recruit new Board members; provide data relevant to tracking fundraising progress and planning.
Contribute to the organization’s strategic plan and direction in collaboration with the President, Cabinet and Extended Cabinet.
Represent the College in the community on boards, panels and commissions, and events that support the College’s community and fundraising goals, as directed by or on behalf of the President and/or VP CAEE.
Partner with communications and marketing to raise awareness of Foundation efforts and opportunities for donor engagement, including aligning materials and collateral to support the fundraising strategy.
Facilitate communication and collaboration across college functions and campuses and avert organizational silos to strategically make informed philanthropic investment decisions on behalf of the Foundation.
Stay informed and up to date on community, state, and national issues that have a bearing on the work of the College and ensure that the philanthropy team is also kept informed and current.
Maintain awareness of current developments in management, higher education, and fields related to assigned functions.
Establish and maintain a climate which encourages the development and retention of competent personnel, a high level of morale, and the pursuit of excellence.
Perform all duties in an ethical manner and with integrity; maintains the confidentiality of the President’s office and all Central Piedmont donor and constituent information; uses appropriate discretion in all interactions with internal departments, donors, constituents, and board members; promote/maintain a positive image of both the college and the office of the President.
Perform related duties as assigned.