Regional Chief Development Officer

American Red Cross • Phoenix, AZ

2d • $123,000 - $154,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

As the Regional Chief Development Officer (CDO), you will have the unique opportunity to shape and scale a high-impact philanthropic program that fuels mission delivery across Arizona and New Mexico. This role offers both enterprise-level influence and local market ownership, allowing you to drive meaningful growth while building deep community connections. You will operate in a high-visibility leadership role, partnering with senior executives, board members, and major donors—leading through both blue-sky growth environments and disaster response moments, where philanthropy is essential. This is a rare opportunity to build a modern, high-performing development function while advancing one of the most recognized and trusted missions in the world.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum 7 years of progressive fundraising leadership experience or equivalent combination
• Demonstrated success in: Scaling philanthropic revenue across diverse donor segments
• Leading multi-million dolor portfolio-based fundraising programs
• Executing multi-year development strategies
• Applying industry best practices
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience, including building and developing high-performing teams
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills with senior stakeholders
• Strong executive presence and communication skills
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge)
• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution capabilities
• Collaborative leader with strong mission alignment
• Proven track record of securing and scaling multi-million-dollar fundraising portfolios through strategic donor engagement, complex gift negotiations, and transformational giving strategies
• Frequent travel within the Region
• Occasional travel within the Division and to Washington, D.C.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree highly desirable
• Market knowledge along with deep familiarity with the local community and existing relationships with HNW stakeholders, donors or partners and knowledge of current trends in philanthropy

Responsibilities

• Set and Execute a Bold Regional Fundraising Strategy: Design and lead annual and multi-year fundraising strategies that sustain and significantly grow the Region’s donor base while expanding new corporate, individual, and foundation relationships.
• Partner closely with the Regional CEO, Divisional Fundraising Vice President, Chapter Executive Directors, and Chapter Boards to align fundraising priorities with regional mission impact, market opportunity, and organizational growth.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures that drive a revenue oriented culture across the Region.
• Lead and Be Accountable for a Portfolio Based Major Gifts Program: Own and be fully accountable for all regional fundraising results within a portfolio based major gifts model.
• Lead the Development team in setting individual targets, ensure the management and stewardship of disciplined portfolios, provide accurate forecasting and analysis, and drive consistent prospect movement across the Region.
• Provide key leadership, expectations, standards, and accountability for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects with emphasis on transformational giving.
• Ensure strategic solicitation planning, rigorous performance management, and strong stewardship practices that result in sustained donor engagement and long term revenue growth.
• Achieve and Grow Significant Fundraising Targets: Maintain full accountability for achieving or exceeding the Region’s annual fundraising goal, currently exceeding $6.7 million annually, while managing departmental expense budgets.
• Navigate dynamic revenue environments, including increased targets during major domestic disasters, with agility, discipline, and confidence.
• Monitor monthly, quarterly, and annual performance of team members and channels and adjust strategies as needed to ensure sustained success.
• Lead and Scale a High Impact Individual Major Gifts Donor Program: Drive growth in individual giving and partnership strategies through dynamic annual and multiyear plans that grow revenue, deepen engagement, and diversify the donor base.
• Own the renewal and expansion of key relationships and the pursuit of new revenue, especially during disaster response and other high impact moments.
• Set a high standard for strategic discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and world class stewardship to consistently exceed regional goals.
• Mobilize Boards and Volunteer Leaders for Philanthropic Impact: Act as the fundraising subject matter expert and as the primary liaison between the development team and Regional Board Philanthropy Committees supporting Chapter Boards in fulfilling their fundraising responsibilities.
• Equip board members and volunteer leaders with the tools, coaching, and confidence needed to serve as effective ambassadors and fundraisers.
• Support orientation and ongoing engagement of new board members with a clear focus on philanthropic leadership.
• Build, Develop, and Inspire a High Performing Team: Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Regional Development team, including fundraising staff outside the region.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and performance driven team culture focused on professional growth, accountability, and shared success.
• Guide strategic decision making and ensure alignment across the Development function.
• Lead Effectively During Disaster and High-Demand Environments (“Grey Skies”): During grey skies—when disasters are unfolding locally and nationally—led with discipline and urgency through swift execution, prioritization of donor relationships and modeling resilience.
• Manage the team with clarity and accountability, coaching through uncertainty, sustaining morale and driving both restricted and unrestricted fundraising to meet the moment.
• Ensure Excellence in Systems, Stewardship, and Reporting: Oversee disciplined donor management practices, ensuring all fundraising activity and gifts are accurately and timely recorded in Salesforce.
• Hold accountability for monthly and annual forecasting of expected gifts.
• Maintain compliance with all reporting and relationship management requirements while using data and insights to inform strategy, improve performance, and strengthen donor relationships.
• Serve as a Key Member of the Regional Leadership Team: Operate as a trusted senior leader within the Region, contributing to enterprise wide strategy, decision making, and organizational leadership.
• Represent the Region externally with credibility and confidence while advancing the American Red Cross mission and values across Arizona and New Mexico.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental Vision plans
• Health Spending Accounts & Flexible Spending Accounts
• PTO (Paid Time Off): Starting at 15 days a year; based on FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) status and tenure
• Holidays: 11 paid holidays comprised of six core holidays and five floating holidays.
• 401K with 6% match
• Paid Family Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Disability and Insurance: Short + Long Term
• Service Awards and recognition

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive