Chief Development Officer

POSITION OVERVIEW

At The Well is seeking an experienced Chief Development Officer (CDO) to serve as the organization’s senior executive leader for contributed revenue and philanthropic sustainability. Reporting to the CEO and partnering closely with the COO, the CDO will hold primary executive accountability for achieving At The Well’s annual contributed-revenue goals, building a strong culture of philanthropy, and developing a comprehensive, multi-year development strategy that supports organizational growth and long-term sustainability.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role, accountable for achieving and growing a seven-figure annual contributed-revenue goal. The CDO will personally cultivate and close major gifts; lead individual, institutional, and grassroots fundraising; equip the CEO and Board as fundraising partners; and build the team and infrastructure needed for success. We are seeking an expert fundraising leader with an entrepreneurial spirit—someone who is ready to build, bring new ideas to life, and create something exceptional and enduring for At The Well.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising leadership & strategy

Develop, own, and execute a comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising strategy with clear revenue goals, action plans, timelines, and measures of success.
Build a diversified contributed-revenue model across major gifts, individual giving, institutional funding, grassroots and digital campaigns, and other appropriate channels.
Develop revenue forecasts, pipeline projections, metrics, and reporting that identify risks and opportunities, inform organizational budgeting, and provide the CEO, COO, and Board with clear analysis of fundraising performance.
Represent At The Well at select public events, donor gatherings, conferences, and speaking engagements.

Individual giving & major gifts

Personally build and manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, developing and executing individualized qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each relationship.
Identify, research, cultivate, solicit, and close major gifts, with demonstrated focus on developing a pipeline of future opportunities.
Serve as the principal strategist for At The Well’s highest-priority donor relationships, overseeing moves management and equipping the CEO and Board with prospect strategy, meeting preparation, introductions, cultivation plans, solicitation support, and timely follow-up.
Provide high-touch, donor-centered stewardship that deepens relationships, supports retention and upgrades, and connects donors meaningfully to At The Well’s mission and impact.
Lead prospect research and qualification, using iWave and other tools strategically to identify and prioritize new opportunities.
Develop and implement grassroots and digital fundraising strategies in partnership with marketing and communications staff, analyzing results and adapting approaches to strengthen acquisition, retention, and the major-donor pipeline.

Institutional giving & grants

Own At The Well’s institutional fundraising strategy and grants pipeline, including funder identification, relationship development, opportunity positioning, proposal priorities, renewals, reporting, and stewardship.
Manage a grant writer or other institutional-giving support, establishing priorities, timelines, standards, and accountability while retaining executive ownership of funder relationships and results.
Coordinate proposal and report development across the organization, personally shaping, editing, or drafting high-priority and time-sensitive materials when needed.

Development communications, events, & external relationships

Develop a deep understanding of At The Well’s work and lead the creation of compelling fundraising messaging and materials, including the case for support, proposals, decks, donor reports, and campaign collateral, in partnership with the marketing and communications team.
Lead all development communications efforts, including regular donor communications as well as special grassroots fundraising campaigns,
Design and oversee fundraising and cultivation events with clear relationship and revenue objectives, integrating philanthropy thoughtfully into community and programmatic experiences.
Develop strategic relationships with donors, foundations, Jewish communal leaders, philanthropic advisors, and partner organizations that expand At The Well’s reach and funding opportunities.

Team, systems, & development operations

Recruit, manage, mentor, and develop development staff and contractors, including a development associate to manage data and CRM as well as a contract grant writer. Establish clear roles, goals, accountability, and opportunities for growth with these individuals.
Own the strategy, standards, reporting requirements, and organizational accountability for Salesforce and related development systems, partnering across the organization to ensure strong data integrity, donor documentation, gift processing, acknowledgment, reporting, and workflows.
Oversee the development budget and make disciplined recommendations about investments in staff, technology, research, events, consultants, and donor engagement.

QUALIFICATIONS

7+ years of progressively responsible nonprofit fundraising experience, including leadership of a comprehensive development function and experience operating as a senior organizational leader.
Demonstrated experience developing and implementing successful annual and multi-year strategies across multiple contributed-revenue channels, with a track record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing multiple six-figure gifts; experience developing or closing seven-figure opportunities is strongly preferred.
Experience building and managing a qualified major-donor portfolio, using disciplined moves management, and partnering with a CEO, senior leaders, and Board members to advance donor relationships and build an organization-wide culture of philanthropy.
Strong financial literacy, including experience with revenue forecasting, pipeline analysis, budgeting, performance metrics, and reporting.
Demonstrated ability to build, manage, mentor, and develop staff and contractors while working entrepreneurially, setting priorities, taking initiative, and remaining willing to execute the work directly when needed.
Knowledge of the Jewish philanthropic landscape is strongly preferred. Established relationships with relevant donors, foundations, communal leaders, or philanthropic networks—particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles—are a significant advantage.
Commitment to At The Well’s mission and values, with strong written, verbal, listening, presentation, and relationship-building skills and the discretion required to manage confidential donor information.
Experience using Salesforce or a comparable fundraising CRM; experience with prospect-research tools such as iWave is preferred, along with the ability to learn new systems quickly.
Commitment to building and fostering a diverse, inclusive, and collegial workplace, with multicultural competence and the ability to work respectfully across lines of difference.