Job ID: 48821
Location: Nashville , Tennessee
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Last Updated: 29 days ago
The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) takes charge in the planning and implementation of a comprehensive marketing, volunteer and investment program to advance the organization’s mission and vision. The CAO oversees fundraising, business development, marketing and communications, and volunteer recruitment and engagement. The role of this dynamic and highly collaborative leader is critical to the organization’s ability to meet its strategic goals and priorities.
In partnership with the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, this position is responsible for attracting philanthropic and volunteer support for programmatic and operational priorities, sustaining and forging new relationships to build BBBSMT’s visibility, impact, and resources.
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Nashville, TN
Areas of Responsibility
Leadership & Management
• The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is the CAO’s first team. The CAO will relentlessly collaborate and partner with their ELT colleagues to ensure the organization’s collective goals and objectives are achieved.
• Mobilize the Advancement team by sharing ambitious, inspiring, and compelling approaches to greater organizational impact and sustainability by meeting or exceeding their goals.
• Foster a collaborative and results-oriented culture within the Executive and Advancement teams that embrace teamwork, transparency, seamless communication, continuous improvement, and mentorship.
• Through proactive and adaptable leadership, continuously evaluate progress toward established goals, shifting and evolving as needed to be successful.
• Be responsible for hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and talent development of direct reports, and support these leaders in doing the same for those who report to them.
• Promote ongoing learning and development across the department by identifying areas for growth and collaborating with the Vice President of Employee Experience to develop appropriate learning and development strategies.
• Through active listening and clear, respectful communication, demonstrate a commitment to working collectively to achieve results together.
Investment Strategy & Execution
• Lead the building, implementation, and adoption of systems and practices that support intra- and inter-departmental collaboration, integration, communication, and relationship building to meet/exceed annual fundraising goals.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive investment plan including major, annual, and planned giving.
• Lead stewardship strategies to maximize donor participation and long-term retention.
• Partner closely with the CEO, Chief Impact Officer, Chief Operations Officer, and Vice President of Finance to strategically align impact models, services, and innovation opportunities with funding opportunities.
• Support the CEO and Board of Directors in cultivating and soliciting investment from individuals, corporations, foundations, and others.
• Instill a culture of philanthropy throughout BBBSMT, ensuring all staff members understand their role in the organization’s philanthropic success.
• Cultivate and steward critical relationships with corporate partners, foundation and individual investors, and other strategic revenue partnerships, to reach organizational growth and sustainability goals.
• Develop and manage the Advancement department budget, ensuring strategic investments and responsible fiscal controls and stewardship are maintained.
• Monitor, analyze, and report out fundraising data and key performance indicators to assess progress toward fundraising goals.
Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement
• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive volunteer recruitment and engagement program.
• Provide strategic thinking and leadership in visioning and growing the recruitment of volunteers.
• Demonstrate accountability for the organization’s volunteer recruitment performance by continually assessing progress toward recruitment goals and targets and proactively identifying and addressing challenges within the agency’s recruitment strategy and flow.
• Leverage external partnerships to expand new volunteer recruitment initiatives.
Communications & Marketing
• Represent BBBSMT in external-facing work with donors, partners, and other stakeholder communities and partner with the CEO and other organizational leaders to serve as a passionate advocate for BBBSMT’s mission.
• Guide vision and messaging for external communications, including public relations and marketing to increase knowledge and awareness of BBBSMT, its mission, activities, and the value of its work. To include website, investment proposals, paid advertising and all agency collateral.
• Create and execute strategy to leverage marketing as a tool in resource development: volunteers, revenue, and relationships.
• Monitor, analyze, and report key performance metrics to assess the impact of communication and marketing efforts.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• 7-10 years of professional experience in development/marketing/sales/management; nonprofit preferred.
• Passion for and understanding of the agency’s mission.
• A critical thinker who can demonstrate complex problem-solving skills.
• Experienced and accomplished in fundraising and donor development best practices.
• A strong verbal and written communicator who can effectively engage and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals, both internal and external.
• Skilled in leading people and processes, including coaching and motivating teams to successfully reach and/or exceed goals.
• An excellent interpersonal communicator demonstrating energy, enthusiasm, and the ability to build long-term relationships and represent the organization to external audiences.
• Flexible, self-aware, culturally competent with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and demonstrates a high degree of professional integrity.
• Open to adapting and changing, bringing innovative ideas to help further the organization’s mission.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and outcomes.
