Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
Chief Development Officer

Boston, MA
September 2010

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) seeks a talented Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead the next phase of investment in the development of an expanded fundraising and major gifts program.

As one of the largest adult-to-child mentoring organizations in the nation, BBBSMB currently serves over 2,500 youth in one-to-one relationships.

Reporting to the President and CEO and working closely with the Board of Directors and leadership, the Chief Development Officer will be a change agent building and overseeing a comprehensive advancement program encompassing major gifts, special events, annual fund, comprehensive campaign preparation, and corporate/foundation support and will manage a portfolio of key prospects and donors.

Qualified candidates will be seasoned fundraising leaders with 10+ years of progressive experience, a proven track record of raising significant gifts, an ability to motivate by example, strong board and staff management experience, and a commitment to BBBSMB's mission.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay

BBBSMB works to promote the healthy development of children through the nurturing of continuing, one-to-one friendships with caring, responsible adults, supported by trained professional staff. Their service model is focused on creating strong matches between volunteers and children that will result in enduring friendships. Independent national research has shown that one-to-one adult-child friendships provide boys and girls with direct and measurable impact during their match, and life-changing benefits into adulthood. Adults mentored through BBBS are more likely to earn a four-year college degree and incomes of $75,000 or more; they report that BBBS changed their perspective on life and played an integral role in their success.

Officially founded in 1949 by a group of community leaders, the Big Brother Association of Boston built on the growing practice of adults choosing to become involved on a one-to-one basis with needy children. Inspired by over 45 years of mentoring work by Judge Julius Mayer and Irvin Westheimer, Boston leaders created a non-sectarian, interracial, interfaith service to address their concern for the city's youth.

In 2006 Big Brothers of Massachusetts Bay merged with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands and acquired Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Attleboro. Taking the name Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) helped mark this important organizational change and also recognized the more than 700 Little Sisters being served.

Receiving 95% of its funding from donors, BBBSMB currently supports more than 1,500 children through active matches in Greater Boston alone and has a waiting list of over 200 children. BBBSMB directly serves 150 towns and cities in Eastern Massachusetts from Cape Ann to Cape Cod and also works collaboratively with Jewish Big Brothers Association of Greater Boston, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, the Mass Mentoring Partnership, and other youth serving agencies in the area.

The Opportunity

The Chief Development Officer ( CDO ) will report directly to the President and CEO, Wendy Foster. In partnership with BBBSMB's leadership, t he CDO will develop a strategy for a diverse and integrated fundraising program and will be a change agent leading implementation of this strategy through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of existing donors and new prospects. Qualified candidates will have 10+ years relevant experience, including a strong fundraising track record demonstrating program design and growth including significant experience securing six- and seven-figure gifts, and expertise in many facets of fundraising. As part of the senior management team, the CDO will be an enthusiastic, sophisticated fundraiser with a genuine commitment to BBBSMB's mission.

Responsible for development and management of the following:

• Strategy
• In partnership with the President and CEO, develop a fundraising strategy that identifies philanthropic opportunity, recommends investment in growth areas, and raises significantly greater resources
• Contribute to and refine the case for philanthropic support
• Help BBBSMB to prepare for eventual comprehensive campaign or, as appropriate, develop a nucleus fund strategy
• Program
• Oversee all development functions including major gifts, annual giving, corporate and foundations relations, donor recognition and stewardship, planned giving and special events
• Build and develop an infrastructure of systems and practices to oversee program management and provide direction for protocols and effective reporting
• Construct annual plans, timelines, performance benchmarks, and progress reports to guide development activities, achievements, and emerging opportunities
• Staff
• Build, lead, manage, train, and motivate a collaborative development team
• Provide day-to-day staff management
• Coach and mentor staff and Board members in developing major gifts potential
• Major Gifts
• Support Board volunteers in a bold agenda to strengthen networking and major gift fundraising
• Manage a significant portfolio of key prospects and donors

Qualifications

• Appreciation for and commitment to BBBSMB's mission
• 10+ years of development experience, with significant dollars raised achievements and successful front-line major gift experience, including the ability to establish high-level relationships, cultivate and engage philanthropic leaders, and secure high-level gifts (5-,6- and 7-figure)
• Successful experience with the following:
• managing a high level portfolio and an ability to make their portfolio a priority
• building a major gifts program as part of a comprehensive development department
• coaching a CEO and leadership in major gifts cultivation and solicitation
• best practices in managing fundraising systems
• serving as an executive level manager (VP or Chief Development Officer) with demonstrated leadership ability
• Strong ability to:
• develop, manage, inspire, and mentor a fully integrated development program (major gifts, special events, planned gifts, annual fund, operations)
• be a strategic and tactical fundraising partner to the CEO and Board of Directors
• have “game changing” conversations
• link organization-wide issues with opportunities for fundraising
• develop and utilize budgets and performance metrics to drive superior performance; experience managing to a fundraising plan
• coach, grow and develop staff
• Excellent presentation, organizational, interpersonal, and writing skills
• Highly energetic, entrepreneurial and a self starter

Experienced, mission driven, development professionals with major gifts fundraising experience are encouraged to apply.

Letters of interest and resume may be sent in confidence to:

bigbrothersbigsisters@developmentguild.com

Suzanne Weber, M.B.A.

Chief Executive Officer

Development Guild/DDI

233 Harvard Street, Suite 107
Brookline, MA 02446-501

More detailed information may be found at www.developmentguild.com and at http://www.bbbsmb.org.