Chief Development Officer

June 2023 | Boston, MA
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United South End Settlements seeks a Chief Development Officer to oversee and grow the fundraising program and lead marketing and communications efforts.

About United South End Settlements

United South End Settlements (USES) offers programs that support the whole family in achieving economic mobility. USES help parents and caregivers develop their own capacity to reach their goals, increase their income and assets, and connect with new networks of people through One-on-One Coaching combined with opportunities for personal development through Family Mobility programming. For children and youth, USES provides quality education and enrichment opportunities that foster personal development and social-emotional skills such as perseverance, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Programs include Early Childhood Education, club48 out of school time programming, and Camp Hale on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. USES believes that as families increase their income and assets, become more resilient and connect to a diverse network, they and their children are more likely to develop the necessary skills to disrupt the cycle of poverty.

As United South End Settlements celebrates its 130th year and beyond, the organization is now reaffirming its founding vision of an inclusive community where neighbors from all walks of life work together so that all can thrive, while implementing a bold, new model designed to promote economic mobility and social capital to break the generational cycle of poverty.

USES firmly commits to advocating for all residents of its community, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. The organization’s deep roots in Boston’s South End have fostered connections with—and responsibility to—its diverse, underrepresented neighbors. Over the organization’s 130-year history, USES has consistently endeavored to address systemic racism and advance equity and opportunity through programming, services, support, and friendship. Its mission—to harness the power of its diverse community to disrupt the cycle of poverty—provides a higher purpose and throughline for all decision-making. The values of opportunity, community, and diversity guide the behavior of USES employees, families, and supporters. Through its influence as a neighborhood lifeline, USES commit to transformational family experiences that offer accessibility, equity, and inclusion and lead to true belonging.

About Philanthropy at United South End Settlements

USES is poised for an exciting period of growth in its fundraising and strategic vision. USES is embarking on a new phase, continuing to build on USES’s stability and strength while growing philanthropic support to $3M+ annually in future years. The current fundraising budget is $2M+ annually, with just over half of that raised from individual donors, including major gifts. The remainder is raised via a growing portfolio of Corporate and Foundation funders and through special events such as the annual Neighborhood Gala, which raised over $450k last year. 

To achieve the Development Team’s fundraising goals, USES has outlined strategies in five primary areas: Individual Giving, Corporations & Foundations, Events, Volunteer Leadership, Communications & Marketing, and Systems, Operations & Data. As the organization looks to grow its individual giving program, USES will focus on developing a robust major gift pipeline and further establish the annual fund-giving program. It will continue to grow its corporate and foundation portfolio, focusing on larger average grant size, and leveraging new partnerships and relationships. The Chief Development Officer will have the opportunity to shape the strategic vision for USES’s fundraising and external communications and lead a committed team of fundraising professionals.

About the Position

The Chief Development Officer will build on the organization’s success of more than doubling the annual fundraising program and lead USES’s fundraising, donor relations, marketing, and communications.

USES is embarking into a new phase of growth with its Chief Executive Officer to continue to build on USES’s stability and strength and grow philanthropic support to at least 3M+ annually by FY23. As a member of the executive team, the Chief Development Officer will report to and partner closely with the Chief Executive Officer to set the direction for USES’s fundraising, marketing, and communications, as well as actively contribute to the development and implementation of the strategic goals and objectives, annual budget process, talent-related decisions, and overall organizational direction.

The Chief Development Officer will manage the Development and Communications team. The Director will foster a culture of philanthropy among staff, participants, volunteers, and the Board of Directors. The Chief Development Officer will report to Jerrell Cox, Chief Executive Officer. 

In the first six months, the CDO will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive assessment of the organization and presenting recommendations for new goal setting and achievement.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Develop a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization and invest in staff growth through training and coaching.
• Advance the organization’s racial equity goals.
• Provide strategic partnership to strengthen USES’s programmatic and philanthropic reach.
• Effectively engage with staff and Board to establish a culture of collaboration, transparency, and excellence.
• Hire and develop a team of Development and Communication professionals to drive fundraising goals and brand equity.
• Be a key part of the ideation and implementation of new programs throughout the organization, internally and externally.

Fundraising

• Partner with the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and development team to create a culture of philanthropy that allows USES to achieve ambitious fundraising targets.
• Manage annual development plan and ensure Development team is meeting targets and key activities.
• Build strong relationships with Program Directors, positioning Directors as partners in their program’s fundraising success and collaborating on the development of innovative programs.
• Serve as fundraising liaison to the Board of Directors and volunteer committees, managing and coaching these individuals to ensure their success in development.
• Curate a portfolio of events over each fiscal year to promote engagement in USES’s mission with donors, most notably, The Neighborhood Gala. 

Donor Relations

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of 100+ prospects and donors and ensure USES’s relationships, both new and existing.
• Working with the Chief Executive Officer in the management of his relationships to support USES’s culture of philanthropy.

Marketing & Communications

• Serve as an external face of the organization and raise USES’s visibility to external stakeholders and partners, including funders, community partners, and media.
• Develop key messaging and curate an agency narrative for support and opportunity through multiple media sources.
• Work with the Chief Executive Officer in identifying opportunities to promote him as a thought leader in media (publications/interviews), events, conference presentations, and similar settings.

Key Qualifications

• A commitment to USES’s mission, vision, and values.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting donors and direct experience managing a development department.
• An ability to lead in an organization that is fast paced, growing, and changing.
• Demonstrated experience in taking initiative and setting and achieving ambitious goals.
• An ability to coach, lead, and inspire a team to achieve goals.
• Experience working collaboratively with a Board of Directors and volunteer committees.
• Superb written and communication skills, public speaking skills; highly interpersonal.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to always exercise sound judgment and confidentiality.

The salary range for this role is $125,000+ commensurate with experience.

USES is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, disability or protected veteran status, genetics, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. USES is compliant with the American with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for your interview or work as a member of our team.

Vaccination Policy and Covid Policies: Masks are required to be worn indoors by staff and all children over the age of 2 years. All staff entering the office building are subject to weekly COVID testing and will be asked about vaccination status.

If you are interested in being considered for this upcoming search, please use the form below or email your cover letter and resume in confidence to: uses@developmentguild.com 


Tracy Marshall

Senior Vice President

Development Guild DDI