Chief Development Officer

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for forging key relationships to build American Humane Society’s visibility, impact and financial resources with the primary objective of driving revenue to attain aggressive organizational growth goals, in line with the organization’s 2030 Strategic Plan. 

For nearly 150 years, American Humane Society (American Humane) has led the way in protecting animals and strengthening the bonds between animals and people. We respond first when animals need rescue, shelter, or protection. Through our groundbreaking programs – from our “No Animals Were Harmed®” certification in Hollywood to our farm and conservation welfare standards – we set the highest level of care and compassion in animal protection.

Working at American Humane means being part of something bigger. With offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, we provide a supportive, professional environment where your work makes a real difference in animals’ lives.  American Humane Society is committed to fostering a welcoming workplace. As we seek to fill this position, we highly encourage high-performing applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Position Summary & Expectations:  

The CDO serves as a strategic partner to the SVP & COO, President & CEO and executive leadership to set and achieve philanthropic goals for the advancement of the organization.  The CDO will bring a thoughtful, proactive and entrepreneurial approach to leveraging American Humane and its existing donor relationships to position the COO and CEO to connect with philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who are both currently engaged and not currently engaged with the organization. 

This position provides strategic oversight and direction to the fundraising function.  The CDO will work collaboratively with the Vice President, Development Strategy & Operations; Vice President, Major Gifts & Planned Giving; and Vice President, Strategic Partnerships to design, implement and achieve strategic fundraising goals and initiatives.  The CDO will strategically lead, motivate, empower and grow a high-performing, highly motivated fundraising team that works collaboratively with staff at all levels of the organization to meet programmatic and philanthropic needs. 

With a particular focus on broadening the principal gift donor base, the CDO will cultivate their own portfolio of high-level donor relationships and serve as a collaborative and strategic partner to the development team to leverage the fundraising program as a pipeline for growing donor support from annual to major to principal gift levels. 

Responsibilities:

• Accountable for the organization’s philanthropic revenue performance in support of mission delivery; lead the development, execution, and continuous refinement of comprehensive fundraising strategies—grounded in data and impact—to maximize efficiency and align with the Humane 2030 Strategic Plan.
• Effectively communicate how American Humane and its programs work to rescue, care for and protect animals and champion the healing power of the human-animal bond.
• Actively manage a portfolio of high-level donors (individual, corporate and foundation) capable of making 6- and 7- figure gifts, through identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship cycles.
• Build a broad network of prospective partners and donors, expanding the reach of American Humane into new donor markets.
• Strategically engage and leverage the COO and CEO- ensuring they are well-briefed and their time is used productively- to establish and strengthen relationships nationally and globally, and to engage and cultivate both new and existing donors in support of the organization.
• Partner with COO to develop and execute a fundraising and stewardship plan for relationships managed by the CEO and COO, while supporting engagement in other high-touch relationships to effectively cultivate and steward major and principal donors.
• Orchestrate the participation of the CEO, COO, board, volunteer and executive leadership in the joint cultivation and stewardship of key funding sources.
• Act as a conduit between executive leadership and the development team, ensuring goals, expectations, and needs are communicated clearly and timely in both directions.
• Serve as a strategic partner to program leadership across the organization, fostering collaboration to align fundraising strategies with program priorities, advance 2030 Strategic Plan goals, and drive sustainable revenue growth to support program expansion.
• Set a clear vision for a high-performing, mission-driven development function; empower and hold development leadership accountable for cultivating a culture of mentorship, continuous learning, and professional growth across the team.
• Provide strategic guidance and thought partnership to senior fundraising leaders on portfolio strategy, complex gift opportunities, and high-impact donor engagement; serve as an executive advisor on major, principal and transformational giving.
• Partner with the VP, Development Strategy & Operations; VP, Major & Planned Giving; and VP, Strategic Partnerships to establish and continuously refine best-in-class fundraising strategies, systems, and infrastructure that expand organizational capacity across major and principal giving, corporate and foundation relations, direct response marketing, and planned giving in alignment with organizational priorities. 
• Provide strategic oversight of philanthropic events, partnering with the events team to maximize revenue performance and ensure gala and other key events deliver strong financial results aligned with organizational goals.
• Partner with the VP, Marketing to develop plans that drive revenue growth and to build corporate partnerships.
• Collaborate with the team to develop and implement new and innovative strategies for identifying and acquiring prospective donors, increasing donor retention and upgrading and renewing existing donors.
• Deliver articulate presentations on American Humane’s mission, programs and work.
• Represent American Humane at various events and meetings.
• Keep current on latest trends and issues in the philanthropic, non-profit and animal welfare sectors.

Essential Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in senior leadership roles in charge of fundraising efforts in organizations of similar size and complexity to American Humane.
• Proven experience leading a team of highly effective and motivated fundraising professionals in the nonprofit sector.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding fundraising and budget goals.
• Successful experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding high level donors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to briefly summarize the essence of issues and means to address them.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with ability to actively listen, remain flexible and shift priorities as needed.
• Takes a collaborative and proactive approach in addressing needs of the organization.
• Maintains a professional demeanor at all times.
• Demonstrates high levels of integrity, sound judgement and discretion.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or other similar fundraising software.
• CFRE certification preferred.
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint); able to quickly learn and adapt to new software or database systems.

Direct reports:  

• CDO has overall responsibility for the Development team.  Direct reports include: VP, Development Strategy & Operations; VP, Major Gifts & Planned Giving; VP, Strategic Partnerships.

Physical demands and work environment: 

• Ideally, position is hybrid, based out of the Washington, DC office location with telework schedule based on organizational policy, need, and manager discretion.  May consider basing this position from other office locations or fully remote.
• Position operates in a standard office environment and must be o.k. with animals in the office and at events.
• Local and national travel required; estimated up to 50% or more as needed.
• Some evening and weekend hours will be required for travel, outreach or event participation.
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee will regularly be required to:
  • Look at and work on a computer screen for extended periods of time,
  • Talk, hear and exchange information over the telephone, virtually and in person.

Job Details:

• Title: Chief Development Officer
• Type: FT/Exempt
• Location: Washington, DC / may consider remote
• Compensation: $230,000-$250,000

American Humane Society’s core values define our workplace, and these values serve as the cornerstone for interactions in advancing our mission and institutional goals. Employees are expected to adhere to all organizational policies and to act as role models, demonstrating American Humane Society’s core values:

Compassion – Being kind and caring in our interactions with others.

Accountability - Holding ourselves to the highest standards. Following through on commitments and owning our actions, behavior, and decisions.

Respect for All – Being professional, listening to others and honoring diversity in all its forms.

Loyalty to Mission – Staying focused on our purpose and our mission – our nation’s most vulnerable depend on us.

Sustainability - Contributing to being a great place to work and achieving our shared mission and goals to make a difference, now and in the future.

Honesty, Integrity, Trust – Demonstrating transparency, as trusted stewards of donor resources, supporting our leadership and one another.

American Humane Society (AHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to fostering a welcoming, supportive workplace where our work makes a real difference in animals' lives.