Position Overview

Sterling Search Inc. has been exclusively retained to recruit for the new Chief Development Officer for Make-A-Wish® Central & Western North Carolina (MAW-CWNC).

In 1980, everyone who knew seven-year-old Chris Greicius also knew he wanted to be a policeman when he grew up. Concerned that Chris’ diagnosis with leukemia might prevent that dream from coming true, officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety decided to create that dream for him. They pulled together people from all over the Phoenix community to grant Chris’ wish to be an Arizona State Trooper.

Any child between the ages of 2½ and 17 who has a life-threatening medical condition may be eligible for a wish, with a local Make-A-Wish® chapter serving every US community. Each year, approximately 27,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with a condition that potentially qualifies them for a wish.

Make-A-Wish® America (MAW) now serves 61 chapters nationally and 36 internationally, and has granted the wishes of over 250,000 children globally. The Foundation was one of the nation’s first recipients of the Council of Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance Seal, signifying adherence to charitable accountability, and was honored in the most recent edition of “America’s Greatest Brands.”

“Our mission is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy”.

Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina (MAW CWNC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is governed by a dedicated and diversified volunteer local Board of Directors. Over the past 7 years, under the leadership of CEO Amy Brindley, Make-A-Wish CWNC has had unparalleled growth and is now regarded as the epicenter of innovation and a best practice chapter within the enterprise.

The chapter continues to build an impactful and philanthropic board, make investments in the team, and will grant over 385 wishes this year, an increase of almost 100 wishes in the past two years alone.

MAW CWNC has an incredible team and culture and is poised to achieve even more in the coming years. Currently, its annual cash revenue is $4.15 million and boasts a healthy balance sheet with $3 million in cash and investments (12 month reserves).

The chapter is focused on continuing to build a dedicated, diversified board. They are also about to build two regional councils to further advance resources in outlying markets. MAW CWNC is proud of its committed and passionate senior management team and staff. With a tangible household brand and a new Chief Development Officer MAW CWNC can only continue to flourish.

Building upon Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina’s momentum of success, the Chief Development Officer will lead the vision and strategy for the fund development function in an organization which continues to be poised for even greater growth. This is a phenomenal opportunity for a development professional who is passionate about the mission of Make-A-Wish and playing an integral role in impacting the children and families of Central and Western North Carolina.

The position is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and will require travel within the 51 counties it serves, more specifically, Asheville and the Triad (Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point).

http://nc.wish.org/

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Development Officer will be charged with creating the vision, mission and strategy for the development function. This position will report to the President & CEO, and will serve on the senior management team. He/she will effectively network with high net-worth individuals in corporate, foundation, government, business and non-profit circles to promote philanthropic awareness and a case for support.

The Chief Development Officer will be a chief spokesperson representing the organization to constituencies, both internal and external. He/she will manage a development team of nine, and will function well in a balanced culture that combines the richness and relevance of programs with the efficacy of best business practices, fiscal accountability, and institutional impact.

The Chief Development Officer will:

• Participate with the President & CEO, staff, and board of directors to lead the organization’s development strategies and chart the organization’s course in fund development.
• Create and implement a singular comprehensive strategic development plan for the organization, outlining specific fundraising enterprises, corresponding revenue targets and addressing annual and long-term, multi-year fundraising strategies.
• Implement donor cultivation and stewardship strategies resulting in annual campaign growth, effective donor segmentation, engagement of key constituencies, development of the organization’s fundraising base, leveraging tools and opportunities provided by the national office and the effective solicitation of donors capable of making a transformative gift ($10,000+).
• Collaborate with the Chief Program Officer and other partners to deepen the relationship between wish granting and fundraising, extending the average engagement of wish families, volunteers and donors with an expressed goal of making Make-A-Wish the charity of choice for wish families, volunteers and their personal and professional networks.
• Establish a major giving program that leverages the nationwide Wishes Forever campaign, national office fundraising support with planned giving and local staff expertise by providing training and coaching to volunteers, designing campaign specific activities, establishing institutional operational support and creating measurable goals.

• Identify, develop and implement a coordinated series of fundraising activities in every local market addressing key donor segments, using fundraising best practices and consistent with the overall organization fundraising strategy.
• Serve as the CEO’s designee with regional advisory boards, local volunteers and staff providing direction, support, recruitment and training as necessary to advance organizational priorities.
• Recruit, hire, support, train, coach, assess and supervise fundraising staff in the organization’s service area. Provide career development opportunities for all fundraising staff with specific attention paid to the identification and development of future leaders.
• Coordinate fundraising efforts involving the CEO, leadership volunteers, field staff and support by creating and driving processes for donor identification, classification, cultivation and solicitation.
• Institutionalize the operational use of Raiser’s Edge for the purpose of donor stewardship and extending relationships, develop fundraising operational procedures to support efforts.
• Regularly scan the communities served by the organization for new business prospects, fundraising opportunities, cause marketing partners and local leads to promote the Make-A-Wish brand.
• Target emerging primary and secondary markets for mission promotion, advertisement for referrals, volunteer recruitment, fundraising opportunities and new business development. Establish strategy for secondary market success.
• Ensure that all organizational internal and external communication is on brand, has consistent messaging and leverages the Make-A-Wish mission.
• Ensure that philanthropy and fund development are carried out in keeping with the organization’s values, mission, vision and plans.
• Work collaboratively with the CEO and national organization to coordinate programs and potential national sponsors.
• Serve as a collaborative member of the senior leadership team by participating in establishing overall chapter goals, policies and a culture of working together to achieve the organization’s mission.
• Team with the finance department to assure sound fiscal operation of the development function including timely, accurate and comprehensive development of charitable contributions income and expense budgets, reporting, monitoring and implementation.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors, and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives.
• Execute all other reasonable duties as assigned by the President & CEO.

Professional Experience and Qualifications

We are seeking candidates offering the following qualifications:

• Passion, Imagination, vision, leadership and integrity.
• A minimum of seven years of major gift fundraising, with individuals/corporations and foundations in a professional capacity.
• Management experience with increasing levels of responsibility and with direct stewardship of boards of directors.
• A demonstrated track record of building a development function including but not limited to annual fund, major gifts, corporations and foundations, planned giving and events.
• A strategic approach to development with significant experience in cultivating and managing donors.
• A record of quantifiable success in development which encompasses many areas of donor segmentation, research and cultivation. A quantifiable track record of major gift fundraising.
• A demonstrated ability to plan and operate strategically, to build public support, to strengthen infrastructure, to inspire staff and the board of directors, and to develop effective programs.
• Exceptional financial, organizational and administrative skills.
• The ability to plan, set goals and objectives, organize, and follow through.
• A strong interpersonal and communication skill set and demonstrated ability to work effectively with and gain the respect and support of varied and changing constituencies including staff, board members, potential donors, volunteers and the like.
• A track record as an effective communicator skilled at writing as well as verbally; adept at writing proposals, solicitation letters, donor correspondence, and other kinds of material to enhance fundraising.
• Computer literate; knowledge of Word and Excel and experience with database software. Experience with Raiser’s Edge preferred.
• Position requires extensive travel throughout the chapter and flexible hours.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following capabilities:

• Commitment to the mission and work of Make-A-Wish with the credibility and persuasiveness to secure support from others.
• A manager who leads by example and exemplifies the values and ethics of the organization.
• A high achiever with ability to seize opportunities and realize results.
• An organized individual with strong creative and conceptual skills.
• A leader who functions effectively without being autocratic or political; must be a team player who is inclusive, flexible, creative, energetic, and fair minded.
• A decisive and resourceful individual with the willingness to accept responsibility and take charge of results; able to work successfully with limited resources.
• A self-starter who is confident enough to express opinions, forging ahead when appropriate and holding back when necessary, with a sensitivity to the feelings and opinions of others.
• An energetic person who is emotionally mature and dependable; a collegial individual.

A competitive compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate.

Direct all correspondence emails and telephone calls to Sterling Search, Inc.

Any resumes sent or telephone calls made to MAW Central & Western North Carolina will be redirected to Sterling Search, Inc.

 Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer