Chief Development Officer

About United States of Care

United States of Care (USofCare) is a non-partisan nonprofit on a mission to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of health status, social need, or income. At USofCare, we envision an equitable, easy-to-navigate health care system that provides all people with dependable, personalized coverage throughout life’s changes and we have the approach and data to ensure that this future is possible.

In order to achieve our people-centered mission, USofCare has developed highly intentional organizational values and is committed to building a diverse team at all levels of our organization, cultivating an inclusive culture, and engaging with people who bring different perspectives and lived experiences to our efforts. We strive to pursue unity over uniformity and listen closely to the unique interests, abilities, needs, and backgrounds of every employee and strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply to join our growing team.

For more information on United States of Care, please visit https://unitedstatesofcare.org/

The Opportunity

USofCare is a team of innovators, builders, and disruptors. Today, we are seeking a Chief Development Officer who will take a hands-on role in scaling our development operations while building sustainable revenue streams for immediate and long-term impact. USofCare is excited for an experienced leader to join our Executive Team and champion our mission through strategic fund development initiatives, donor facing marketing and communications efforts, and the building and management of a highly functioning development department to meet near-term goals and ensure the organization’s future growth.

USofCare’s approximately six million annual operating budget is currently funded solely through philanthropy and the Chief Development Officer will play a key role in ensuring that the organization is able to meet – if not exceed – this goal year-over-year. The Chief Development Officer will do so by setting and executing the organization’s fundraising strategy and managing the necessary structures to meet, sustain, and grow our financial goals. An immediate priority for a successful Chief Development Officer will be the expansion and diversification of the organization’s revenue streams with an emphasis on the solicitation and conversion of new funders. Using the organization’s existing strategic vision and fundraising progress as building blocks, the Chief Development Officer will be expected to drive revenue growth across major gifts and annual giving, foundations and other institutional giving, and private sector support and will be assessed based on their ability to do so effectively on a quarterly and annual basis. The Chief Development Officer will take a hands-on role in developing the organization’s narrative and will help shape external collateral, donor facing materials, and marketing initiatives.

The Chief Development Officer will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and will be an integral member of the USofCare Executive Team – a highly collaborative group of top strategists. The Chief Development Officer will serve as a trusted leader and will work closely with the rest of the Executive Team to advance organization-wide cross-cutting priorities and strong culture, including strategic planning, budgeting, team building, fostering a culture of philanthropy, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion commitments. The Chief Development Officer will oversee a small but mighty team and will bring an empowering management style to this hands-on position to guide the team to apply best practices, execute on decisions, and consistently deliver results to meet or exceed goals.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Fundraising (40%)

• Serve as the chief strategist and principal fundraiser for USofCare’s development efforts, alongside the CEO who currently serves as a principal fundraiser for the organization.
• Create and implement annual and long-term fundraising objectives, strategies, and tactics that will advance the organization’s programmatic priorities.   
• Develop and execute immediate- and long-term fundraising plans to drive revenue with a focus on new donor acquisition, securing donor renewals and multi-year commitments, expanding our already robust foundation partnerships, and diversifying funding sources to ensure that the organization meets its annual revenue goal.
• Establish data driven metrics to assess fundraising progress and manage both your own performance and that of your team against these metrics.  
• Adjust tactics as needed to meet revenue goals, always operating with actionable backup plans. 
• Swiftly establish a nuanced understanding of USofCare’s mission and programmatic efforts and ensure those are effectively represented in all fundraising strategies. Work collaboratively with the program department to ensure that their work is elevated by and reflected in fundraising tactics, and proactively engage partners across the organization for input as needed. 
• Take a proactive and hands-on approach to shaping the organization’s external narrative and presence (i.e. creation of a case for support; creation of a funder ‘elevator pitch;’ etc.)
• Craft tailored funder facing collateral, proposals, presentations, and appeals; and
• Partner with the Chief Operating Officer to prepare revenue forecasting and projections to inform the annual budget(s) and bring monthly updates to the Board of Directors. 

Donor & Stakeholder Engagement (30%)

• Create then execute against tailored goals and strategies for the prospecting, solicitation, and ongoing stewardship of institutional and individual funders, with a specific immediate focus on individuals at the mid- to major-donor level. 
• Serve as the externally facing fundraiser for the organization and primary relationship manager for individual donors, taking a hands-on approach to building relationships with current and new funders. 
• Determine portfolio assignments and set goals for the Development team across all revenue streams. 
• Guide the CEO through their stewardship of a portfolio of high-profile donor relationships.      
• Manage and orchestrate the CEO’s engagement with funders.
• Innovate creative ways to engage donors and manage the processes by which updates and reports are given to funders throughout the year. 
• Partner with the Events Team to ensure that cross organizational events are fully leveraged to engage current and prospective funders.

Executive Leadership (20%)

• Establish trusted and highly collaborative relationships with the other members of the Executive Team.
• Leverage previous experience with nonprofits and one or more of policy, advocacy and/or politics to contribute to USofCare’s nonpartisan vision and strategy. 
• Model exceptional judgment and equitable and inclusive leadership practices.
• Bring an authentic commitment to advancing the organization’s DEI efforts.  
• Participate in organizational financial planning and budgeting processes and manage the Development Department’s budget.
• Incorporate colleagues in fundraising and development efforts both to bring transparency to fundraising progress and to foster a rich culture of philanthropy organization wide.
• Collaborate with the Chief Executive Officer and her Chief of Staff on a strategy  to leverage and engage USofCare’s Board of Directors in fundraising efforts; and 
• Stay up to date on philanthropic, economic, social, and educational trends related to fundraising and health care issues and provide the Executive and Development Teams with ongoing education and opportunities for growth.  

Team Management (10%)

• Provide leadership, strategic direction, and management for USofCare’s Development Team, supporting team members to achieve ambitious goals and ensuring opportunities for professional growth and development. 
• Oversee the Development Team’s individual portfolios and data-based goals and provide the necessary guidance to course correct in order to reach key metrics and goals.
• Set and uphold clear benchmarks and metrics for success for the Development Team, and take ownership of regularly communicating progress.
• Ensure that the Development Team has created and is maintaining a highly functioning, robust system of operational processes, including data entry, moves management, donor acknowledgments, gift processing, and income reconciliation; and 
• Oversee engagements with outside development consultants and vendors as needed. 

USofCare is a virtual organization in which team members live and work across the US. The Chief Development Officer can be located anywhere with the expectation that occasional travel (team retreats, events, funder meetings) is required.  

Candidate Profile

Successful candidates will bring a passion for USofCare’s mission, a nuanced understanding of nonprofit policy and advocacy fundraising, storytelling, and both the enthusiasm and sophisticated skill set required to manage a growing development program for an organization on the forefront of change. They offer demonstrated expertise in the following core competency areas: 

Passion for the Mission
Our next CDO exhibits an authentic passion and excitement for USofCare’s mission to ensure that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of health status, social need, or income. A deeply empathetic leader, they embody USofCare’s people-centric approach and are committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into all aspects of their work and interactions with others.

As a fundraiser and a member of the philanthropic community, they consistently represent their organization’s mission and values with integrity, respect, and compelling storytelling. They are excited by this unique opportunity to join a diverse, bipartisan, and learning-focused atmosphere, and are excited to leverage their development skills to support USofCare’s policy solutions through fundraising efforts that effectively maximize their impact in the market.

Strategic Fundraising Expertise
An innovative fundraising leader, ideal candidates are deeply experienced in creating and scaling a comprehensive fundraising program that successfully incorporates multiple revenue streams. Experience working in close collaboration with organizational leaders and a board to advance a range of data-driven fundraising strategies and models. They offer demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-level funder relationships and closing significant gifts and grants in the six-, seven-, and eight-figure ranges.

Skilled in adjusting tactics based on real-time financial insights, they consistently meet revenue targets while providing transparency and accurate forecasting to the Board of Directors. They have proven success translating strategy into practice and assessing its impact to inform future opportunities. With an advanced understanding of how to fundraise within a nonpartisan organization pursuing research, advocacy, and policy change, they bring the strategic vision necessary to ensure continued organizational growth and sustainability and the diplomacy to engage funders across party lines. Ideally, candidates bring experience creating successful donor-facing marketing and communications materials, including tailored collateral for major fundraising initiatives.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship
Bringing a deep understanding of how the policy landscape shapes donor interests, the next CDO will excel at cultivating meaningful donor relationships that align philanthropic interest with organizational mission and impact. An agile and persuasive communicator, they have a proven ability to deliver compelling narratives that position their organization's mission within relevant policy contexts, translating complex issues into clear, donor-friendly messaging. With a strong track record of building and nurturing relationships with key donors and influencers, they anticipate political and policy shifts, ensuring that messaging stays clear, impactful, and keep donors engaged in the organization’s evolving work, impact, and priorities.

Team Leadership
A people-centered leader, the CDO possesses a history of management experience with increasing responsibilities, excels in building and leading teams, and creates an empowering work environment for staff at all career levels. They have a strong track record in hiring, mentoring, and guiding staff to consistently exceed ambitious goals. Their organizational management expertise includes financial oversight, long-term planning, and team evaluation, ensuring both the effectiveness and sustainability of the development function at both a strategic and operational level. A collaborator and team-player, they aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and ensure that leadership and colleagues are brought along in the fundraising process and effectively communicate complex issues to facilitate a culture of philanthropy.

In addition, ideal candidates will also offer:

• Persuasive interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engender trust internally and externally. 
• Experience scaling fundraising activities in high growth organizations; ideally with experience building new development streams to support growth.
• Entrepreneurial instinct and adaptability to overcome challenges and uncertainty, while motivating others to achieve objectives in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
• Unimpeachable ethical standards, with a strong commitment to confidentiality, personal integrity, self-awareness, and dependability at all times.

Compensation & Benefits 

The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $220,000.

USofCare is proud to offer competitive salaries and a range of flexible, family-friendly benefits. We prioritize remote work and offer top-tier medical, life, disability, paid time off, and retirement benefits. Our team members are our greatest asset, and we emphasize the importance of rest, family connection, and personal time. To support this, we’ve implemented organization-wide closures in addition to federal holidays, including one Friday off each month, and the week between December 25th and January 1st. We also observe Summer Fridays (Fridays in July and August) and close early at 3 p.m. on Fridays when we’re open.

We provide a flexible vacation policy, trusting staff to collaborate with their teams to take the time they need. Additionally, employees accrue one sick day per month and enjoy 12 weeks of paid parental, medical, and family leave. After five years with USofCare, team members are entitled to a five-week paid sabbatical to fully recharge.

Contact

Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Molly Brennan and Malissa Brennan. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

USofCare is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values a multicultural, diverse working environment. Applicants of diverse backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged to apply. USofCare prohibits discrimination of employment, promotion, compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment based on gender, disability, race, age, national origin, color, creed, sexual orientation, sex (including marital and parental status), gender identity and expression, religion, economic status, ethnic identity, veteran's status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group via the firm's website.