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.

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.

• 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…