Chief Development Officer

Position Overview

Department: Development
Location: Hybrid within the DC Metro area
Reports to: President
Direct Reports: Yes
Classification: Exempt
Position Type: Full-time
Anticipated Pay Range: $159,000 - $238,000

Blue Star Families is the largest nonprofit dedicated to making military life better for families. We support over 1.5 million military- and veteran-connected family members through a national network of 300,000 members and local chapters. Our mission is to make military life awesome for families by delivering evidence-based, data-driven solutions.

• Bold thinkers, fast movers, and smart collaborators.
• Individuals who want to build, lead, and drive measurable change.
• Professionals who care deeply about making an impact that matters.

• Solve complex challenges with data, heart, and humility.
• Build cross-sector partnerships that get things done.
• Help military families feel at home wherever they live.
• Note:
  
  As a fully remote organization, we rely on scheduled in-person gatherings. This role requires the ability to travel out of town overnight several times per year for staff offsites, planning retreats, and company-wide events. The candidate must reside in the Washington D.C. Metro area.

The Chief Development Officer is a senior executive responsible for building and leading the infrastructure that supports a $35M fundraising operation. This role focuses on enterprise-level strategy and operational leadership rather than direct frontline fundraising. You will design, implement, and strengthen the systems, structures, and capabilities that enable a high-performing development function.

• Design and lead the structure of the Development department to support a $35M revenue base.
• Develop and own the multi-year development strategy.
• Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Establish a culture of accountability through clear role design, scorecards, and pipeline reviews.

• Lead the design and improvement of core Development processes (moves management, prospect identification, grant submission, etc.).
• Optimize the Development technology ecosystem (e.g., Salesforce CRM).
• Establish and enforce data governance standards.
• Develop and maintain a standardized reporting cadence.

• Major & Principal Gifts: Oversee infrastructure and disciplined moves management.
• Capital Campaigns: Lead the operational framework for current and future campaigns.
• Corporate & Foundation Grants: Oversee institutional giving systems and compliance.
• Direct Marketing: Oversee multi-channel direct response strategy.
• Planned Giving & Endowment: Build infrastructure for legacy giving.
• Annual Fund & Mid-Level Giving: Ensure data-driven execution.

• Manage senior Development leaders across all functions.
• Build the Development talent pipeline through workforce planning and professional development.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with Programs, Marketing, Finance, and Tech.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the President.
• Staff the Board Development or Advancement Committee.
• Represent the organization externally in a supporting capacity.

• Bachelor's degree (advanced degree preferred).
• 12+ years of progressive nonprofit development experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Track record of building development infrastructure in an organization with $25M+ in annual revenue.
• Deep expertise in CRM administration (Salesforce NPC) and development operations.
• Experience leading or supporting comprehensive/capital campaigns ($25M+).
• Experience overseeing direct marketing programs at scale.
• Proven success managing high-performing teams of 8+ professionals.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to partner with a CFO.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to travel overnight for required in-person gatherings.

• Experience serving military, Veteran, or military-family-focused organizations.
• CFRE, ACFRE, or equivalent professional credential.

Blue Star Families is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.