Chief Development Officer

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley is entering an important period of growth, and we are looking for a Chief Development Officer to help build the fundraising strategy, relationships, team, and infrastructure needed for what comes next.

This is a senior leadership role for an experienced fundraiser who is equally comfortable setting strategy and building relationships. The Chief Development Officer will lead an annual contributed-revenue effort of $1.25 million or more, manage a portfolio of mid-level and major donors, supervise the Director of Partnerships, and serve alongside the CEO as one of the organization's primary external leaders.

We are looking for a builder: someone who can strengthen individual philanthropy, expand fundraising across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley, deepen corporate and foundation relationships, and help shape a development operation capable of supporting our growth over the next five years.

Our mission is to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. We are building on strong momentum in Northwest Arkansas while growing our presence in the River Valley, creating an opportunity for a development leader to help build a sustainable philanthropic foundation for the future.

Development Strategy & Revenue Growth

• Develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organizational priorities and long-term growth.
• Own the strategy and accountability for annual contributed revenue of $1.25 million or more across individual, corporate, foundation, event, campaign, and other philanthropic sources.
• Strengthen and diversify the organization's revenue mix across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley while maintaining a reliable fundraising pipeline and revenue forecast.
• Evaluate fundraising performance and return on investment, anticipate future philanthropic needs, and identify opportunities to improve or expand revenue strategies.
• Evaluate readiness for a significant endowment, capacity-building, or other special campaign and lead such an initiative when appropriate.

Individual & Major Giving

• Personally manage a portfolio of mid-level and major donors and prospects through cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, renewal, and upgrade.
• Build a stronger pipeline of individual donors across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley, with strategies to improve acquisition, retention, engagement, and major giving.
• Partner with the CEO on the organization's highest-level donor relationships while independently leading donor conversations and solicitations when appropriate.
• Strengthen planned giving and build the fundraising infrastructure necessary to support the eventual addition of another fundraising position serving both markets.

Corporate, Foundation, & Partnerships Revenue

• Provide strategic leadership and direct supervision to the Director of Partnerships.
• Set goals and strategy for corporate sponsor ships, foundation support, fundraising events, cause-related partnerships, and other partnership revenue.
• Participate in high-level corporate and foundation relationships where executive involvement can strengthen or expand the partnership.
• Ensure events and partnerships create pathways for deeper, year-round philanthropic engagement in addition to generating revenue.

Development Team, Systems, & Accountability

• Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing fundraising team with clear goals and shared accountability.
• Establish strong development systems, donor records, pipeline management, forecasting, dashboards, and key performance indicators.
• Partner with the CEO and finance team on budgeting, revenue forecasting, and long-term financial planning.
• Use technology, data, and fundraising best practices to improve effectiveness and continually assess the team's structure and capacity as the organization grows.

Board & External Leadership

• Serve as the primary staff partner to the Board Fund Development Committee and work closely with the Committee Chair to advance board fundraising.
• Equip and coach board members to participate meaningfully in donor identification, introductions, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Serve alongside the CEO as one of BBBS's primary external representatives and independently represent the organization when appropriate.
• Build strong…