Chief Development and External Affairs Officer

JSSA is seeking an experienced, passionate, mission-oriented, fundraising professional for the Chief Development and External Affairs Officer position to help us catalyze our continued growth and impact. 

JSSA’s Opportunity for a Dynamic, Visionary Chief Development and External Affairs Officer

Opportunity

JSSA, a health and social wellness agency that has served the National Capital Region for more than 130 years, is seeking an experienced, passionate, mission-oriented fundraising professional for the Chief Development and External Affairs Officer position to help us catalyze our continued growth and impact.  Supervising a team of eight professionals, the CDEAO will lead resource development for the annual campaign, endowment, and planned giving, manage an integrated marketing/communications function, oversee the grants team to secure public as well as private funding, and ensure smooth day-to-day operations of the department.

The Agency

For over a century, JSSA has helped individuals and families throughout the National Capital Region at their most vulnerable moments by providing compassionate, expert, comprehensive health and social wellness services.   As one of the largest and most trusted local nonprofit providers, JSSA serves people of all faiths and backgrounds across a continuum of services that address complex needs with compassion, warmth, acceptance and expertise.

JSSA’s four core service areas — supporting our community’s mental health, helping individuals with disabilities secure meaningful employment, caring for older adults and Holocaust Survivors so they can safely age at home, and offering dignity and comfort to hospice patients — served over 22,500 people of every faith, age, and stage of life in 2024.

As one of the largest regional nonprofits, JSSA has a budget of over $44 million and 450 employees.  Our strategic plan charts a path for continued growth and impact across the National Capital Region through the expanded geographic and demographic reach of our services.

JSSA’s Philanthropy Department

The Department is comprised of a highly collaborative team of four experienced directors for major and planned gifts, foundations and government support, marketing and communication, and development operations. Four additional development staff round out the departmental team of eight.

The Department is responsible for securing annual operating philanthropy for approximately 10% of the agency’s budget ($4.5 million), in addition to securing endowment and planned giving commitments.

Recently, JSSA launched an ambitious $18 million Major Gifts Initiative [MGI] focused on raising six- and seven-figure gifts from current and new donors. MGI is aimed at building capacity in our Mental Health program, ensuring care for Holocaust Survivors for the next 10 years, and the Northern Virginia expansion of our hospice services. The current Chief Development Officer will transition from her seven-year tenure to focus on this initiative in collaboration with the CEO and the new CDEAO.

JSSA’s values propel its philanthropic culture. Guided by the Jewish principles of Tikkun Olam, a commitment to heal and repair the world, and Tzedakah, the responsibility to care for one’s neighbors, JSSA inspires a culture of giving grounded in these core values to support our community.

The Role and Responsibilities of the Chief Development & External Affairs Officer

The CDEAO partners with the CEO to strategize, lead, and direct a comprehensive resource development, marketing, and communications strategy that continues to expand JSSA’s visibility and financial support. This is a great opportunity to build upon the strong development and communications foundation in place, taking it to a new level of community engagement and increased philanthropic support.

As an integral member of the executive team, the CDEAO will help inform the vision and strategy for the agency’s future. The CDEAO will build, lead, and manage a team of eight professionals and foster organization-wide communication and collaboration to achieve these goals.

Vision and Strategic Planning

  • Understand and become an authoritative voice on JSSA’s mission, values, programs, and strategic plan.
  • Evaluate JSSA’s internal and external environment to design and implement short—and long-term development/marketing plans and programs, ensuring alignment with the agency’s mission and vision.
  • Provide vital input on strategic and operational planning and agency positioning, with the objective of identifying sustainable funding opportunities and expanding JSSA’s base of supporters.
  • Demonstrate a proven ability to implement a relational versus transactional approach to philanthropy.

Department Scope

  • Lead and expand the comprehensive development program, including annual giving, major and planned gifts, corporate sponsorship, special appeals, institutional grants, endowment, and special events.
  • Participate directly in soliciting support by identifying and closing significant gifts.
  • Develop an outreach and events strategy to promote engagement and build new supporters.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness and oversee the execution of JSSA’s brand awareness through its many channels: website, social media, earned and paid media, community reports, donor communications, and its leadership and staff ambassadors.
  • Direct and supervise the creation of marketing materials to keep its many stakeholders informed of needs and opportunities for engagement and support.
  • Manage the grants function, balancing public and private options for support and engaging internal stakeholders to evaluate and prioritize those opportunities.
  • Deepen stakeholder engagement in efforts to expand JSSA’s volunteer and donor base.
  • Devise and manage the annual department budget.

 Team Leadership and Management

  • Model, foster, and promote a culture of philanthropy that advances JSSA’s strategic goals and program initiatives through the integrated development and marketing/communications program.
  • Develop and execute a plan to engage the Board of Directors, Ambassadors Council, and program staff in cultivating and soliciting volunteers and donors, providing training, direction, and support as needed.
  • Attract, lead, develop, and retain a high-performing team, supporting professional development, enhancing skills, and ensuring accountability for results.
  • Establish performance measures and consistently evaluate the effectiveness of the entire program.
  • Foster camaraderie and collaboration within the department and agency-wide.

Chief Development Success Factors

The successful Chief Development & External Affairs Officer will have a broad fundraising background with a proven track record of providing visionary and effective leadership in a multi-faceted giving program.

S/he/they will combine an expert knowledge of fundraising practices with the diplomacy, communications, and relationship-building skills necessary to forge effective internal and external partnerships and advance an effective philanthropic program.

Knowledge and Experience:

  • 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in a complex fundraising environment. Knowledge of the regional philanthropic community, both geographically and culturally.
  • Demonstrated ability to steward a fundraising program, including handling strategic and day-to-day functions.
  • Experience developing, implementing, and expanding annual, major, and planned giving programs.
  • Track record of personally identifying and securing 5- and 6-figure gifts.
  • Experience working successfully with a Board of Directors and lay leadership volunteers.
  • Executive/Senior management experience with a record of leading a high-performing team and effectively collaborating with peers.
  • Knowledge of relational databases and how to maintain and effectively leverage record-keeping systems.
  • Ability to oversee marketing/communications and grant writing functions is required, and direct experience in these areas is a plus.
  • Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE/ACFRE preferred; master’s degree or graduate certificate in fundraising and development, non-profit leadership and management, philanthropy, public administration, or related field preferred.

 Personal Characteristics and Work Style:

  • Clear evidence of a management style that builds internal alliances and emphasizes ethical guidelines, collegiality, and effective teamwork.
  • Ability to work and communicate effectively with varied audiences, including senior leaders, Board members, government agency personnel, volunteer leaders, staff, donors, and prospects; must have excellent oral and written communication and listening skills.
  • Comfort level working within a dynamic, growing, multi-faceted organization.
  • Ability to provide analytic, strategic, and operational guidance and a willingness to work in the trenches to get the job done.
  • A passion for personally cultivating donors and volunteers and serving as an external ambassador of an organization.
  • Great attention to detail, organized, and able to balance multiple tasks.
  • Ability to be adaptable and flexible in orchestrating complex work by various team members, volunteers, and vendors.