Chief Development Officer

Since its founding in 1984, STRIVE’s mission has been singular:
Break cycles of poverty by equipping the underserved for meaningful
and lasting employment. It has since catapulted the careers of
nearly 90,000 alumni. Beginning in East Harlem, and now operating
throughout New York City, Atlanta, Birmingham, and New Orleans,
STRIVE, guided by a new 10-Year Growth Plan, by 2033, will operate
sites in up to 20 major US cities, increasing the number of
students it serves annually from 2,000 to 10,000. STRIVE can do
this work because every member of its board, leadership, and
staff—dating back to its founders—is committed to the idea that all
human beings are deserving of dignity and livable participation in
the labor market. STRIVE is unequivocal in stating plainly that
systemic inequality exists and that it must be eradicated. This
conviction is absolute, and it guides all STRIVE storytelling,
fundraising, and external engagement. It is on this foundation of
equity in practice that STRIVE seeks its first Chief Development
Officer (CDO) to mobilize $20 million annually in philanthropic
support.

Anchored by lead investments from The Annie E. Casey Foundation,
Ballmer Group, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Blue
Meridian Partners, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation,
JPMorgan Chase Foundation, MacKenzie Scott,  and Truist
Foundation, STRIVE now seeks an accomplished fundraiser to build a
national individual giving program, personally sourcing and
cultivating a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals; scale its
corporate and institutional grant portfolio; and secure renewable
government workforce development funding from federal and local
governments.

Reporting to the CEO and serving as a member of the executive
team, the CDO will build and lead a 10-person department comprising
individual giving, institutional giving, donor stewardship,
development operations, special events, and public policy and
investment. Guided by data, the CDO will instill a culture of
ambitious donor prospecting, deepen and scale corporate and
foundation partnerships, develop earned income opportunities with
current and future employer partners, advise and propel executive
directors in their local fundraising pursuits, and assist the Board
and CEO in the identification and recruitment of new Board
members.

The CDO will also lead their team through final preparations in
the run-up to the 40-Year Anniversary Gala this November. And
toward all these ends, they will prioritize and enjoy close thought
and tactical partnership with the inaugural Chief Marketing
Officer—a key peer hired this year.

Ambition, innovation, and excellence will characterize STRIVE’s
next chapter of philanthropy. The CDO will bring a 15-to-20-year
record of success personally identifying, qualifying, cultivating,
soliciting, and stewarding major, principal, and leadership gifts
from individuals and foundations, and having achieved substantial
revenue growth for their organizations. This will represent the
core metric of their success.

They will also be unwavering in their lived commitment to racial
equity and the dignity of all human beings; have experience
translating grand vision into creative modes of donor engagement
and cutting edge fundraising strategy; a thought partner to boards
and senior leadership; a writer capable of elegantly communicating
with all funding audiences; and, finally, a public speaker, able to
capture the consciousness and imagination of any listener,
inspiring their partnership, philanthropy, and ambassadorship.

STRIVE has retained Lionel Anderson of JM Search to assist in
this recruitment. All inquiries, nominations/referrals, and résumés
accompanied by bespoke letters of interest should be submitted
electronically to [email protected].