Vice President Chief Development Officer

Vice President +
Chief Development Officer

Remote, US

About Rainforest Flow
Rainforest Flow (RF) develops integrated clean water, sanitation,
and hygiene (WASH) programs in collaboration with indigenous people
in rainforest communities, specifically, in the Manu Biosphere
Reserve in Peru’s Amazon rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We help
to grow the health of future generations of the people of the
rainforest. Our collaborative, integrated, and sustainable WASH
programs empower indigenous people to become stewards of their own
health, resources, environment, and ultimately, their future.

Since 2003, Rainforest Flow has collaborated with Peruvian health
and environmental agencies and indigenous communities to deliver
more than 82.3 million gallons of safe drinking water to four
villages in the global biodiversity hotspot. We have educated
hundreds of families about health,hygiene, and sanitation to help
them strengthen the health of their communities.

Rooted in more than 20 years of technical, scientific, and
anthropological research and hands-on field experience, our
multicultural team works closely with indigenous families to bring
sustainable clean water, sanitation, and hygiene programs to remote
communities.

An imperative, strategic goal of Rainforest Flow is to establish a
brick-and-mortar Global WASH Learning and Research Center, in the
Manu Biosphere Reserve, to serve as a meeting place for indigenous
leaders, scientists, and policymakers, and a hub of multicultural
knowledge exchange. The Rainforest Flow WASH Learning and Research
Center will benefit rainforest people from around the world by
training the next generation of indigenous leaders, engineers, and
health and environmental professionals to replicate and adapt these
technologies to their communities.

Our work in the Amazon Rainforest contributes to fulfilling goals
set by the
United Nationsto ensure availability and management of
sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene for all.

Position Summary
The Vice President + Chief Development Officer (VP/CDO) at
Rainforest Flow will lead our fundraising and development efforts,
playing a crucial role in development planning, major donor
cultivation, and expanding our fundraising portfolio. This senior
leadership position requires a dynamic individual capable of
elevating our organization’s impact through innovative fundraising
strategies, and effective team and organizational management.

This entrepreneurial role is vital for ensuring the sustainability
and growth of Rainforest Flow, requiring a combination of strategic
vision, fundraising expertise, and leadership acumen. The VP/CDO
will be instrumental in shaping our future and expanding our impact
on environmental and community health and the establishment of a
WASH Global Learning and Research Center.

The VP/CDO is a full-time, fully remote position reporting directly
to the Executive Director + Founder. Working with the Board, ED,
and RF’s program staff in Peru, the VP/CDO serves as the
organization’s primary fundraiser in support of our critical work
in the Manu Biosphere Reserve. The VP/CDO ensures that the
organization has the research, grant portfolio management, digital
presence, administrative support, and technology infrastructure in
place to meet an annual fundraising goal of $1.2M+ (beginning in
2025) to support continued program growth.

In this role, the VP/CDO will steward relationships with RF’s
institutional partners and prospects, in collaboration with RF’s
Board and Executive Director. In addition to managing RF’s
portfolio of 20 funding partners (current and past), the VP/CDO
will identify and develop new relationships for RF in the
philanthropic landscape and help diversify our institutional and
individual funding pipeline with the goal of increasing new revenue
sources. Additionally, working with RF’s board, staff, and
consultants, the VP/CDO role offers the opportunity to lead and
shape the organization, beginning with development and operations
infrastructure and best practices.

Essential Job Functions
This role is vital for ensuring the sustainability and growth of
Rainforest Flow, requiring a combination of strategic vision,
fundraising expertise, and leadership acumen. The VP/CDO will be
instrumental in shaping our future and expanding our impact on
environmental and community health.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
ª Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic fundraising
plan.
ª Cultivate and manage relationships with major donors,
foundations, and corporate sponsors.
ª Plan and lead capital campaigns and major fundraising
initiatives, overseeing the development and execution of strategies
that secure significant financial contributions to support the
organization’s long-term goals.
ª Oversee and mentor the board, ED, and staff as engaged members of
the development team, fostering a culture of philanthropic growth
and excellence.
ª Collaborate closely with the board, ED, and staff to align
fundraising goals with organizational strategy.
ª Manage the development budget, ensuring alignment with strategic
priorities.
ª Represent Rainforest Flow in public forums and engage with key
stakeholders.
Institutional Stewardship + Corporate Funder Portfolio Management
(~35%)
ª Working with the Board, ED, and staff, lead the cultivation and
moves management strategies, grants management, and relationship
stewardship strategy for RF’s portfolio of institutional
funders.
ª Develop and execute a stewardship strategy and calendar
throughout the year for both new and current institutional
funders.
ª Lead administrative, systems, and project support to plan,
coordinate, support,and execute donor relationships.

Grants/Project Management + Writing (~20%)
ª Work closely with the Board, ED, and staff to create grant
templates, and report on and renew existing grants; write
exceptional grant proposals and reports, donor presentations, and
other communications materials that effectively and succinctly
capture RF’s work and impact.
ª Develop organizational budgets that effectively convey RF’s case
for support.
ª Manage internal grants calendar and schedule to ensure proposals,
deliverables, and reports are submitted on time.
ª Build relationships with key staff, board members, and volunteers
within RF (e.g., board, volunteers, program, finance, and research
and evaluation) to aggregate data and information that will help
inform and tailor grant requests and funder reports.

Prospect Research + Relationship Mapping (~15%)
ª Research institutional and individual prospects for alignment and
lead next steps for stewardship and solicitations to strengthen
RF’s pipelinefor new revenue sources.
ª Work with consultants and staff to create collateral materials
and systems of productivity and efficiency, equipping RF with the
necessary research, information, outreach materials, and tools to
generate revenue from high-potential prospects.

Digital Media + Communications (~15%)
ª Work with the ED, program staff, and social media consultant to
coordinate a social media strategy that supports RF’s fundraising
goals.
ª Work with the social media consultant to ensure the effective
implementation of online giving campaigns.
ª Collaborate with the Board, ED, staff, and consultants to plan
and execute external communications initiatives, including a
communications calendar, conference recommendations, website
updates, social media posts, press releases, etc.

Development Operations (~15%)
ª Oversee support staff responsible for gift processing and
acknowledgments, ensuring that the gift acknowledgment process for
all RF’s gifts serves as an engaging and meaningful touchpoint for
donors.
ª Liaise with the Finance Manager and support staff to ensure that
gifts are processed with minimal turnaround time for
acknowledgment, and ensure that accurate records of gifts for
reporting and auditing purposes are maintained.
ª Ensure that systems for prospecting and engagement of donors,
including donor communication, funder histories, activities,
profiles, and CRM (Little Green Light) contacts and supporter lists
are efficient, accurate, and updated regularly.
ª Develop and ensure timely reporting to the Board and ED on all
development activities and progress towards RF’s goals.

This position offers an opportunity for someone eager to steep
themselves in a trusted and established environmental and social
justice program that has a strong reputation and track record of
supporting indigenous people of the rainforest. In addition, the
position offers an important opportunity to tell the stories of our
work and that of the communities we serve to the external
community. This role also offers exciting potential opportunities
for career advancement and leadership growth within the
organization.

Qualifications
The ideal candidate has extensive experience in building and
executing development strategy, including relationship management
and customer/stakeholder relations. The VP/CDO is highly organized,
detail-oriented, and systems-focused, a strong researcher, writer,
and cross-functional project manager.

Key qualifications include:
ª A minimum of 10 years of experience in fundraising and
development, with a proven track record in major gift
fundraising.
ª Exceptional leadership and strategic planning skills.
ª Excellent communication and relationship-building
abilities.
ª Experience in building and managing a team.
ª Familiarity with the nonprofit sector and a passion for
environmental + social causes.
ª Extensive experience in collaborating with organizational
leadership to achieve shared goals.
ª Prior experience in international and fund development is
preferred.
ª Native-level or fluent Spanish language skills strongly
preferred.

Reporting Relationships
The Vice President + Chief Development Officer reports directly to
the Executive Director and currently has no direct reports.

Compensation + Benefits
The salary range for this position is approximately $140,000.
Rainforest Flow offers a benefits package to include:
ª Health Coverage stipend of US$485.00 paid monthly
ª 401(k) Retirement Plan with an employer match up to 4% of
employee’s salary
ª $100,000 Life Insurance
ª Fifteen days of paid leave each year
ª Six days of paid sick leave each year

As a reflection of our firm’s commitment to equity and equal pay
for all, Cooper Coleman requires that salary ranges or salary
starting points be published for every search we conduct. The
practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and racial
wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color, and
other historically excluded populations by causing individuals to
negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

Location + Travel
This is a remote position. The successful candidate may reside
anywhere in the United States and is expected to work from home and
travel domestically and abroad as needed.

A valid U.S. Passport will be required to fulfill all requirements
for this role. Early in their tenure, the successful candidate will
be expected to travel to the Amazon Rainforest in Peru to
experience RF programming and become familiar with the
organization’s Peru-based staff and their fieldwork.

Submission Instructions (read carefully)
Cooper Coleman is
leading this search on behalf of Rainforest Flow. To apply, please
visit this link
(www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches). Nominations of qualified
candidates can be sent to:

Johnny Cooper
johnny@coopercoleman.com

Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email.
All inquiries will be held in confidence.

A cover letter is not required with your initial application but is
welcomed to help us understand your fitness for and interest in
this role during our initial evaluation. Candidates invited for
interviews will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest
indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity,
desire to join Rainforest Flow, and connection to its
mission.

Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal employment
opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer candidates
without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex,
sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran status, or
any other legally protected basis.

EEO + Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Rainforest Flow is an equal opportunity employer committed to
hiring a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, national
origin, age, sex, gender identity, religion, disability, sexual
orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or
expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or
federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of
employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation,
eligibility for benefits and termination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required
to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and
to complete the required employment eligibility verification form
upon hire.

Background Checks + Credentials Verification
Before sending your resume for this position, please read it over
for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates’ employment
and academic credentials at the time of offer, and our clients
frequently conduct background checks before finalizing an
offer.

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