GRACE CATHEDRAL
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

 
 

 THIS POSITION IS BASED IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA. THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL WORK IN THE OFFICE FOUR DAYS PER WEEK.

ABOUT GRACE CATHEDRAL

Grace Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of California and a house of prayer for all people – a place of inclusive community and spiritual practice, social justice work, music and the arts, yoga, and more. The mission of Grace Cathedral is reimagining church with courage, joy, and wonder.

We actively work to advance racial, gender, and LGBTQIA+ justice, environmental stewardship, citizen awareness, and an end to gun violence. We also strive to ensure that Grace Cathedral is a great place to work. We celebrate diversity, are committed to anti-racism, and we seek job candidates who will bring their unique experience to enrich our culture and organization.

For most positions, it is not required to belong to or practice a particular faith to work here, although everyone on our team is expected to be aligned with the vision, mission, and values of Grace Cathedral and contribute to achieving its strategic goals.

For more information, please visit https://gracecathedral.org

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Chief Development Officer works closely with the Dean, the Chapter, the Board of Trustees, and development staff to continually expand and diversify the Cathedral’s funding base to meet annual and long-term budget needs in support of its mission, programs, and strategic priorities. This includes overseeing annual giving, major gifts, annual gala, gift records, special events, and planned giving, and serving as the staff liaison to the trustee Development Committee and helping to steward trustee relations.

The Chief Development Officer is a senior leadership position and a member of both the Dean’s Council and the Cathedral Chapter, the senior staff of Grace Cathedral.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the Dean and manages a department of three to five direct and indirect reports as well as project-based consultants and independent contractors.

OPPORTUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Salary range is $170,000-$185,000

  • Benefits include:

o   20 days of Paid Vacation per year and 14 Paid Holidays

o   Sick Leave: 12 days a year

o   Health, Vision, and Dental Coverage

o   FSA account

o   Life Insurance

o   Pension Plan (defined contribution retirement plan) with a 5% employer contribution and up to a 4% employer match and immediate 100% vesting

o   Employee Assistance Program

  • The opportunity to play a leadership role in raising crucially important funds that serve the Cathedral’s mission to re-imagine church with courage, joy, and wonder.

YOU ARE

  • An energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive fundraiser who is motivated by the mission and vision of Grace Cathedral

  • A gifted fundraising leader who delights in building deep, meaningful relationships with donors and friends

  • Possessing excellent organizational skills, sound judgment, and creative problem-solving skills

  • A leader with empathy, kindness, and joy

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Strategy

  • Serve as a member of the Cathedral Chapter to formulate policies and make decisions to ensure the proper management of the Cathedral.

  • Serve as a member of the Dean’s Council to help direct the mission and vision of Grace Cathedral and execution of the strategic plan.

  • Collaborate with the dean, chapter, board of trustees, and the development committee to build and implement a development plan that supports the current operating budget and grows to support the strategic growth of the organization.

  • In consultation with the dean, chapter, trustees, and the development committee of the board, design annual and long-term fundraising strategies, and development action plan to identify, cultivate, and solicit annual and major gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Fundraising & Stewardship

  • Oversee administrative activities of the development department, including creating the department budget, fundraising database, donor recognition, and a timely and sophisticated gift acknowledgment system.

  • Direct and manage all aspects of the Cathedral’s giving programs, including donor research, communications, solicitations, direct mail, planned giving, etc.

  • Oversee annual trustee fundraising events, including the annual gala.

  • Oversee cultivation and solicitation of major donors and prospects and, in coordination with the dean, manage and steward these crucial donor relationships.

  • Supervise a year-round community giving program that includes congregational stewardship, reaching out to significant individuals, corporations, and foundations, and incorporating trustee participation in cultivation events and solicitation process.

  • Strategize, direct, and partner with key stakeholders to launch capital/endowment campaigns.

  • Develop a grant writing strategy and capability via The Ghiberti Foundation.

Internal Management & Operations

  • Hire, train, motivate, develop, evaluate, and provide ongoing collaboration and supervision to development department staff.

  • Train, support, engage, and inspire trustees in procedures and techniques to improve their fundraising skills and success.

  • Design and deliver reports that engage and inform the dean, chapter, board of trustees, and the development committee.

  • Develop and oversee administrative activities of the department, including setting and overseeing the department budget, fundraising database, donor recognition, etc.

  • Staff the Board Development Committee.

  • Facilitate and coordinate participation of the Board of Trustees in fundraising efforts.

  • Follow all health and safety policies and procedures required by the Cathedral and the Diocese of California.

COMPETENCIES

  • Alignment with the vision, mission and values of Grace Cathedral and commitment to contribute to achieving its strategic priorities and goals

  • 10+ years' experience in professional, managerial roles in organizations of similar size or larger, including 5 years in nonprofit fund development and administration

  • Successful and demonstrated track record of raising funds with gross annual revenues of $3M or more

  • Substantial experience designing and implementing comprehensive fundraising plans including major gifts, corporate, foundation and annual giving

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required and CFRE or other professional designation preferred

  • Ability to effectively engage senior staff and trustees in solicitation and cultivation activities

  • Excellent leadership, strategy, management, and organization skills

  • Strong knowledge of and ties with the Bay Area funding community

  • Familiarity with, understanding of, and respect for progressive religious communities; familiarity with the Episcopal Church strongly preferred

  • Experience working in a religious organization preferred

  • Strong knowledge of Bay Area funding community preferred

  • Clear and exceptional interpersonal, verbal and writing skills, and strong interpersonal skills, collaborative work style, and ease with trustees, clergy, news media, and high wealth donors and prospective donors

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Raiser's Edge, and other development software

  • Required to work a minimum of 4 days per week onsite

  • Must work Christmas Eve, Easter, and other feast days as needed, as well as the day before Ash Wednesday to staff the annual fundraising gala

  • Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to fulfill essential responsibilities of the position

  • Criminal background clearance required post offer

EQUITY STATEMENT

Grace Cathedral is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. We are committed to complying with all federal and state laws and regulations relating to equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and protective hairstyles involving braids, locks, and twists), color, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or a record or history of cancer, and genetic characteristics), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other consideration protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.

The Cathedral is also committed to preventing retaliation against any employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination, harassment, or other violation of the Cathedral's equal employment opportunity policies.

The Cathedral’s policies governing equal opportunity include the recognition that all associates are entitled to a work environment free from all forms of illegal or improper discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The Cathedral will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation – whether committed by management, non-management coworkers, or others.

Persons who violate these policies are subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

When necessary, the Cathedral will reasonably accommodate employees and applicants with known disabilities or medical conditions if the person is otherwise qualified to safely perform all of the essential functions of the position unless undue hardship would result.

If the employee desires a disability accommodation, the employee should make a request in writing to their supervisor and the Canon for Operations. The Cathedral will engage in an interactive process with the employee to identify possible accommodations, if any, that will help the applicant or employee perform the job.

TO APPLY

To apply for this position, or for additional information on the opportunity, please send a copy of your resume with a cover letter to Victoria Silverman at apply@cooksilverman.com.

All applications and inquiries will receive a response and be kept strictly confidential.

Grace Cathedral is an Equal Opportunity Employer.