CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Description

Chief Development Officer (CDO)

Location: Primarily Remote (Houston-based travel required)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Senior Leadership

Recruitment start: October 16, 2025

Estimated start for selected candidate: January 2025

WANTED - A strategic, senior level, hands-on fundraising leader passionate about improving the lives of children!

Collaborative for Children is seeking a dynamic and experienced fund raising professional to lead and grow our fund development efforts. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned professional to make a lasting impact in the Greater Houston area.

About Us

Collaborative for Children is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to championing young futures. We do this by shaping the future of young children through high-quality early education. We believe every child deserves a strong start, and we work tirelessly to ensure families and communities have the resources they need to thrive.

Why Join Us?

At Collaborative for Children, you’ll be part of a passionate team working to transform early childhood education. You’ll have the autonomy to lead, the support to grow, and the opportunity to make a measurable difference in the lives of children and families.

Qualifications

Position Summary

As CDO, you will be responsible for the strategic direction, coordination, and implementation of all fundraising activities, including individual giving, foundation and corporate support, major gifts, planned giving, and special events. You will work closely with the President/CEO and the Board to expand our donor base and secure the resources needed to advance our mission.

This role is ideal for a self-motivated leader who thrives in a lean development environment, supported by an emerging development manager and a contract grant writer, and is comfortable working remotely while also actively engaging with donors, in person and virtually, across Houston.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Fundraising Leadership: Develop and execute multi-year fundraising plans aligned with organizational goals and the Theory of Change.
• Donor Engagement: Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Major Gifts & Planned Giving: Lead efforts to secure major and planned gifts, leveraging donor research and customized cultivation strategies.
• Board & Volunteer Collaboration: Partner with the CEO and Board to expand donor networks and support fundraising initiatives.
• Grant Oversight: Collaborate on grant sourcing, writing, and tracking in coordination with internal teams.
• Data & Impact Reporting: Ensure accurate donor records and share compelling program impact stories with stakeholders.
• Budget & Staff Management: Oversee fundraising budgets and supervise development staff, fostering professional growth and accountability.

We embrace diversity in backgrounds, talents, experiences, interests, and ideas. Attributes that resonate in our most successful employees include: passion for our mission, drive for results and impact, high level of organization and detail orientation, resilience and authenticity.

Other traits, knowledge, skills, and abilities needed and desired for this position includes:

MUST HAVES:

• Minimum 5 years in senior-level nonprofit fundraising roles, preferably in child-focused organizations.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE certification is a plus.
• Proven success in Houston-based fundraising, with strong local donor and foundation relationships.
• Demonstrated expertise in individual giving, major gifts, corporate and foundation support, and event fundraising.
• Experience with research, sourcing and evaluating potential non-government grant opportunities
• Minimum intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Experience utilizing virtual platforms such as AI, ZOOM, TEAMS, etc., a plus
• Knowledge of and intermediate proficiency with fundraising software (Raiser’s Edge NXT database preferred)
• Strong strategic thinking, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working independently in a small development team environment
• Must be able to work a 40 hour, Monday – Friday schedule
• Schedule flexibility to accommodate occasional weekday evening hours and weekend hours
• Must have reliable, personal transportation because this position requires driving to different locations throughout the greater Houston area
• A valid Texas Driver’s License, and current vehicle insurance coverage

NICE TO HAVES:

• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish (or other language) is an asset.

Work Environment

• Remote-first with flexible scheduling.
• Regular travel within the Greater Houston area for donor meetings and events.
• Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and impact.

THE PERKS

• Mileage reimbursement paid at IRS rate is available for eligible business travel because this position requires in-person visits to establish and cultivate relationships with funders, Board and community events, Centers of Excellence, etc.
• Work Environment: Flexible scheduling. Primarily remote with required regular, local travel in greater Houston. 
• Compensation: This is a Salaried, Exempt, Full-Time position. Annualized salary range is $100,000 - $125,000, dependent upon experience. Paid bi-weekly on Fridays.
• Annual Merit Adjustments: Increase to base pay is based on your prior year’s performance.
• Health and Supplemental Insurance: HDHP medical option that includes $1400/year employer-paid contribution to a Health Savings Account (HSA), prorated based on hire date. Also, a lower deductible PPO medical option. Other insurance benefits options: Dental, Vision, Voluntary Life/AD&D, Accident, Critical Illness, AFLAC Cancer and Life products, AAA, Pet insurance. Employer-paid STD, LTD, Basic Life/AD&D insurance. Eligible first of month after hire.
• Retirement Plan: 1:1 employer matching contribution up to 6%. Eligible for employer match after 90-days from start date.
• Generous paid leave time: (Personal Time, Vacation and holidays)
• Section 125 Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Dependent Care expenses
• Professional Development: Collaborative values high levels of performance and service over time. We invest in developing our people and nurturing their career trajectory success through coaching and ongoing skills and leadership development.
• Our Culture: mission-driven, work-life satisfaction, inclusive, collaborative, fun, focus on impact

When you work at Collaborative you can make a difference every day. All of our staff play critical roles in executing our mission.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONGER

Collaborative for Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports a drug-free/smoke-free work environment. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, or any other protected class as set forth under applicable state, local and federal civil rights laws.

Salary : $100,000 - $125,000