What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Development Officer position at Vine Maple Place?
Chief Development Officer
Key Information
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Maple Valley, WA – In-person
Hours: Minimum 40 hours per week, with some evening and weekend hours
Salary Band: $110,000 - $140,000 annually
Job Classification: FT, Exempt
Headline
Vine Maple Place, a highly respected faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness in communities throughout South King County, seeks a visionary, relational, and mission-driven Chief Development Officer (CDO). Vine Maple Place programs enable long-term stability and independence. This is a full-time executive leadership opportunity based in Maple Valley, Washington.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Development Officer will provide strategic leadership for all fundraising, donor engagement, grant development, and external relationship building efforts at Vine Maple Place. The CDO will champion the organization’s mission, drive diversified and sustainable revenue growth, and serve as a primary ambassador to major donors, foundations, corporate partners, and community stakeholders.
This leader will balance strategic development planning with hands-on cultivation and stewardship, building upon Vine Maple Place’s strong foundation to scale philanthropic support in alignment with the organization’s growth vision. The CDO’s leadership will be rooted in a deep sense of purpose, measured by successful fundraising outcomes, strengthened community partnerships, and long-term organizational sustainability. This individual will lead with resilience, a growth mindset, and high emotional intelligence, fostering a culture of philanthropy, accountability, and mission-driven excellence.
About Vine Maple Place
Vine Maple Place is a community-centered nonprofit organization inspired by Christian values of compassion, service, and stewardship, committed to breaking the generational cycle of homelessness for families. Through a comprehensive model that integrates stable housing, livable-wage employment support, financial education, counseling, comprehensive children and youth programs, and personalized case management, Vine Maple Place equips families with the tools and stability needed to thrive.
Grounded in Christian faith, compassion, accountability, and long-term impact, the organization partners closely with local businesses, schools, government agencies, faith communities, and volunteers to create sustainable pathways out of homelessness. Vine Maple Place is recognized for its holistic, multigenerational, outcomes-driven approach and its deep commitment to preserving family unity while fostering economic independence.
Over the past 12 years, Vine Maple Place’s Stable Families program has scaled from serving 68 individuals to 5,500 in calendar year 2025. Today, the organization delivers industry-leading outcomes, with 92% of families achieving stable housing upon program exit and 91% maintaining stable housing one year later. These evidence-based, client-centered services are delivered through Family Hope Centers in Maple Valley and Kent, Washington.
Looking ahead, Vine Maple Place has an ambitious vision to expand impact by serving 10,000 individuals, reducing the service gap, and maintaining a 92% family success rate, which will be accomplished in part by opening an additional Family Hope Center in a surrounding community. This next chapter will require strategic scaling of infrastructure, fundraising, and teams to support sustainable growth and long-term community transformation.
Responsibilities
Strategic Development Leadership & Revenue Growth
- In partnership with the Chief Executive Officer, serve as the chief architect of Vine Maple Place’s comprehensive development strategy, aligning fundraising priorities with organizational mission, vision, and long-term growth goals.
- Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of multi-year fundraising plans that support expanded impact for families experiencing homelessness.
- Diversify and grow revenue streams through major gifts, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, annual giving, events, and planned giving.
- Monitor philanthropic trends and position the organization to capitalize on emerging opportunities in homelessness prevention and family stability funding.
Donor Cultivation, Stewardship & External Relations
- In partnership with the CEO, serve as a primary relationship-builder and organizational ambassador with major individual donors, family foundations, corporate partners, and key community stakeholders.
- Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects.
- Collaborate with the CEO and senior leadership to deepen a culture of philanthropy and shared accountability for fundraising success.
- Strengthen Vine Maple Place’s visibility and reputation through compelling storytelling, public speaking, and effective communication of mission, vision, and outcomes.
Grants, Foundations & Institutional Giving
- Oversee the full grants lifecycle, including prospect research, proposal development, reporting, and compliance.
- Build and expand relationships with private foundations, public funders, and institutional grantors.
- Ensure grant strategies support both program excellence and organizational sustainability.
Team Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Lead, mentor, and develop the development team while promoting high performance, professional growth, and collaborative culture.
- Establish systems, metrics, and processes that support effective donor management, pipeline tracking, and data-informed decision-making.
- Partner closely with finance and program leadership to ensure accurate revenue forecasting, gift acceptance policies, and donor intent fulfillment.
- Model servant leadership, empowering staff and cultivating a compassionate, values-driven environment.
Cross-Organizational Collaboration
- Partner with the CEO to advance fundraising goals and engage board members as active ambassadors and cultivators.
- Provide clear, timely reporting on development performance, pipeline health, and strategic priorities.
- Collaborate across departments to integrate fundraising with program outcomes and organizational storytelling.
Qualifications
- Personal Christian faith consistent with Vine Maple Place’s Statement of Faith and a calling to serve others through leadership.
- Commitment to servant leadership philosophy, exercising authority with humility, integrity, and grace.
- Passion for supporting families experiencing homelessness and strong alignment with Vine Maple Place’s mission and strategic priorities.
- Minimum of 7 years of progressive fundraising and development leadership experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization, with at least 3 years in a senior or executive-level development role.
- Demonstrated track record of personally securing major gifts (five- and six-figure ) and building sustainable individual donor pipelines.
- Proven success in overseeing foundation and institutional grant fundraising, including proposal writing, relationship management, and securing multi-year awards.
- Demonstrated experience leading comprehensive development strategies that have driven measurable revenue growth in organizations experiencing scale and impact expansion.
- Strong experience partnering with senior executives on fundraising and external relations.
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and storytelling skills, with high emotional intelligence.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse communities, including donors, volunteers, staff, clients, and community partners.
- Strongly Preferred: Established local presence in the Seattle/South King County area with an extensive existing network of nonprofit donors, private foundations, corporate funders, and grantors. Candidates with deep regional philanthropic relationships will be given strong preference.
Why You’ll Love Working Here:
- Competitive compensation
- Generous paid time off
- Health benefits
- 401(k), with match
- Meaningful mission
- Collaborative culture
The above is intended to describe the general content of, and the requirements for, satisfactory performance in this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements of this position. Other duties may be assigned.
Applications and Nominations
Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume highlighting relevant experience and alignment with Vine Maple Place’s mission.
Application Deadline: August 28, 2026, by close of business.
Send all Inquiries, Resumes and Cover Letters to: humanresources@vinemapleplace.org
Salary : $110,000 - $140,000