ORGANIZATION:
Valley Community Healthcare (VCH) is a nonprofit community health organization providing high quality, integrated health and wellness services at little or no cost to patients. VCH is the provider of choice for individuals and families in the San Fernando Valley who often have nowhere else to turn for healthcare. Originally founded in the early 1970s as a counseling center and free clinic, VCH is now a well-established FQHC (federally qualified health center) operating two full-service clinics; its flagship location in North Hollywood and a location second North Hills. Though its size, scope, and service offerings have evolved significantly since its founding, VCH has been a cornerstone of community wellness and advocacy, and it remains dedicated to improving the health and well-being of San Fernando Valley residents.
OPPORTUNITY:
Following a leadership transition in the summer of 2024, with the retirement of a 30-year CEO, VCH is ushering a new era of leadership, vision, and strategy. As part of this vision, VCH hopes to innovate and expand well beyond the programs and services that are supported by government funding programs. The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will play a key role in facilitating this growth by building new, integrated development and communications programs to significantly raise VCH’s profile and expand private revenue opportunities. By so doing, the CDO will level-up VCH’s ability to deliver impact and results for its patients. This role is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and creative development and communications expert who wants to use their previous experience, expertise, and perspective to design and build ‘something of their own.’
THE POSITION:
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for creating and overseeing a re-imagined fundraising and communication effort for this long-time community partner serving the San Fernando Valley. A primary responsibility of the CDO will be to design and implement strategic development plans – across all revenue categories and donor audiences – to ensure VCH’s ongoing success and sustainability. Key strategic objectives of this role include:
? Assessing, improving, and integrating new and existing fundraising and communications programs
? Creating and delivering consistent, compelling narratives to raise VCH’s profile and community awareness
? Actively engaging local businesses, philanthropic, and community leaders in supporting VCH
? Implementing systems, processes, tools, and best practices to improve fundraising capacity and results
? Leading efforts to create a culture of philanthropy at all levels of the organization
The CDO will be charged with re-building and leading a high-functioning team capable of elevating individual giving (annual, major, and planned gifts), institutional funding (foundations, corporations, public funding sources), and strategic communications efforts. This person will also serve as a key thought and strategic partner to the President and CEO and the VCH Board of Directors and will work collaboratively to help instill a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
CANDIDATE PROFILE:
The CDO plays a pivotal role in building and sustaining relationships with donors and other key external stakeholders. This position requires strategic thinking, strong leadership, and a demonstrated ability to secure financial support for VCH. The successful candidate will be an experienced, innovative, and dedicated leader with a proven track record of building/re-building high functioning teams and expanding fundraising and communications programs, and results. All candidates should bring a transparent and inclusive leadership style and a genuine commitment to collaboration, cooperation, and team building. They should have personal and/or professional passion for VCH’s mission of providing access to high quality, culturally sensitive care to all those in need.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE (Must Have):
• A minimum of 7 to 10 years of successful, donor-facing development experience, inclusive of annual giving, major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, grants, special events, and communications/ marketing
• Depth of understanding of nonprofit funding and revenue generation and a history of leading development efforts in an organization of similar (or larger) size and complexity
• Progressive leadership track record in fundraising and communications, including roles such as CDO/Vice President of Development, Development Director, Chief Advancement Officer, or similar
• Experience and talent for managing and supporting teams to achieve their highest potential
• Ability to bring new strategies, tools, and best practices for expanding a donor base and growing revenue
• Knowledge and experience of leading donor- and public-facing strategic communications efforts
• Ability to organize and execute the logistics of events and programs, including materials, information, and volunteer engagement to optimize efficiency
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentations
• Strong financial acumen and ability to develop budgets, project costs and revenue, and control costs
• Knowledge of/experience with donor databases of record (such as Salesforce, Blackbaud, Raiser’s Edge, Donor Perfect, etc.), understanding of record keeping and data collection, and ability to track, analyze, and report accurately on funds and donors
• Advanced PC proficiency, including Microsoft Office or similar Software
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or any combination of education and experience which would provide an equivalent level of experience; Master’s degree is a plus