Chief Development Officer

About Cathedral City Senior Center The Cathedral City Senior Center is a dynamic, inclusive community hub serving seniors and diverse populations in the Coachella Valley. Our mission is to end isolation and provide access to vital social services, nutritious food, and engaging programs that keep minds and bodies active. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment for all — including LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and Spanish-speaking residents. Position Summary We are seeking a Chief Development Officer to help build that future. The Opportunity The Chief Development Officer will be Cathedral Center's senior fundraising and donor engagement leader. This is a high-level, hands-on role for someone who can help establish and grow a strong development program while working closely with the CEO, Co-CEO/COO, Board of Directors, staff, consultants, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community leaders. This is not just a gala role. It is not just a grant-writing role. It is a builder role. The right person will help create a mature development operation that includes major gifts, annual giving, sponsorships, donor stewardship, giving circles, foundation relationships, fundraising communications, data discipline, board engagement, planned giving, and campaign readiness. The CDO will help more people understand who Cathedral Center is, why this work matters, and how they can invest in its future. Key Responsibilities Development Strategy and Leadership Create and lead a comprehensive development plan with clear goals, timelines, donor segments, revenue strategies, and accountability. Build the systems, habits, calendar, reports, and follow-up practices needed for a more disciplined and successful fundraising program. Serve as a senior thought partner to Geoff Corbin, CEO, and Vic Ide, Co-CEO/COO, on fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, sponsorships, campaign readiness, and long-term sustainability. Help connect the Center's mission, programs, communications, and fundraising so donors see a clear and compelling case for support. Major Gifts and Donor Relationships Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects. Prepare donor strategies, briefing notes, talking points, proposals, follow-up plans, and stewardship materials for the CEO, Co-CEO/COO, board members, and volunteers. Build and manage a practical moves-management system so donors are intentionally engaged, thanked, renewed, and invited into deeper support. Grow leadership giving, multi-year commitments, planned gifts, special project support, and future campaign prospects. Gala and Signature Events Provide senior fundraising leadership for the annual gala, including sponsorship strategy, host committee engagement, major donor cultivation, table strategy, paddle raise/fund-a-need planning, honoree strategy, donor follow-up, and post-event stewardship. Work with staff, consultants, event producers, volunteers, and board members to ensure the gala is not only successful as an event, but also fully integrated into year-round fundraising. Use the gala as a platform to deepen relationships, upgrade donors, attract sponsors, tell the Center's story, and build long-term support. Cactus Club, Saguaros, and Giving Circles Strengthen and grow the Cactus Club, Saguaros, and other giving circles as signature donor communities. Develop clear giving levels, benefits, recognition, renewal strategies, stewardship rhythms, upgrade paths, and meaningful ways for supporters to feel close to the work. Use these donor communities to build loyalty, recurring support, leadership giving, and a stronger culture of philanthropy around the Center. Sponsorships and Community Partnerships Build a year-round sponsorship program connected to the gala, food security, wellness, arts and culture, bilingual outreach, community programs, and special initiatives. Cultivate business leaders, civic partners, service clubs, foundations, philanthropic families, and community champions. Create sponsorship packages, proposals, recognition plans, renewal strategies, and follow-up systems that make partners feel valued and connected. Grants, Foundations, and Institutional Support Lead or coordinate foundation and grant strategy in partnership with staff, consultants, and program leaders. Identify appropriate funding opportunities and ensure that proposals are aligned with the Center's mission, programs, capacity, and long-term direction. Maintain a clear grants calendar, reporting schedule, and stewardship process for institutional funders. Donor Communications and Stewardship Develop donor-centered communications that are warm, clear, accurate, and compelling. Prepare appeal letters, sponsorship materials, proposals, impact updates, donor reports, campaign language, event follow-up, and recognition materials. Ensure every donor receives timely thanks, appropriate recognition, and meaningful updates about the impact of their giving. Protect donor confidentiality and ensure donor intent is respected. Systems, Data, and Accountability Strengthen donor database use, gift tracking, prospect tracking, acknowledgments, reports, dashboards, and development records. Create practical reports for leadership and the Board showing fundraising progress, donor retention, sponsorship activity, pipeline movement, event performance, and next-step priorities. Help build a development operation that is organized, ethical, confidential, accurate, and sustainable. Board and Volunteer Engagement Support the Board of Directors and volunteers in becoming stronger ambassadors, thankers, connectors, and fundraisers. Staff the Development Committee or related fundraising groups as needed. Prepare board members and volunteers with clear assignments, talking points, donor lists, follow-up steps, and confidence-building support. First-Year Priorities In the first year, the Chief Development Officer will be expected to: Create a practical development plan with goals, calendar, donor segments, revenue strategies, and clear responsibilities. Build a major donor pipeline and begin moving top prospects toward deeper engagement and larger gifts. Strengthen the gala as a year-round fundraising and relationship-building platform. Formalize and grow the Cactus Club, Saguaros, and other giving circles. Improve donor acknowledgments, stewardship, renewal systems, and reporting. Develop stronger sponsorship packages and a year-round corporate partnership strategy. Improve donor data, moves management, and development reporting. Help prepare the organization for larger future fundraising, including capital, legacy, and special project support. Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate is a confident, warm, disciplined fundraising leader who enjoys building something important. They will bring strong development experience, good judgment, excellent follow-through, and the ability to work well with donors, board members, staff, volunteers, consultants, and community leaders. They should be polished but not stiff, strategic but practical, ambitious but grounded, and deeply respectful of the people and communities Cathedral Center serves. Qualifications Strong nonprofit development experience, preferably in a community-based, human services, aging, health, arts and culture, education, civic, or membership-centered organization. Demonstrated success with major gifts, donor cultivation, annual giving, sponsorships, stewardship, and fundraising events. Experience building development systems, not only working inside systems that already exist. Experience with gala fundraising, paddle raises or fund-a-need programs, sponsorships, host committees, donor follow-up, and event-based cultivation. Strong writing and messaging skills. Comfort working closely with executive leadership and a Board of Directors. Experience with donor databases, moves management, and fundraising reports. Strong discretion and judgment with confidential donor and organizational information. Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent professional experience. CFRE or similar professional training is welcome, but not required. Personal Qualities We are looking for someone who is: Relationship-centered and donor-focused. Organized, persistent, and good at follow-through. Comfortable making asks and helping others make asks. A strong listener and thoughtful communicator. Able to turn ideas into systems and systems into results. Respectful of older adults, LGBTQ+ people, bilingual and multicultural communities, people with disabilities, caregivers, low-income neighbors, volunteers, and all who come to Cathedral Center for connection and support. Inspired by the idea that fundraising is not pressure. It is helping people invest in work that matters. Compensation and Benefits The salary starts at $125,000 and may be higher depending on experience , plus benefits and a generous retirement match. Benefits include paid time off, holidays, professional development support, and other benefits offered by the organization. Final details will be shared during the hiring process.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$85,000.00 - $135,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person