Palladian West, LLC.
The
Chief Advancement Officer (CAO)
is a key member of the
Samaritas
Executive Leadership Team, responsible for driving the organization’s philanthropic strategy, brand visibility, and external communications to fuel long-term mission impact. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CAO leads a dynamic team focused on fundraising, donor relations, marketing, and strategic communications that supports Samaritas’ core service areas — including housing, child and family services, behavioral health, refugee support, and senior care. Provide vision and oversight for all fundraising initiatives, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, capital campaigns, and special events. Lead the strategy, execution, and successful completion of transformational campaigns, including the organization’s next major capital and innovation initiatives. Oversee a robust donor stewardship and relationship management system to build long-term donor engagement. Analyze giving trends and ROI, and ensure data-informed decision-making through CRM and development dashboards. Partner with the CEO and Foundation Board of Trustees to grow major and principal gifts. Marketing & Communications
Lead the marketing and communications strategy to elevate the Samaritas brand, strengthen digital engagement, grow revenue and pipeline through lead generation, and ensure message alignment across stakeholders, partners, media, and the communities we serve. Ensure messaging alignment and brand consistency across all platforms, materials, and public-facing initiatives. Board & Stakeholder Engagement
Staff and guide the Foundation Board of Trustees; provide fundraising and communications support to the Board of Directors and Currents Council (emerging leaders board). Equip board members and executive leaders with tools and messaging to serve as mission ambassadors. Build and maintain strong relationships with corporate, foundation, faith-based, and civic partners. Team Management and Development
Provide supervision, coaching, mentorship, and support to staff within the assigned departments. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Identify and support the collective and individual development of team members. Ensure compliance with fundraising ethics, donor intent, and nonprofit regulations. Core Competencies
Integrated Advancement Strategy:
Proven ability to design and lead comprehensive fundraising, marketing, and communications strategies that drive revenue growth, increase visibility, and align with mission. Strategic Relationship Building:
Skilled in cultivating meaningful partnerships with donors, board members, funders, and community leaders across geographic and cultural contexts, with cultural humility and strong listening orientation. Brand & Communications Stewardship:
Expertise in leading organization-wide communications and brand strategy, including message development, digital engagement, media relations, and crisis communication. Data-Informed Decision Making:
Proficient in using fundraising, marketing, and engagement analytics to inform strategy, optimize campaigns, and communicate impact with clarity and accountability. Collaborative Executive Leadership:
Experienced in leading cross-functional teams and partnering with executive leadership to shape organizational direction, build team capacity, and foster a values-aligned culture. Key Performance Measures
Total Revenue Growth Across Funding Streams:
Year-over-year increase in contributed revenue with targets differentiated by source. Donor Retention and Engagement Metrics:
Annual donor retention rate, new donor acquisition rate, and growth in major donor pipeline, with segmentation by geography, giving level, and demographics where appropriate. Campaign & Communications Performance:
Engagement metrics for marketing and communications campaigns (e.g., email open/click-through rates, social media reach/engagement, media placements) aligned with visibility and brand goals. CRM and Data Utilization Effectiveness:
Timely and accurate use of donor and communications data systems (Raiser’s Edge) to support strategy, with regular reporting cycles and actionable insights. Team and Culture Development:
Staff engagement and retention within the advancement and communications teams; demonstrated progress on team development goals, inclusive leadership, and cross-department collaboration. Qualifications + Requirements
Proven ability to scale fundraising efforts, build a culture of generosity, and amplify mission-aligned storytelling. This role requires a collaborative and strategic thinker who brings bold ideas, measurable results, and a deep commitment to equity, dignity, and transformational community impact. Proven track record of progressive leadership in fund raising and donor development. Experience with leading communications and marketing efforts preferred. Excellent writing, editing, verbal communication skills, and relationship-building abilities. Working Conditions
Physical Demands:
Primarily office-based work, occasional travel to meetings or conferences. No significant physical demands. Work Environment:
Office setting with a collaborative environment. Some flexibility to work remotely. Travel Requirements:
Occasional travel for conferences, meetings, and networking events, approximately 10-20% of time. About the Organization
At Samaritas, we focus our work in four core areas of impact: housing for all, providing child and family services including foster care, family preservation and adoption, welcoming New Americans with the support they need, and helping people connect with mental health and addiction resources. Because at Samaritas, compassion is our passion. It’s what we do and who we are. And we understand that to make a life-changing difference for someone, that compassion must be put into action. It’s what inspired us to open our doors over 90 years ago and it’s what drives us today as we continue to open our doors and our hearts, changing minds and behaviors to connect and work together to unleash collective energy and have a lasting impact. With headquarters in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing, Samaritas is one of Michigan’s largest social service organizations. Submit your resume. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Chief Advancement Officer (CAO)
is a key member of the
Samaritas
Executive Leadership Team, responsible for driving the organization’s philanthropic strategy, brand visibility, and external communications to fuel long-term mission impact. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CAO leads a dynamic team focused on fundraising, donor relations, marketing, and strategic communications that supports Samaritas’ core service areas — including housing, child and family services, behavioral health, refugee support, and senior care. Provide vision and oversight for all fundraising initiatives, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, capital campaigns, and special events. Lead the strategy, execution, and successful completion of transformational campaigns, including the organization’s next major capital and innovation initiatives. Oversee a robust donor stewardship and relationship management system to build long-term donor engagement. Analyze giving trends and ROI, and ensure data-informed decision-making through CRM and development dashboards. Partner with the CEO and Foundation Board of Trustees to grow major and principal gifts. Marketing & Communications
Lead the marketing and communications strategy to elevate the Samaritas brand, strengthen digital engagement, grow revenue and pipeline through lead generation, and ensure message alignment across stakeholders, partners, media, and the communities we serve. Ensure messaging alignment and brand consistency across all platforms, materials, and public-facing initiatives. Board & Stakeholder Engagement
Staff and guide the Foundation Board of Trustees; provide fundraising and communications support to the Board of Directors and Currents Council (emerging leaders board). Equip board members and executive leaders with tools and messaging to serve as mission ambassadors. Build and maintain strong relationships with corporate, foundation, faith-based, and civic partners. Team Management and Development
Provide supervision, coaching, mentorship, and support to staff within the assigned departments. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Identify and support the collective and individual development of team members. Ensure compliance with fundraising ethics, donor intent, and nonprofit regulations. Core Competencies
Integrated Advancement Strategy:
Proven ability to design and lead comprehensive fundraising, marketing, and communications strategies that drive revenue growth, increase visibility, and align with mission. Strategic Relationship Building:
Skilled in cultivating meaningful partnerships with donors, board members, funders, and community leaders across geographic and cultural contexts, with cultural humility and strong listening orientation. Brand & Communications Stewardship:
Expertise in leading organization-wide communications and brand strategy, including message development, digital engagement, media relations, and crisis communication. Data-Informed Decision Making:
Proficient in using fundraising, marketing, and engagement analytics to inform strategy, optimize campaigns, and communicate impact with clarity and accountability. Collaborative Executive Leadership:
Experienced in leading cross-functional teams and partnering with executive leadership to shape organizational direction, build team capacity, and foster a values-aligned culture. Key Performance Measures
Total Revenue Growth Across Funding Streams:
Year-over-year increase in contributed revenue with targets differentiated by source. Donor Retention and Engagement Metrics:
Annual donor retention rate, new donor acquisition rate, and growth in major donor pipeline, with segmentation by geography, giving level, and demographics where appropriate. Campaign & Communications Performance:
Engagement metrics for marketing and communications campaigns (e.g., email open/click-through rates, social media reach/engagement, media placements) aligned with visibility and brand goals. CRM and Data Utilization Effectiveness:
Timely and accurate use of donor and communications data systems (Raiser’s Edge) to support strategy, with regular reporting cycles and actionable insights. Team and Culture Development:
Staff engagement and retention within the advancement and communications teams; demonstrated progress on team development goals, inclusive leadership, and cross-department collaboration. Qualifications + Requirements
Proven ability to scale fundraising efforts, build a culture of generosity, and amplify mission-aligned storytelling. This role requires a collaborative and strategic thinker who brings bold ideas, measurable results, and a deep commitment to equity, dignity, and transformational community impact. Proven track record of progressive leadership in fund raising and donor development. Experience with leading communications and marketing efforts preferred. Excellent writing, editing, verbal communication skills, and relationship-building abilities. Working Conditions
Physical Demands:
Primarily office-based work, occasional travel to meetings or conferences. No significant physical demands. Work Environment:
Office setting with a collaborative environment. Some flexibility to work remotely. Travel Requirements:
Occasional travel for conferences, meetings, and networking events, approximately 10-20% of time. About the Organization
At Samaritas, we focus our work in four core areas of impact: housing for all, providing child and family services including foster care, family preservation and adoption, welcoming New Americans with the support they need, and helping people connect with mental health and addiction resources. Because at Samaritas, compassion is our passion. It’s what we do and who we are. And we understand that to make a life-changing difference for someone, that compassion must be put into action. It’s what inspired us to open our doors over 90 years ago and it’s what drives us today as we continue to open our doors and our hearts, changing minds and behaviors to connect and work together to unleash collective energy and have a lasting impact. With headquarters in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing, Samaritas is one of Michigan’s largest social service organizations. Submit your resume. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
#J-18808-Ljbffr