Children's Place Association
Chief Advancement Officer (CAO)
Children's Place Association, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Summary
The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) is a bold, strategic, and dynamic leader who serves as a driving force behind The Children’s Place Association’s fundraising success. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CAO will design and execute a multi-faceted philanthropy strategy that strengthens the organization’s financial sustainability and expands its impact in the community.
This role requires a visionary with deep knowledge of the evolving nonprofit funding landscape, exceptional creativity in identifying new opportunities, and an ability to galvanize others through collaboration, coalition building, and compelling communication. The CAO will inspire and mentor a team of four fundraising professionals, while also serving as an internal champion, working closely with the Chief Program Officer (CPO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to ensure seamless gift onboarding, tracking, reporting, and alignment between resources and mission outcomes.
The CAO is both a strategist and a front-facing ambassador, possessing charisma and confidence to represent the organization with donors, partners, and the public.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
include the following (Other duties may be assigned): Fundraising Strategy & Leadership Develop and lead an integrated, multi-year fundraising strategy encompassing major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, foundations, planned giving, and signature events. Identify emerging opportunities in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and impact investing to expand revenue streams. Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to cultivate a strong organizational culture of philanthropy. Relationship Building & Donor Engagement Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation donors through personalized engagement strategies. Serve as the lead public representative for philanthropy efforts, confidently and charismatically engaging with donors, stakeholders, and community partners. Establish and strengthen coalitions with peer organizations, networks, and funding collaboratives. Systems & Infrastructure Collaborate with the CFO and CPO to ensure proper gift onboarding, tracking, acknowledgment, and reporting systems are efficient, transparent, and donor-centered. Develop internal processes and tools that improve fundraising performance and team accountability. Monitor and report on key performance metrics for fundraising, presenting regular updates to executive leadership and the Board. Team Leadership & Development Lead, coach, and inspire a team of four philanthropy professionals, modeling excellence, creativity, and collaboration. Provide clear direction, set ambitious goals, and foster professional growth within the team. Encourage innovation and a solutions-oriented mindset across the philanthropy function. Collaboration & Organizational Impact Work cross-functionally with program, communications, and finance teams to align fundraising efforts with mission outcomes. Engage board members and volunteers as ambassadors and active participants in fundraising initiatives. Act as an internal advocate for philanthropy, embedding donor stewardship practices throughout the organization. Other Expectations Represent the organization at community events, donor meetings, and networking opportunities. Maintain a visible and active presence with stakeholders, partners, and philanthropic networks. Uphold and model the values, culture, and mission of the organization. Supervisory Responsibilities Development staff, grant writers, donor relations team, and volunteers (as applicable). Directly supervise development and donor relations staff. Provide professional development, coaching, and evaluation for the philanthropy team. Engage and support board members and volunteers in fundraising efforts. Qualifications Proven leadership experience in fundraising, development, or philanthropy, preferably in a non-profit environment. Demonstrated success securing major gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships. Strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies, emerging funding models. Excellent communication, relationship-building, and public speaking skills. Ability to work collaboratively with leadership, staff, and board members. Strategic thinker with strong organizational and analytical skills. Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in fundraising practices. Education, Skills & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Business, Communications, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive fundraising/development experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role. Proven track record of securing major gifts, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants. Proficiency in donor database management systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, DonorPerfect, Salesforce NPSP). Experience managing teams and working directly with executive leadership and boards. Charismatic communicator with exceptional public speaking and presentation skills Skilled at building and optimizing internal systems for fundraising performance and accountability. Statement on Workplace Culture Children’s Place Association is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Children’s Place Association strives to cultivate a work environment that honors the voices and lived experiences of every staff member. Therefore, all employees share the responsibility of creating and cultivating a welcoming and supportive work environment. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to travel locally to attend donor meetings, events, and community functions. Occasional evening and weekend work required for fundraising events. Work Environment The work environment described here is representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is typically low. Standard office environment with hybrid flexibility, depending on organizational policy. Frequent interaction with community partners, donors, and external stakeholders. Fast-paced, mission-driven environment requiring adaptability and collaborative spirit.
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include the following (Other duties may be assigned): Fundraising Strategy & Leadership Develop and lead an integrated, multi-year fundraising strategy encompassing major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, foundations, planned giving, and signature events. Identify emerging opportunities in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, and impact investing to expand revenue streams. Partner with the CEO and Board of Directors to cultivate a strong organizational culture of philanthropy. Relationship Building & Donor Engagement Cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation donors through personalized engagement strategies. Serve as the lead public representative for philanthropy efforts, confidently and charismatically engaging with donors, stakeholders, and community partners. Establish and strengthen coalitions with peer organizations, networks, and funding collaboratives. Systems & Infrastructure Collaborate with the CFO and CPO to ensure proper gift onboarding, tracking, acknowledgment, and reporting systems are efficient, transparent, and donor-centered. Develop internal processes and tools that improve fundraising performance and team accountability. Monitor and report on key performance metrics for fundraising, presenting regular updates to executive leadership and the Board. Team Leadership & Development Lead, coach, and inspire a team of four philanthropy professionals, modeling excellence, creativity, and collaboration. Provide clear direction, set ambitious goals, and foster professional growth within the team. Encourage innovation and a solutions-oriented mindset across the philanthropy function. Collaboration & Organizational Impact Work cross-functionally with program, communications, and finance teams to align fundraising efforts with mission outcomes. Engage board members and volunteers as ambassadors and active participants in fundraising initiatives. Act as an internal advocate for philanthropy, embedding donor stewardship practices throughout the organization. Other Expectations Represent the organization at community events, donor meetings, and networking opportunities. Maintain a visible and active presence with stakeholders, partners, and philanthropic networks. Uphold and model the values, culture, and mission of the organization. Supervisory Responsibilities Development staff, grant writers, donor relations team, and volunteers (as applicable). Directly supervise development and donor relations staff. Provide professional development, coaching, and evaluation for the philanthropy team. Engage and support board members and volunteers in fundraising efforts. Qualifications Proven leadership experience in fundraising, development, or philanthropy, preferably in a non-profit environment. Demonstrated success securing major gifts, grants, and corporate sponsorships. Strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies, emerging funding models. Excellent communication, relationship-building, and public speaking skills. Ability to work collaboratively with leadership, staff, and board members. Strategic thinker with strong organizational and analytical skills. Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in fundraising practices. Education, Skills & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Business, Communications, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive fundraising/development experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role. Proven track record of securing major gifts, corporate partnerships, and foundation grants. Proficiency in donor database management systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, DonorPerfect, Salesforce NPSP). Experience managing teams and working directly with executive leadership and boards. Charismatic communicator with exceptional public speaking and presentation skills Skilled at building and optimizing internal systems for fundraising performance and accountability. Statement on Workplace Culture Children’s Place Association is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Children’s Place Association strives to cultivate a work environment that honors the voices and lived experiences of every staff member. Therefore, all employees share the responsibility of creating and cultivating a welcoming and supportive work environment. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to travel locally to attend donor meetings, events, and community functions. Occasional evening and weekend work required for fundraising events. Work Environment The work environment described here is representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is typically low. Standard office environment with hybrid flexibility, depending on organizational policy. Frequent interaction with community partners, donors, and external stakeholders. Fast-paced, mission-driven environment requiring adaptability and collaborative spirit.
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