Chief Development Officer

Job Title: Chief Development Officer

Location: Remote (Flexible Work Arrangement)

Experience: 10 - 15 years

Reports to: Executive Leadership Team

We seek a seasoned professional to lead our development efforts and drive growth through strategic partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

• Fundraising Strategy Development & Execution:
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and key performance indicators
  • Lead annual fundraising targets, establish operational metrics, and provide timely reporting on progress and impact
  • Drive the full donor lifecycle, from prospecting and proposal development to grant reporting and relationship management
  • Serve as a key external representative in funder interactions, partnering with senior leadership to cultivate high-value relationships with corporate social responsibility leaders, foundations, and impact investors
  • Champion operational excellence across all fundraising functions, building systems that ensure agility, compliance, and long-term funder trust
• Partnership Development & Network Building:
  • Identify, cultivate, and manage a robust pipeline of 50+ CSR leads, philanthropists, and ecosystem enablers
  • Mobilize an extended network of donors, champions, and sector allies to unlock new opportunities and accelerate conversion
  • Represent the organization at high-visibility sector forums, donor convenings, and collaborative platforms to expand reach and reputation
• Communications & Collateral Oversight:
  • Oversee the development and quality of donor-facing communications — including pitch decks, proposals, reports, and campaigns
  • Ensure consistency and clarity across all fundraising narratives, aligning with the organization's brand, values, and impact messaging
  • Leverage storytelling, data, and design to create compelling content that resonates with diverse funder profiles
• Team Leadership & Systems Building:
  • Build and mentor a high-performing development team
  • Establish robust systems for donor CRM, grant compliance, reporting, proposal management, and audit preparedness
  • Collaborate with internal teams to ensure timely, tailored development of grant materials and donor communications
• Relationship Management:
  • Shape high-touch, trust-based donor journeys that foster long-term affinity and repeat investment
  • Design differentiated engagement pathways for new, existing, and returning funders to deepen connection and commitment
• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  • Collaborate closely with Programs, Finance, and Impact teams to ensure development efforts align with evolving programmatic needs
  • Coordinate with M&E and Data teams to define measurable outcomes and deliver on performance-linked funding commitments

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Views development as a catalyst for systemic change and deep, lasting impact
• Strategic executor, just as confident crafting a vision deck as navigating complex donor conversations
• Brings 12–15 years of experience across development, strategic partnerships, or business development within the nonprofit, CSR, or impact investing space
• Previously led the charge on multi-crore, multi-year partnerships, raising ₹12Cr+ from CSR heads, foundations, or HNIs, and knows what it takes to build lasting trust
• Compelling storyteller and sharp writer, able to translate complexity into clarity across proposals, pitches, and reports
• Strong grasp of India's social impact ecosystem, and can intuit what funders value, from grassroots innovation to scalable systems
• Thrives in high-autonomy, high-accountability environments, and brings a builder's mindset to everything she/he takes on
• Bonus: Worked in growth-stage nonprofits or led development for multi-state interventions