Chief Development Officer
Blue Star Families
About the role
Hybrid within the Washington, D.C. Metro area (must reside in the DC Metro area)
Reports to:
President
Classification:
Exempt, Full-time
Anticipated Pay Range:
$159,000 - $238,000
Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families is the largest nonprofit dedicated to making military life better for families. Each year, we support over 1.5 million military- and veteran-connected family members through a national network of 450,000+ members and local chapters in communities across the country. Our mission is to make military life awesome for families through evidence-based, data-driven solutions.
As a fully remote organization, we rely on scheduled in-person gatherings to foster alignment, collaboration, and culture. This role requires the ability to travel out of town overnight several times per year for staff offsites, planning retreats, and company-wide events.
General Description
The Chief Development Officer is a senior executive responsible for building and leading the infrastructure that supports a $35M+ fundraising operation. This role is primarily focused on enterprise-level strategy and operational leadership rather than direct frontline fundraising. The CDO serves as a key thought partner to the President, CEO, Board of Directors, and Executive Leadership Team on major donor strategy while designing, implementing, and strengthening the systems, structures, and capabilities that enable a high-performing development function spanning major and principal gifts, capital campaigns, corporate and foundation partnerships, direct marketing, planned giving and endowment, donor operations, and stewardship.
Key Job Functions
Design and lead the structure of the Development department to support a $35M+ revenue base and long-term growth.
Develop and own the multi-year development strategy, translating priorities into annual revenue goals, targets, staffing models, and budgets.
Serve on the Executive Leadership Team; partner with the CFO on revenue forecasting, gift accounting, and audit readiness.
Lead the design and continuous improvement of core Development processes, including moves management, prospect identification, proposal development, grants, gift entry, pledge management, and stewardship.
Own and optimize the Development technology ecosystem (e.g., Salesforce CRM, wealth screening, marketing automation, grants management).
Establish data governance standards and a standardized reporting cadence (pipeline reports, KPI dashboards, Board reports).
Oversee Major & Principal Gifts, Capital Campaigns, Corporate & Foundation Grants, Direct Marketing, Planned Giving & Endowment, and Annual/Mid-Level Giving.
Directly manage senior Development leaders; build the talent pipeline in partnership with HR.
Serve as strategic advisor to the President and staff the Board Development/Advancement Committee.
Required Experience, Skills & Background
Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
12+ years of progressive nonprofit development, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing a multi-channel fundraising operation.
Track record of building or rebuilding development infrastructure in an organization of $25M+ in annual revenue (excluding government funds).
Deep expertise in CRM administration and development operations (Salesforce NPC).
Experience leading or supporting comprehensive or capital campaigns ($25M+).
Experience overseeing a direct marketing/direct response program at scale.
Proven success managing high-performing teams of 8+ professionals.
Strong financial acumen and exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to travel overnight several times per year for required in-person gatherings.
Desired Experience
Direct experience serving military, Veteran, or military-family-focused organizations, or lived experience as a member of the military community.
CFRE, ACFRE, or equivalent professional credential.
Blue Star Families is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an equal opportunity employer.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please visit: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/bluestarfamilies/jobs/5253213008
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Posted
08/17/2026
Website
https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/bluestarfamilies/jobs/5253213008
City
Washington
State
District of Columbia
Functions
Advancement, Executive, Fundraising, Major Gifts
Industries
Non-profit - NPO, Philanthropy, Veterans
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Questions about this role
Who is hiring for the Chief Development Officer role?
Blue Star Families is hiring a Chief Development Officer, based in Washington, D.C., USA. The posting was placed by the organization hiring or the search firm it retained, not copied from another board.
Where is the Chief Development Officer job located?
Washington, D.C., USA. This position is hybrid.
Is the Chief Development Officer role remote, hybrid or on-site?
This role is hybrid, so it combines time on-site with time working remotely.
What does the Chief Development Officer role pay?
The posting states $159,000 to $238,000. Where a range is given, the figure a candidate is offered inside it usually depends on experience.
How do I apply for the Chief Development Officer role?
Apply directly to Blue Star Families through the link on this page. The application goes to the employer, not to us, and we do not sit in the middle of it.
Will an algorithm screen out my application?
Not here. ExecSearches does not run resumes through automated screening and does not reject anyone by software. Every posting on this board is reviewed by a person before it goes live, and expired duplicates are taken down.
When was the Chief Development Officer job posted?
This role was posted on October 8, 2026.
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