About JA Worldwide
As one of the world’s largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs, JA Worldwide delivers hands on, immersive learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health. Reaching more than 15 million young people each year through over 400,000 teachers and business volunteers, JA Worldwide is one of few organizations with the scale, experience, and passion to build a boundless future for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders.
With locations in over 100 countries, the global network raises annual revenues of $300-350 million. The headquarters of JA Worldwide in Boston and its four regional subsidiaries/branches in locations around the world that oversee the JA network have an annual budget of $20–$25 million annually, comprised of approximately $10 million in revenue for operations and approximately $10–$15 million in funds passed to the JA network from global and regional donors.
JA Worldwide has been selected as one of the top ten NGOs in the world in annual rankings since 2019 and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
This role is based at JA Worldwide headquarters in Boston, MA; however, remote working arrangements are welcome. The JA Worldwide team works remotely from locations around the United States and the world.
Please visit jaworldwide.org to learn more.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion
We seek out diverse backgrounds, perspective, and talents in our staff, volunteers, and boards to reflect the geographies and communities we serve. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.
Candidate Profile
Reporting to the President and CEO, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team at JA Worldwide and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting JA Worldwide and the JA network. This position is responsible for all JA Worldwide fundraising and development activities, in partnership with the President/CEO and in conjunction with development teams at JA’s six regional operating centers (ROCs) across the JA network. The successful candidate will manage and continue to evolve the development function that will enable JA Worldwide to become the internal network leader in fundraising. This leader will help forge external relationships to build JA Worldwide’s financial resources, impact, and visibility. The CDO, in consultation with the President/CEO and Global Development Team, will continue to implement and improve on a comprehensive plan for developing multiple sources of fundraising, new key external alliances, enriching the current array of JA Worldwide philanthropic partners, and building development capacity.
The CDO will drive collaboration with JA Members to cultivate joint fundraising opportunities, serve as a point for questions, support training and presentations for Development and Fundraising focused needs of the network through global, regional, and national engagements. The CDO serves as the point for the network in all globally directed fundraising needs and questions, and regularly collaborates with over 100+ contacts weekly from within JA.
The CDO will oversee the Global Development Team and has the primary responsibility for ensuring we have the diversity, talent, and skills needed to support modern fundraising approaches in JA Worldwide headquarters, as well as supporting Development team growth across the network. The CDO will increase revenue through appropriate giving strategies that lead to corporate partnerships, major gifts, and foundation grants.
The CDO will continue to expand and diversify our donor base/pipeline and work to secure funding for new initiatives. In addition, the CDO will work closely with the JA Worldwide Board of Governors and support board members as they increasingly take on a more active fundraising role.
Key Responsibilities
- Support and partner with the President/CEO and Board Members on all major fundraising initiatives; serve as staff liaison for the Development Committee of the board of governors.
- Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive development plan in conjunction with the President/CEO and staff, to include diverse sources of funds from corporate/corporate foundations, private foundations, public sector, aid agencies, individuals, major donors, as well as alternative revenue-generation opportunities and non-monetary partnerships.
- Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop and implement JA Worldwide’s medium to long-term operating, educational and financial strategy including weekly reconciliations, annual projections and growth.
- Collaborate with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to announce new partnerships, demonstrate partner impact, leverage constituent relationships, and release Annual Report.
- Maintain collaborative fundraising across the Development Team to ensure successful execution of all proposals, new business development and stewardship; partner and guide staff using a long-term relationship-management approach.
- Cultivate and steward JA Worldwide’s major individual donors.
- Oversee research on funding sources and trends to strategically position JA Worldwide to accomplish its mission and strategy.
- Monitor all donor information; provide and present statistical analysis to the JA Worldwide Board of Governors, JA Worldwide Global Council and senior leaders.
- Lead a robust stewardship program with the Global Development Team aimed at cultivating deeper ties with current and prospective donors.
- Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program and related operations, including overseeing background checks, due diligence, and contract renewals for existing and new donors.
- Identify, hire, develop, train, and mentor the JA Worldwide Development Team, and the JA Worldwide Global Development Group comprised of the Fundraising leads from each of JA’s 6 regions.
In addition, strong candidates will offer:
- Ten-plus years of professional fundraising experience, with demonstrated knowledge and success in leading and managing a nonprofit organization with multiple donor sources.
- International work experience.
- Effective organizational and influencing skills in diverse, federated, highly consensus-driven organizations.
- Tangible experience of having identified, cultivated, solicited, and stewarded multi-million-dollar donors as well as expanded current donor relationships.
- Experience with winning public sector and/or institutional grants and managing public sector constituents.
- Experience with diverse revenue-generation models and social-impact bonds.
- Leader who thrives in managing both strategic and tactical fundraising in a dynamic, fast-moving environment.
- Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships as well as focus internally to guide staff and colleagues across a global network.
- Ability to construct, articulate, and implement annual strategic and operational development plans.
- Ability to lead a team by productively engaging others at varying levels within the JA network, as well as coaching and mentoring teams and individuals.
- Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
- High energy and passion for JA Worldwide’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
- Lateral thinker/builder with perseverance and resilience.
- Travel globally, as needed. Second language a plus.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $220,000 with an annual performance bonus and a generous benefits package
Contact
Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. To express interest in this role please submit your materials here or via JAWorldwide_CDO@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
JA Worldwide is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
Timeline to Hire
The application deadline is March 15th, 2023.
About Koya Partners
Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.