About the role:

This leader will ideally be based with the Accion team in Washington, DC.  However, consideration will be given to a New York City or East Coast Corridor location, with frequent travel to Washington DC.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be responsible for leveraging global awareness of, and interest in, financial inclusion initiatives by building and stewarding robust, meaningful partnerships with current and prospective institutional and corporate funders, major individual donors, and others. 

A bold-thinker and a strategic, yet hands-on, executor they will lead best-in-class and innovative fundraising programs and enhance/refine Accion’s overall approach to its fundraising and development efforts.

The CDO will actively manage a donor portfolio by personally participating in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, as well as collaborating with the President & CEO to ensure that he is effectively supported and leveraged to achieve fundraising goals. They will have the capacity to develop fluency in the issues and opportunities in financial inclusion, individual strategy sectors, and solutions to create tailored and compelling strategies for institutional, corporate, and individual donors across a range of geographies and demographics.

As a member of the organization’s Operating Committee (senior leadership team), the CDO will also be engaged in broader organizational strategies and initiatives, working collaboratively across the organization with a wide range of stakeholders and, in particular, with the communications team and global program staff.

About Accion:

Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. We catalyze financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the three billion people who are left out of — or poorly served by — the financial sector. For nearly 60 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 160 partners in 55 countries. More at http://www.accion.org. 

• Expand and develop fundraising opportunities through new and ongoing strategic partnerships
• Cultivate new sources of revenue by creatively and strategically expanding the existing donor base, with an increased focus on corporate, foundation, and government entities in the US and globally; in particular, building new sources of unrestricted funding
• Drive an effective culture of philanthropy throughout the organization by sharing strategic expertise, resources and tools that support and empower staff to identify and develop new opportunities and relationships
• Partner with the global program and communications staff to ensure a collaborative approach to achieving both programmatic and fundraising goals
• Increase the effectiveness and productivity of the team by determining the optimal department structure and operational model, and serving as a coach and mentor, motivating team members with energy and passion, and ensuring clear expectations and accountability

Experience:

Proven leader in development or other relevant fields, with the ability to set and articulate a vision for the organization’s next fundraising chapter, build and execute a development plan, and evaluate outcomes with a metrics-based approach. Specifically including:

• A measurable track record of success and proven expertise with a wide range of fundraising channels, with particular emphasis on global corporate, foundation, and government giving
• Strong data and analysis orientation and a proven ability to use metrics to drive development decisions and achieve strategic objectives
• Demonstrated record of implementing fundraising initiatives, including identification, cultivation and stewardship, working in close partnership with senior leaders and Board of Directors to collaboratively achieve fundraising goals

Skills & Personal Qualities:

Passion for Accion’s mission, vision and values, including a commitment to building a financially inclusive world; the capacity to understand and appreciate Accion’s strategies, programs and impact; and the ability to share this knowledge with potential donors with conviction. The candidate will have a willingness to embody Accion’s values of excellence, respect and passion for social change

Strategic thinking, planning and implementation skills, including:

• A proven record of converting strategy into effective execution
• Detail-orientation, functioning well in a complex environment
• Intellectual curiosity
• Ability to listen well and learn from multiple voices
• Strong analytic skills
• Creative and collaborative thinking about Accion’s development goals
• Assertive and responsive leadership with the ability to translate Accion’s development goals into clear objectives for a wide range of key stakeholders
• Ability to set priorities decisively, delegate responsibilities, assure accountability, and allocate resources to ensure results

Leadership and management acumen, which includes:

• The skills to effectively build, develop and lead the development team.
• Offering creative, yet practical, ideas to achieve the strategic direction of both the team and the overall organization
• Offering credibility and subject-matter expertise internally and externally
• Intercultural competence and inclusive/equity-oriented leadership
• Skilled at building and sustaining excellent relationships at multiple levels with varied constituencies, including Accion’s Board of Directors, senior leadership team, global program staff, donors and the development team
• Effective, proactive and inspiring communication style; ability to establish rapport, strong working relationships and open communication with all global constituents and successfully convey Accion’s mission and objectives

Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree is preferred

Willingness to travel domestically and internally, as this will be required

Accion is an equal opportunity employer; employing qualified individuals without regard to age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, veteran status, creed, religion, citizenship, disability, parental status, marital status, gender or sexual orientation. This philosophy is practiced in, but is not limited to, employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoffs or termination, rate of pay or other compensation, and selection for training. Accion also employs qualified individuals without regard to height, weight or record of arrest without conviction.  Accion applies standards with regard to, and makes employment decisions based on, education, experience, interpersonal skills and general suitability for a position.