Chief Advancement Officer

Chief Advancement Officer

Friends of the Children-SF Bay Area

San Francisco, CA (hybrid)

The Moran Company (https://morancompany.com/) is pleased to partner with Friends of the Children-SF Bay Area to recruit the organization's first Chief Advancement Officer (CAO).

Organizational Background

Friends of the Children-SF Bay Area (https://friendssfbayarea.org/) (Friends-SF) is part of a national network dedicated to impacting generational change by empowering children facing the greatest obstacles through long-term relationships with professional mentors, called Friends. The organization intentionally selects children who are navigating significant challenges and provides each child with a salaried, professional mentor from kindergarten through high school graduation, 12+ years, no matter what. Friends work closely with youth and their families to build the academic, social-emotional, and life skills that help young people thrive, while also supporting their caregivers through a two-generational approach. Celebrating its 10th year in San Francisco, Friends of the Children’s impact is evident – a longitudinal study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon confirmed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs.

With a permanent home in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, a collaborative leadership team, and committed philanthropic supporters, Friends-SF is positioned for its next stage of growth. Its new five-year strategic plan calls for doubling the number of children served and building the foundation for greater reach across the Bay Area. With a current annual operating budget of $3.6 million, Friends-SF’s growth plan calls for raising $24 million over the next five years to support expanded programs, capital needs, and long-term sustainability, including increasing annual revenue to approximately $6.5 million by 2031.

Position Summary

Friends-SF seeks an accomplished, strategic, and results-driven Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) to build and lead the fundraising and communications strategy that will make its next growth phase possible. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CAO will serve as the organization’s senior fundraising and communications leader, primary major and principal gifts strategist, and trusted thought partner to the Executive Director and Development Committee. This newly created position offers the opportunity to lead a growing development and communications team (currently three team members) and translate an exciting new strategic plan into meaningful philanthropic investment and increased awareness of Friends-SF. The CAO will develop and execute the strategy to raise $24 million over the next five years, helping Friends-SF double the number of children served through its impactful program model.

The CAO will develop and lead a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy encompassing individual, major, and principal gifts; foundation and corporate support; events; and government funding. Working closely with the Executive Director, an engaged Board of Directors, and dedicated staff, the CAO will inspire philanthropic investment, foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization, build on established systems, and equip the Board and Advisory Circle to engage their networks to help advance fundraising goals.

This is an ideal opportunity for a seasoned advancement leader who combines strategic vision with hands-on fundraising and is energized by the opportunity to build on Friends-SF’s established foundation and scale its fundraising capacity and impact. The successful candidate will bring initiative, executive presence, and the confidence to connect with high-net-worth donors, together with the warmth, humility, and cultural awareness to earn trust across the organization and community. This is a hybrid position based in San Francisco, California, with an expectation to work in the office at least three days per week and regularly attend donor meetings throughout the Bay Area.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Communications Strategy and Revenue Growth
- Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising and communications plan aligned with Friends-SF’s strategic plan, revenue growth goals ($24 million over 5 years), and long-term commitments to children and families.
- Establish fundraising and communications goals, revenue projections, and performance benchmarks to measure success and support long-term sustainability.
- Integrate major gifts, annual giving, foundation support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships, events, and government funding into a diversified revenue strategy, with particular attention to increasing major and multi-year commitments.
- Provide leadership for foundation and corporate relationships and oversee grant strategy, proposal development, reporting, and stewardship in collaboration with staff and contracted grant support.
- Partner with the Executive Director to pursue appropriate government grants, contracts, and other public funding opportunities aligned with the model and growth priorities, working toward a sustainable public-private revenue mix with local government and public funding representing approximately 10% of annual revenue.
- Plan and lead capital and other special campaign fundraising, including a $2 million capital campaign over the next three to five years to support facility expansion priorities.
Major Gifts & Donor Engagement
- Personally identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, with an emphasis on six- and seven-figure gifts.
- Maintain consistent, proactive engagement with major donors and prospects, protecting time for relationship building amid other responsibilities.
- Proactively open doors to new donors and funding networks while deepening existing relationships and strengthening donors’ connection to Friends-SF’s mission and impact.
- Develop individualized donor strategies and disciplined moves management; engage the Executive Director, Board members, and program leaders in cultivation and solicitation as appropriate.
- Lead the strategy and oversee the execution of Friends-SF’s annual $1M+ fundraising gala.
- Lead a coordinated donor engagement and stewardship program, including site visits and small gatherings.
- Work with program staff to create compelling cases for support and donor experiences that convey the depth of the model while respecting the dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of children and families.
Executive Collaboration and Board Partnership
- Serve as the lead development strategist and thought partner to the Executive Director, bringing recommendations, new ideas, and clear execution plans.
- Further activate the Board of Directors and Advisory Circle as fundraising partners by identifying prospects, preparing members for donor conversations, and establishing specific strategies and follow-up.
- Serve as the lead staff support for the Development Committee and provide clear reporting, forecasts, and actionable recommendations to Board leadership.
- Partner with Board leaders to expand engagement across the Board and identify prospective Board and committee members with relevant networks and expertise.
- Build a shared organizational culture of philanthropy, innovation, and excellence through close collaboration with the executive leadership team and Board.
Team Leadership and Advancement Operations
- Lead, coach, and develop the fundraising and communications team, including the Director of Development & Communications, Development Manager, and Communications Manager.
- Oversee contracted grant writing services.
- Assess staffing and resources needed for growth, delegate effectively, and create an environment of trust, candid communication, and collaborative problem-solving.
- Provide strategic oversight of Friends-SF’s fundraising infrastructure and build on and further leverage existing systems, including Bloomerang CRM, to strengthen advancement processes.
Communications and Community Visibility
- Provide strategic leadership for communications and marketing, ensuring consistent impact messaging, persuasive storytelling, and alignment with fundraising and organizational goals.
- Increase Friends-SF’s visibility and partnerships throughout the region.
- Serve as a visible ambassador for Friends-SF throughout the region.
Professional Qualifications & Personal Attributes
- Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including substantial senior fundraising leadership responsibility. An advanced degree or CFRE credential is preferred.
- A deep commitment to Friends-SF’s mission and two-generational approach, cultural humility, and the ability to build authentic relationships with people of diverse backgrounds. Relevant lived experience or familiarity with the communities served is valued.
- An independent, proactive self-starter with the ability to turn strategy into action, introduce original ideas, and maintain disciplined follow-through; comfortable working in a fast-paced growth environment and partnering with an Executive Director who moves quickly and delegates ownership.
- Demonstrated success building and executing multi-year fundraising strategies and leading significant, sustained revenue growth for a nonprofit with a multimillion-dollar budget.
- Strong major and principal gifts expertise, including a record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and securing six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments.
- Experience expanding donor pipelines and developing relationships with high-net-worth individuals, founders/venture capitalists, family foundations, philanthropic advisors, and corporate leaders. Familiarity with the Bay Area philanthropic landscape is strongly preferred.
- Experience leading capital, expansion, or comprehensive campaigns.
- Familiarity with government funding and public revenue opportunities is a plus.
- Proven ability to lead, coach, and inspire a professional development team, with a commitment to staff growth.
- Confidence and executive presence to partner with an engaged Board and seasoned business and philanthropic leaders; ability to offer candid, professional counsel.
- Strong analytical skills, including fundraising forecasting, budgeting, performance measurement, and effective use of donor databases and prospect management systems.
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with experience in donor communications, storytelling, and building organizational visibility.
- A people-centered, servant leadership approach and a collaborative style grounded in humility and integrity.
- Ability to build trust, welcome feedback, navigate difficult conversations, and bring optimism and a sense of humor to the work.
- Commitment to ethical fundraising and maintaining donor and beneficiary confidentiality.
Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $175,000 – $190,000. This is a hybrid position based in San Francisco, California, with an expectation to work in the office at least three days per week and regularly attend donor meetings throughout the Bay Area.

Friends of the Children–SF Bay Area offers a generous benefits package, including 100% coverage of employee and dependent premiums for base medical, dental, and vision plans for director-level staff. Paid time off includes 15 vacation days, 10 sick days, 17 holidays, and six mental health days. The package also includes a 401(k) with an immediately vested employer match of up to 3%, company-paid life and disability insurance, and a free Employee Assistance Program. Eligible employees may also receive up to $1,000 annually in tuition assistance and a monthly commuting stipend.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Friends of the Children-SF Bay Area is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Application Process

The search for Friends of the Children-SF Bay Area’s Chief Advancement Officer is being conducted by The Moran Company. Questions about the position can be directed to Angie Heer, The Moran Company; at angie (at) morancompany.com.

To apply for this position, submit a cover letter and resume to Angie Heer, The Moran Company, via the secure online portal. The resume should include all professional experience and examples of fundraising accomplishments. The cover letter should highlight your passion for Friends-SF’s mission, relevant fundraising experience, and your approach to building a comprehensive fundraising strategy.

Applications are due by November 10, 2026.  
PLEASE NOTE: All email correspondence from The Moran Company will originate from our official @ morancompany.com domain or using our applicant tracking system domain @ applytojob.com .