Chief Development Officer

Principal Responsibilities:

A Message to Our Community

The Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester is more than an institution. It is a living, breathing reflection of what a community can be--diverse, vibrant, welcoming, and resilient. A place where a child takes their first steps, a teen finds their voice, an adult rekindles purpose, and Jewish & Israel life flourishes across generations.

As we look ahead, we are filled with both urgency and optimism. The future of our JCC is not about survival--it's about becoming more vibrant, more inclusive of all abilities and identities, more Jewish, and more essential than ever before. We are not just preserving a legacy--we are becoming the tomorrow of JCCs.

We remain profoundly grateful to the members, donors, volunteers, and partners who make this possible. Your work fuels impact across Early Childhood, Fitness/Wellness/ Aquatics/Recreation (FWAR), Arts & Culture, Jewish Life, Camp Seneca Lake, Camp Sisol, and Active Agers (55+). To sustain and grow this impact, we are investing in executive-level development leadership that will steward today's donors, welcome new partners, and build an enduring culture of philanthropy.

Our Values

Kehillah -- Community
An intentional community that nurtures physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being; we foster belonging by building connections, shared responsibility, and common purpose.

Hachnasat Orchim -- Welcoming + Belonging
We center the needs of every guest and member, creating a true sense of home and belonging across our community center.

Chesed -- Compassion
Loving-kindness in action; we show care that improves well-being and brings warmth and joy, acting to carry goodness into the world.

Kavod -- Honor + Respect
We treat people and traditions with dignity, embrace difference with a flexible mindset, and cultivate authentic connections so all can be their true selves.

Shmirat HaGuf -- Being Our Best Selves
We honor the body as a gift, promote whole-person wellness, and continually improve while celebrating and motivating one another.

Guided by these values, the JCC is poised for its next chapter of service and impact.

The Opportunity

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a key member of the Executive Team who will architect and lead an integrated, agency-wide development strategy. The JCC operates with an annual budget of approximately $12.5M and a staff of 90+ full-time employees and 250+ part-time/seasonal/contracted team members. The CDO will advance annual philanthropic revenue beyond its current ~$2.0M baseline while driving success of a comprehensive $5M campaign now underway. This role will professionalize best practices across programs, events, initiatives, and capital needs--ensuring coordination, clarity, and donor-centric alignment across the organization.

The CDO's scope spans our full program portfolio--including Early Childhood, FWAR, Arts & Culture, Jewish Life, Camp Seneca Lake (CSL), Camp Sisol, and Active Agers (55+)--with thoughtful partnership to program Directors. Two signature programs, the Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival and the Lane Dworkin Authors + Innovators Festival; the CDO will collaborate closely with their respective Directors to design donor strategies and packages while honoring each program's leadership, brand, and identity.

With support from agency leadership, the CDO will build the development function from the ground up--defining structure, roles, and workflows. In the interim, the CDO will coordinate our current multi-hand approach with robust support from internal professionals and engaged lay leaders.

The CDO partners closely with the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team: Chief Operating Officer; Chief Creative Officer; Executive Director, Camp Seneca Lake; Chief Jewish Life & Engagement Officer; Chief Human Resources Officer; and General Manager, FWAR. The CDO is a visible ambassador to donors, prospects, foundations, corporate partners, and the broader Rochester community.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

Develop and execute a multi-year development plan to grow unrestricted annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, grants, corporate partnerships, and event-based revenue in alignment with agency priorities.

Design and activate an endowment growth strategy (legacy/planned gifts, board-restricted and true endowment) aligned to long-term sustainability and investment policy.

Establish clear KPIs and dashboards (pipeline health, donor retention and upgrade rates, grant hit rate, corporate revenue, event ROI) and report progress to the CEO and Board.

Serve as internal convener of a cross-functional Development Council (program, marketing, finance, and operations) to coordinate calendars, campaigns, and cases for support.

Campaign & Major Gifts

Co-lead the comprehensive $5M campaign with the CEO (and committee chair), including gift table design, case refinement, prospect strategy, solicitation plans, and campaign cabinet support.

Manage a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects; conduct discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship with disciplined moves management.

Design and manage recognition and naming opportunities; ensure fulfillment and enduring stewardship.

Annual Giving, Membership Integration & Events

Partner with the Directors of the Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival and the Lane Dworkin Authors + Innovators Festival to meet strong development needs while preserving program leadership and identity; co-create sponsorship, underwriting, and major-gift strategies unique to each.

Build a high-performing annual giving program (multi-channel appeals, mid-level donor strategy, recurring monthly giving, and lapsed-donor reactivation) in partnership with Marketing/Communications.

Evolve events from transactional to mission-rich experiences that drive retention, upgrades, and pipeline growth; set goals and evaluate ROI.

Align messaging and donor journeys with member engagement to grow participation and philanthropy.

Institutional Giving (Grants, Foundations & Corporate)

Lead foundation strategy: landscape analysis, proposal development, compliance, and reporting.

Grow corporate revenue (sponsorships, program underwritings, cause marketing) with clear benefits packages for FWAR, Arts & Culture, Early Childhood, Family Programs, and Camp Seneca Lake.

Systems, Data & Operations

Leverage Blackbaud Raiser's Edge (NXT) as the system of record for philanthropy; integrate with DAXKO (building CRM) to align membership and program data for segmentation, cultivation, and stewardship.

Strengthen policies and infrastructure: gift acceptance, pledge management, acknowledgments, and audits.

Ensure CRM integrity and analytics (e.g., Salesforce/Blackbaud or equivalent), prospect research, and disciplined pipeline management.

Partner with Finance on forecasting, reconciliation, and revenue recognition; ensure ethical and compliant fundraising practices.

Board, Volunteers & Team Development

Build the development team, establishing structure, roles (e.g., Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Grants, Events, Stewardship/Donor Relations), and performance expectations in alignment with strategy and budget.

In the interim, coordinate the current multi-hand approach with strong support from internal professionals and external lay leaders; clarify responsibilities, cadences, and decision rights.

Staff the Development/Philanthropy Committee of the Board; prepare materials and progress reports.

Recruit, coach, and manage a nimble development team (e.g., Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Grants, Events, and Donor Relations/Stewardship) and leverage dotted-line support across departments.

Train staff, lay leaders, and program directors in donor-centric best practices; equip ambassadors with cases for support and talking points.

Cross-Agency Coordination & Best Practices

Camp Seneca Lake (CSL): Work very closely with the Executive Director of Camp Seneca Lake and CSL's development team to coordinate best practices and donor journeys for a flagship program whose alumni and donor base largely reside outside the Rochester area.

Collaborate across departments--including Early Childhood, FWAR, Arts & Culture, Jewish Life, Camp Seneca Lake, Camp Sisol, and Active Agers (55+)--to prioritize opportunities and prevent overlap.

Create a clear intake and vetting process for fundraising initiatives across departments (program pilots, events, capital needs) to avoid overlap and donor fatigue.

Maintain a master development calendar, institutional priority list, and prospect assignment protocol.

Ensure every appeal and event connects back to mission, impact, and a unified agency case.

First 30/60/90 Days: Success Milestones

First 30 Days - Listening tour with CEO, Executive Team, program Directors (incl. CSL), Board/Development Committee chair, and top donors. - Audit current fundraising programs, calendars, collateral, Raiser's Edge NXT setup, and DAXKO integration; implement quick wins (e.g., <48-hour acknowledgments, data-hygiene fixes, essential reports). - Launch the cross-functional Development Council with a written charter, meeting cadence, and decision rights. - Align with CEO/COO on KPI dashboard and revenue targets; confirm campaign cabinet engagement plan.

By Day 60 - Present a unified Case for Support draft and campaign gift table; identify top-50 prospects with individualized strategies. - Publish a 12-month stewardship and solicitation calendar (appeals, events, touchpoints), including plans for the Film Festival and Authors + Innovators Festival. - Outline an endowment & legacy strategy (policies, bequest society concept, priority prospect list). - Define interim team workflows; draft position descriptions and hiring plan for the development function. - Establish a CSL coordination protocol for alumni/out-of-market donor engagement.

By Day 90 - Conduct joint visits with the CEO and volunteers; advance 15+ active solicitations and close initial leadership gifts for the comprehensive campaign. - Launch the next annual appeal with segmented messaging and RE NXT reporting; ensure event and sponsorship packages are live. - Train Directors and lay leaders on donor-centric practices; roll out the KPI dashboard and monthly pipeline reviews.

Minimum Qualifications:

Qualifications

7+ years of progressive fundraising experience with a strong record in major gifts and campaigns; success in six and seven-figure solicitations preferred.

Demonstrated ability to design strategy, build teams, and deliver measurable revenue growth across multiple giving channels.

Skilled relationship builder and storyteller; excellent written/oral communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.

Experience partnering with Marketing/Communications to align brand, campaigns, and donor journeys.

Proficiency with fundraising CRMs and analytics; commitment to data-informed decision making and continuous improvement.

Knowledge of the Rochester philanthropic landscape and/or Jewish communal life is a plus; passion for the JCC mission is essential.

Ability to work some evenings/weekends; and occasional regional travel.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $110,000-$125,000, commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package and JCC membership; details provided during the interview process.
• Additional Perks: Opportunities for professional development, networking, and participation in Jewish communal events and conferences.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The JCC of Greater Rochester is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse identities, backgrounds, and perspectives and are committed to building an inclusive culture in which staff, members, and community partners can thrive.

To Apply

Please submit a resume, a brief cover letter, and two writing samples (e.g., a solicitation letter and a grant excerpt) to SM with the subject line CDO Application - [Your Name]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.