Chief Development Officer 

Chief Development Officer

Location: Remote

Category: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports to: CEO

Position Overview

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) serves as a key member of CCF’s leadership team and plays an active role in shaping strategic decisions that advance the Foundation’s mission, impact, and long-term sustainability. The CDO is responsible for leading all fundraising and development activities, building and strengthening relationships that expand CCF’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. In partnership with the CEO, Board, and leadership team, the CDO will design and implement a comprehensive, diversified development strategy focused on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The successful candidate will bring exceptional verbal and written communication skills, a relationship-driven approach, and a commitment to using data to inform and execute development strategies. This position reports to the CEO.

About Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely focused on cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), a rare but aggressive disease that affects approximately 15,000 people annually in the United States. Founded in 2006 in Salt Lake City by a family who lost a loved one to this devastating cancer, CCF has grown into a global leader in patient support, education, advocacy, and research funding.

Driven by its core values—patients first, collaboration, innovation, and urgency—CCF operates in a fast-paced environment, mobilizing resources and expertise around the world to accelerate progress. As a virtual organization with team members across the U.S. and internationally, CCF connects a global audience of patients, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers through cutting-edge programs and partnerships. The Foundation is recognized for advancing innovative research, championing patient-centered care, and responding with urgency to the needs of a growing and underserved community.

Primary Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Strategic Fundraising

• Partner with the CEO, Board, and Development Committee to develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan focused on revenue generation and donor engagement.
• Manage a team of fundraisers plus one admin to achieve a collective $8m+ annual fundraising target.
• Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to fundraising staff, fostering collaboration, accountability, and professional development.
• Manage a master calendar that outlines all fundraising efforts and campaigns, ensuring all initiatives build visibility and enhance organizational performance through communications and development coordination.
• Collaborate with the Board and other supporters to develop a pipeline of relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors.
• Develop key internal and external alliances by cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic support from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Oversee and research funding sources and trends to help position the Foundation ahead of significant funding changes or trends.
• Partner with the CFO on annual budgeting, goal setting, finance processes & forecasting.
• Work closely with the Finance Team to ensure gifts are accurately recorded and all appropriate mechanisms are in place for accurate and regular reporting.

Individual Donors

• Build and maintain a portfolio of meaningful relationships with high net-worth individuals to ensure all donors are experiencing appropriate stewardship touchpoints, leading to financial stability and growth.
• Alongside the Director of Major Giving, evolve and implement a plan to cultivate, steward and solicit current and prospective major donors leading to gifts of $10,000 or more.
• Improve, integrate, and execute best practices around moves management and prospect strategy functions.
• Partner closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, key stakeholders, and donors to develop and support their fundraising potential.
• Create initiatives to expand the prospect pipeline by accessing new and leveraging existing networks.
• Coordinate the identification and solicitation of potential individual donors through meetings with the CEO, Board, and CCF staff.
• Provide regular development training to the Board.
• Build upon the newly-created Giving Circles program to effectively retain, acquire and grow prospective and current donors.
• Actively assess donor database resources to prioritize and engage donor support at appropriate levels.
• Systematize maintenance alongside the finance team to ensure accurate records, contact reports, updates on visits and communications, and regularly report to the CEO and the Board.

Corporate & Industry Support

• Oversee the organization's comprehensive corporate and industry fundraising strategy to drive sustainable revenue growth and deepen strategic partnerships.Guide the execution of a non-industry corporate support new revenue stream alongside the Director of Community Fundraising.
• Guide and support the Director of Corproate Partnerships’s goals(roughly ⅓ overall revenue) by working internally and externally on all aspects of fundraising, including strategy, execution, prospectus development and stewardship.
• Collaborate with Executive Team, Research, Advocacy, Finance and Communications, teams to identify and develop meaningful partnership opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Cultivate and steward senior-level relationships with corporate and industry partners, serving as an executive representative for key funding opportunities.
• Identify emerging trends and opportunities within the corporate philanthropy and life sciences landscape to expand revenue and strategic collaborations.
• Monitor and evaluate corporate and industry fundraising performance, using data and forecasting to inform strategy and optimize revenue growth.

Foundation Relations

• Lead the development and implementation of the organization's institutional giving strategy to establish and grow foundation support as a sustainable revenue stream.
• Build the foundation fundraising program from the ground up, including prospect identification, portfolio development, cultivation strategies, grant calendar management, and stewardship processes.
• Research, qualify, and cultivate relationships with private and institutional foundations whose priorities align with the Foundation's mission and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with executive leadership, research, patient services, advocacy, and finance teams to identify funding opportunities and develop compelling, mission-aligned proposals.
• Oversee the preparation, submission, and management of grant proposals, reports, budgets, and supporting documentation to ensure high-quality, timely submissions.
• Develop systems, workflows, and organizational infrastructure to support long-term growth, tracking, forecasting, and evaluation of foundation fundraising efforts.
• Work alongside the Research Team to assess the possibility of national grants, research grants, etc.
• Steward foundation partners through meaningful impact reporting and ongoing engagement to strengthen relationships and encourage continued investment.

Communications & Marketing

• Partner with the Director of Communications to provide big-picture thinking around communications and marketing opportunities to grow brand awareness and overall reach.
• Participate in regular planning and assessment of communications activities to identify and prioritize work, define clear goals and objectives, and ensure tools and resources are in place to support efforts.
• Monitor stakeholder outreach and information sharing through effective use of the organization’s website, newsletters, social networking, and public relations.
• Ensure communications projects are executed in a timely manner and meet goals and objectives.

Organizational Leadership

• Maintain a culture that aligns with the Foundation’s mission, core values and strategic plan.
• Advance the mission, vision, and goals of the Foundation in concert with the CEO and as a member of the executive team.
• Assist the Board in identifying potential board members and onboarding new members as they become involved in the organization.
• Establish and manage staff goals, including prospect research, donor and gift management, communications, and stewardship.
• Identify giving policies and procedures that need to be implemented and/or improved.
• Institute best practices in every area of development.
• Stay on top of evolving trends in philanthropy and apply appropriately to development work within CCF.
• Participate in training and leadership activities at staff retreats and staff meetings Provide development training to non-development staff, who interact regularly with the CCA community and potential donors.
• Requires up to 10% national travel.

Skills, Qualifications, Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in related field. 7-10 years of professional experience in a non-profit organization.
• Documented history of closing gifts above $10,000 plus a successful track record of coordinating and soliciting donations at the $100,000.
• Proven achievements with an annual fund, major gifts, foundation grants, peer-to-peer and planned giving programs.
• Knowledge of donor database management – Raiser’s Edge is a plus.
• Ability to work virtually – this is a full-time, work-from-home position.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strategic forecasting and planning
• Management of sophisticated donor funding requests
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Successful completion of a background check.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• This is a fully remote position, requiring a dedicated, professional home office environment with reliable internet access.
• The role involves prolonged periods of sitting, working on a computer, attending virtual meetings, and managing digital communications.
• Flexibility to respond to time-sensitive issues during regular business hours, with occasional after-hours availability for urgent matters or events.
• Flexibility to accommodate urgent matters or attend evening and weekend events as necessary.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced virtual environment.
• Ability to occasionally lift office supplies or packages, typically weighing up to 20 pounds.

COMPENSATION

Salary Range: $160,000 - $170,000; commensurate with experience

Benefits include Health insurance (medical, dental, vision), fully paid life and disability insurance, a generous PTO package that includes Summer Fridays and a paid Winter Break, and a 401(k). Bonus package available; conditions apply.

LOCATION

The Foundation is a virtual organization. Candidates must reside in the United States and be authorized to work there. The selected candidate will be required to travel as needed.

APPLY

Please apply on our website and be prepared to provide the following:

• Resume (required)
• Responses to three short questions included in the application form (required)
• Cover letter (optional)

A quick note: your resume and responses to all three questions are required for your application to be considered. A cover letter is welcome, but not required.

Questions, need an accommodation, or having technical issues submitting this form? Please contact hr@cholangiocarcinoma.org

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice. Nothing in this job description alters an employee's at-will status and is meant only as a guide, not a contract of employment.

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation's policy provides equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

August 2026