Job Description

THIS POSITION IS HYBRID. THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL BE IN THE SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE FOUR TIMES AWEEK.

ABOUT COMMON SENSE MEDIA
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate for policies to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org

OPPORTUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Salary Range: $230,000 - $260,000
• Benefits include:
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Vacation days: accrue 15 days in first year
  • Sick days: 72 hours per year
  • Holidays: 7 paid holidays; closes each year for summer break (1-2 business days before or after July 4th) and each winter break (December 25th through January 1st)
  • Life insurance and long-term disability
  • Retirement 401(k) benefit – matching up to 4% of annual salary
  • Health FSA and Health Savings Account
  • Home office and fitness reimbursement program
  • Commuter benefit program
  • Professional development fund

YOU ARE

• Highly skilled at aligning organizational mission, goals, and strategy, while inspiring and guiding the execution of the development department.
• A strategic fundraiser with experience stewarding relationships with donors, funders, and stakeholders.
• Capable of segmenting audiences to maximize fundraising efforts and crafting compelling narratives for multiple audiences and platforms.
• Experienced in working with boards, leadership teams, and diverse partners to drive organizational impact.
• Committed to improving the lives of children and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) provides strategic leadership and guidance for the development department, while supporting the President and Board Chair. The CDO is responsible for building a multi-year sustainability strategy to deepen, diversify, and support the organization’s $35M annual budget. This executive-level role involves managing and motivating a team of skilled fundraising staff, developing both existing and new relationships and strategic partnerships, and ensuring the achievement of Common Sense Media’s mission and goals.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
The Chief Development Officer reports to the President, Karla Martin, and manages a team of ten talented staff, including foundation partnerships, development operations and communications, individual giving, and regional offices. The CDO works closely with board members and volunteers to advance the mission of the organization.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead and Execute Comprehensive Fundraising Strategy

• Develop and drive the organization's strategy across all development revenue streams: foundation grants, major gifts, individual giving, regional engagement, planned giving, and fundraising events.
• Create and implement multi-year plans to sustain and grow the $35M, budget while exploring innovative revenue sources aligned with organizational priorities.
• Partner with the President and CEO/Chair to align fundraising with the mission and programmatic goals.

Build Transformative Relationships

• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a major gifts portfolio of 50+ prospects with the capacity to give six- and seven-figure commitments.
• Lead foundation partnership strategy, managing relationships with current supporters while developing a pipeline of new institutional funders.
• Oversee individual giving operations, growing annual revenue from $5M to $10M+ over five years.
• Steward existing regional advisory councils in currently active markets (SF, LA, Silicon Valley, and NYC) and explore activating new councils in emerging markets (e.g. Texas, Georgia, Chicago).

Inspire and Lead a High-Performing Team

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of development professionals through ambitious goals, fostering a culture of relationship-centered philanthropy, collaboration, excellence, and supporting professional growth.
• Manage geographically distributed staff focused on major gifts, foundations, regional engagement, planned giving, and operations.
• Partner with Board Development Committee to cultivate board members as fundraising ambassadors.

Drive Organizational Impact

• Translate the research, advocacy, and education work into compelling narratives that inspire philanthropic investment.
• Provide strategic oversight on donor communications and external stakeholder engagement.
• Deliver regular analytics and revenue forecasts to the President, Executive Team, and Board.
• Collaborate with Finance to ensure strong pipeline management, grant compliance, and fiscal accountability.

COMPETENCIES

• 15+ years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience, with proven success leading fundraising teams and operations of similar scope, size, and complexity.
• Demonstrated track record managing a major gift portfolio, securing major gifts of $1M+ and building sophisticated, multi-year fundraising strategies.
• Experience managing comprehensive development operations including foundation relations, major gifts, individual giving, planned giving, and fundraising events.
• Entrepreneurial, energetic, and resilient leadership style that inspires teams and builds authentic and long-lasting donor relationships.
• Strategic thinker who thrives in a mission-driven, collaborative environment.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, from grassroots supporters to corporate leaders.
• Bachelor's degree required.

EQUITY STATEMENT
Common Sense Media provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Common Sense Media will also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. However, job offers are made on the condition that the applicant subsequently passes a criminal background check. If the background check indicates a prior criminal conviction, we will conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether the conviction should result in denial of employment. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.