Job Description

Central Piedmont, an innovative and leading higher education institution, invites nominations and applications for the appointment of a Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO).

About Central Piedmont

Since its beginning, Central Piedmont (the College), located in Charlotte, NC, has been an innovative national leader among two-year institutions. College alumni include a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Metropolitan Opera star, an Olympic gold medalist, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, a television actress, and a pro football player.

Countless others – chefs, healthcare providers, technicians, real estate brokers, paralegals, firefighters, teachers, law enforcement officers, trades people, engineers, dental hygienists, artists and others who serve our community – share Central Piedmont’s proud tradition. Central Piedmont has provided educational opportunities since 1963; the year the North Carolina General Assembly passed the state community college bill.

Central Piedmont has grown from a small college with a single campus and a dozen programs serving 1,600 students. Today, with six campuses and two centers across Mecklenburg County, the college offers nearly 300-degree, diploma, and certificate programs plus an array of non-degree and short-term training offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls nearly 60,000 students annually, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas.

The College also engages between 200,000 to 300,000 individuals each year through various programs, services, events, community clinics, art galleries and performances. Through all of its growth, the College has become Mecklenburg County’s primary workforce development resource.

Currently under the leadership of college president Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont continues to enhance the lives and success of individuals and employers, making Mecklenburg County stronger and more prosperous. The College is proud to be one of the county’s primary and most reliable economic engines and its key workforce development partner. This fall, the College adopted a new strategic plan with a focus on positioning the college to accelerate into the future. The three-year strategic plan, Leading Boldy. Forward Thinking. Future Ready., has set a new tone for how the college will show up in the community, operate internally, and transform for the future.

Since taking the helm in 2017, Dr. Deitemeyer has positioned the college as a strategic partner for employers, civic leaders and community organizations working to shape the region's future. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that a community's long-term success depends on expanding access to education, creating pathways to family-sustaining careers and aligning workforce development with the evolving needs of industry.

Under her leadership, Central Piedmont has:

• nearly tripled the assets of its Foundation from $45 million to more than $120 million,
• increased annual scholarship support from approximately $1 million to more than $5 million,
• invested nearly $400 million in campus infrastructure to build programs that meet the workforce needs in our community, and
• awarded more than 44,000 industry-recognized credentials to its graduates – continuing to fuel the pipeline of talent in the county.

She has also positioned Central Piedmont to expand training capacity and meet the region’s workforce needs while overseeing a financial strategy supporting more than $200 million in active capital projects across the college's six campuses.

Our Vision

To stand as the nation’s most transformative community college—where future-ready talent, bold ideas and economic vitality take shape.

Our Mission

To power the prosperity of our community by igniting exceptional talent, accelerating workforce readiness and preparing students to lead with purpose.

Our Commitments

• Student-Centered - We champion every learner’s potential—designing innovative experiences, supportive environments and responsive systems that ignite growth and ensure student success at every step.
• Opportunity - We believe talent is everywhere. We open doors, elevate capability and expand access so every individual can learn, prosper and contribute to a thriving region.
• Partnership - We collaborate boldly—with colleagues, employers and community partners—to align programs, accelerate workforce opportunity and extend the college’s impact.
• Impact - We act with purpose, agility and accountability—driving meaningful outcomes that transform lives, strengthen the workforce and enrich the communities we serve.

Locations

Central Piedmont has Mecklenburg County covered with six campuses and a variety of other locations.

The College offers students a variety of student services across each location. Most general education or core classes may be taken at any campus, while many program curriculum courses are offered only at certain locations. Fully online programs are also offered. In addition to the campuses, Central Piedmont has a strong partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), offering some college classes at CMS high schools.

Academics

Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 programs in 14 career fields with more than 55 professional pathways to get students real-world ready. Several of the programs are available 100% online.

Classes are designed for close-knit learning with a 15:1 average student to teacher ratio. Students learn from faculty with real-world working knowledge and a hands-on, experiential approach, and students can also choose from hundreds of online classes and continuing education programs to get ready for their next step, whatever that may be.

Central Piedmont Community College Foundation

The Central Piedmont Community College Foundation, Inc. was established in 1965 as a nonprofit corporation dedicated exclusively to advancing the mission of Central Piedmont Community College through the receipt and stewardship of gifts, grants, and bequests. The Foundation plays a critical role in enhancing student success and institutional excellence by funding scholarships, instructional and workforce training programs, faculty and staff support, and the acquisition of equipment and technology that strengthen teaching and learning.

Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) was a record-setting year for the Foundation, marked by exceptional fundraising performance and expanded student support. The Foundation provided $5.0 million in scholarships to 2,571 students, representing the largest amount of scholarship assistance awarded in its history. Scholarship support continues to be a key pathway for increasing access, affordability, and student success across the College. In addition, the Foundation established nine new scholarship funds, including five expendable scholarships and four endowed scholarships. These new funds expand opportunities for future students while strengthening the Foundation's long-term resources.

The Foundation received $21.4 million in FY26, the highest annual fundraising total in Foundation history, including years during comprehensive campaigns.

The Foundation's long-term financial position also continued to strengthen. As of fiscal year-end, Foundation net assets totaled $122.3 million, an increase of approximately $80 million over the past decade, nearly tripling from $42.3 million. Likewise, the Foundation's endowment reached $79.3 million, representing growth of approximately $52 million during the past ten years, increasing from $27.1 million and nearly tripling in size.

These results underscore the Foundation's growing capacity to support Central Piedmont's strategic priorities through student scholarships, workforce development, academic program enhancement, and institutional advancement. The Foundation's record fundraising, sustained donor support, and substantial asset growth position it as a powerful partner in expanding educational access and opportunity for the students and communities served by the College.

Central Piedmont at a Glance

• Eight locations throughout Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Nearly 300 for-credit programs of study
• More than 55 professional pathways to get students real-world ready
• More than 800 partnerships with companies, allowing for a wide range of workplace internships and apprenticeships
• $5 million in scholarships provided to students annually
• Over $20 million raised in the current fiscal year
• Endowment of over $120 million
• 15:1 student-faculty ratio
• Nearly 60,000 students enrolled annually across all programs
• Nearly 6,500 students across the Career and College Promise program, including more than 1,000 middle and early college high school students
• 40 transfer partnerships with four-year institutions
• Approximately 1,700 students transfer each year to UNC institutions
• More than 700 international students representing 95 countries
• More than 1,400 military veteran students
• First college in the nation to establish training programs with Cummins and Tesla

The Chief Philanthropy Officer

The Chief Philanthropy Officer is a visionary relationship-builder and strategic fundraising leader responsible for growing philanthropic support, strengthening community partnerships, and aligning donor investment with Central Piedmont's mission and strategic priorities. The CPO serves as a key advisor to the President, VP of Communications, Advancement & External Engagement (CAEE), Foundation Board, and Cabinet, helping position philanthropy as a strategic driver, sustainer and strengthener of student success, workforce development, and community impact.

The Chief Philanthropy Officer has primary responsibility for establishing and implementing an annual growth strategy, including growing annual, major, and planned gifts, special events, and corporate and foundation support.

The CPO grows existing relationships and helps forge new relationships to build the organization’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. Specifically, the CPO designs and implements a comprehensive plan, built on the cultivation of key individuals and organizations, that results in greater philanthropic support from external constituents and advances a culture of philanthropy within the organization. The CPO leads and manages the philanthropy strategy for the entire organization to rigorously engage current and new individual donors, foundations, and corporations, growing overall financial resources and securing the necessary funders to provide a deep investment in program relevancy/expansion, student success, and faculty/staff development.

This position requires a creative, collaborative, and results-oriented leader whose passion for Central Piedmont and community college education is matched with strong leadership, outstanding interpersonal skills, crisp decision-making in the face of complex challenges, and a proven track record of non-profit fundraising.

Reporting Relationships

The CPO reports relationally to the VP of Communications, Advancement and External Engagement with a direct line of responsibility to the President.

The CPO has three direct reports (Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Executive Director of Advancement Operations, and an Office manager/Board professional). The AVP and ED both have direct reports. The full team includes professional, technical, and clerical staff totaling nine employees.

Responsibilities

Comprehensive fundraising and transformational giving strategy

• Lead the creation of a comprehensive and integrated fundraising strategy; create plans that will ensure that the College's fundraising goals are achieved through multiple fundraising approaches/channels that reach a wide range of donors and is clear in its objectives, goals, target audiences, timelines, and assignment of responsibilities.
• Develop strategies that grow endowment support, planned giving commitments, employee giving, and unrestricted philanthropic resources to ensure long-term financial sustainability for the College.
• Lead the planning, readiness assessment, and execution of comprehensive and/or capital campaigns, including campaign strategy, volunteer leadership engagement, prospect development, and campaign communications.
• Lead the work of the philanthropy team and ensure that the team is meeting or exceeding fundraising goals.

o Recruit, hire, develop, supervise, coach, and evaluate team members and create a supportive, goal-oriented and productive work culture based on the organizational values of the College.

o Set performance goals for team members and evaluate performance against goals on a regular basis.

o Effectively coach team members and provide supportive and developmental feedback to enhance performance.

o Ensure that team members develop technical, leadership, and professional skills to be successful.

• Ensure processes, procedures, and assignments of responsibilities are designed to meet fundraising goals in an efficient, manageable, and effective manner.
• Evaluate the fundraising activities annually to ensure quality, productivity, and relevance towards meeting goals; lead engagement to create strategies that support fundraising and awarenessbuilding goals as well as Program strategies that support engagement and increased donor/volunteer commitment to the College’s mission.

o The CPO will be expected to secure an annual fundraising goal, which will be determined annually based on college needs, strategic goals, and the case for support for unrestricted giving.

Donor research, relationship building, and stewardship

• Create a focus on prospect and donor research; be accountable for growth in the prospect pool for future relationship cultivation.
• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects
• Develop and lead a strategic presidential engagement program that maximizes the President's effectiveness in donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and community engagement. Routinely advise the President and the VP CAEE on the relationship building and fundraising opportunities that are strategic and of the highest priority.
• Ensure a donor stewardship program is in place that builds a culture of giving among constituents, leading to increased and repeatable philanthropic investments; this includes the implementation and management of donor recognition societies and events.

Advancement operations and data-driven portfolio management

• Establish and monitor key fundraising metrics, pipeline performance indicators, donor retention measures, and revenue forecasts to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with the Chief Financial Officer and the entire leadership team in creating the organization’s overall budget by providing accurate information and the best forecasts possible.
• Create and monitor the philanthropy team budget. Work collaboratively with the Chief Financial Officer and the entire leadership team in creating the organization’s overall budget by providing accurate information and the best forecasts possible.
• Assist Finance in collecting and reporting any data necessary for funder and other external requirements.
• Ensure the advancement team is processing and acknowledging gifts timely and accurately, updating records of all communications and donor information in appropriate secure databases, accurately customizing donor data, and accurately importing, exporting, and editing donor data in a variety of platforms and tools.

Foundation Board engagement

• Work closely with the President in all phases of advancement and campaign leadership activities.
• Work with the President and VP CAEE to keep the Foundation Board of Directors and College’s Board of Trustees informed of philanthropy activities; train Board members in fundraising and help to identify and recruit new Board members; provide data relevant to tracking fundraising progress and planning.

College and organizational leadership

• Contribute to the organization’s strategic plan and direction in collaboration with the President, Cabinet and Extended Cabinet.
• Represent the College in the community on boards, panels and commissions, and events that support the College’s community and fundraising goals, as directed by or on behalf of the President and/or VP CAEE. Partner with communications and marketing to raise awareness of Foundation efforts and opportunities for donor engagement, including aligning materials and collateral to support the fundraising strategy.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration across college functions and campuses and avert organizational silos to strategically make informed philanthropic investment decisions on behalf of the Foundation.
• Stay informed and up to date on community, state, and national issues that have a bearing on the work of the College and ensure that the philanthropy team is also kept informed and current.
• Maintain awareness of current developments in management, higher education, and fields related to assigned functions.
• Establish and maintain a climate which encourages the development and retention of competent personnel, a high level of morale, and the pursuit of excellence
• Perform all duties in an ethical manner and with integrity; maintains the confidentiality of the President’s office and all Central Piedmont donor and constituent information; uses appropriate discretion in all interactions with internal departments, donors, constituents, and board members; promote/maintain a positive image of both the college and the office of the President.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• An earned bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, or related field.
• Eight (8) or more years of progressive experience leading a fundraising team and a working knowledge of fundraising strategies and operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• An earned master’s or doctorate/terminal degree in public administration, higher education, business or related field from an accredited college or university.
• CFRE certification.
• Proven experience in a capital campaign.
• Fundraising experience in higher education.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proven history of high-level, high-return fundraising, sales or business development results based on building strong, lasting relationships with a diversity of donors/customers and through diversity of strategies that uniquely reach each type of donor.
• Proven experience in leading people and managing systems to achieve fundraising goals and substantial increases in revenue while cultivating a work culture that is high performing, developmental, innovative, creative, and inspiring.
• Outstanding organizational skills to operationalize a strategic fundraising plan by identifying goals and objectives and specific actions to achieve them, setting priorities, delegating actions to team members and influencing upward and laterally in order to ensure that key actions in the plan are executed by all needed stakeholders including the College President.
• Comfortable building relationships with corporate and foundation leaders, high net-worth individuals, community leaders and individuals capable of making significant level contributions.
• Demonstrable competence in leadership, philanthropy, with significant business and leadership acumen.
• Apply best practices and benchmarks in addressing college needs.
• Interpret financial data and manage resources.
• Establish cooperative relationships in a multi-cultural college and external community.
• Communicate effectively orally, in writing, and through public presentations.
• Exhibit excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
• Act in a manner that is transparent, above reproach, and shows good judgment.
• Maintain confidentiality, as appropriate, with data and information.
• Knowledge of community college educational philosophy, governing statutes, and instructional programs.
• Knowledge of best leadership/administrative practices and strategic planning.
• Work independently and direct activities of college operations through subordinate administrators.

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Applications, Nominations, and Referrals

To make a nomination, provide a referral, or for additional information, please use the contact information below. While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested individuals are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible for full consideration. The preferred start date is late 2026.

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter, to: CentralPiedmontCPO@buffkinbaker.com

Ken Carrick, Partner

704-236-0659

Janny DeLoache, Associate Partner

704-377-7828

Central Piedmont Community College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all qualified persons without discrimination against any person by reason of sex, race, color, age, religion, national origin, disability or any other legally protected status. This policy is consistent with relevant governmental statues and regulations, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, The Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments Act, and The Equal Pay Act.