At Our Children's Trust, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Our Children's Trust believes that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
Our Mission
Our Children's Trust empowers young people to enforce their constitutional rights in court when governments endanger their lives, health, and futures by fueling the climate crisis.
What the Chief Advancement Officer Does
The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) is a senior executive leader responsible for advancing Our Children's Trust's public presence, fundraising strength, and organizational sustainability. Reporting directly to the Co-Executive Director, the CAO oversees all external engagement and core organizational functions — including development, communications, brand, media, public education, audience growth, finance, and operations — ensuring they operate as a unified, strategic engine in service of OCT's litigation and youth-centered mission.
The CAO serves as the organization's second-in-command for institutional strategy, partnering closely with the Co-Executive Director to translate legal victories and youth leadership into sustained public will, philanthropic investment, and a strong, well-run organization using a trauma-informed approach. This role combines high-level strategic leadership with responsibility for OCT's financial health, operational infrastructure, and cross-functional execution, ensuring that engagement, fundraising, and internal systems are aligned, resilient, and built to support long-term impact.
Core Areas of Responsibility
1. Integrated Engagement Strategy
- Develop and execute a comprehensive engagement strategy that integrates fundraising, communications, media, education, and public engagement into a single, cohesive approach.
- Align engagement strategies with OCT's litigation priorities, youth leadership model, and organizational values.
- Ensure engagement efforts are proactive, data-informed, and adaptable to fast-moving legal, technological, and political contexts.
2. Fundraising & Philanthropic Leadership
- Lead organizational fundraising strategy to meet and exceed annual and multi-year revenue goals.
- Oversee all individual, foundation, major gift, and planned giving programs.
- Personally cultivate and steward key donors and institutional partners, with a focus on six- and seven-figure gifts.
- Partner closely with the Executive Director on high-level donor strategy and solicitation.
- Foster a strong internal culture of philanthropy across the organization.
3. Communications, Brand & Media
- Oversee OCT's brand strategy, messaging framework, and storytelling across all platforms.
- Direct earned media strategy, rapid response, and crisis communications in coordination with legal leadership.
- Ensure consistent, compelling narratives that elevate youth voices and legal impact.
4. Public Engagement, Education & Audience Growth
- Lead strategies to expand and deepen OCT's audiences, including supporters, educators, youth, alumni, and movement allies.
- Oversee public education initiatives, learning tools, events, and community engagement efforts.
- Ensure engagement work is trauma-informed, youth-centered, and accessible to diverse communities.
- Use data and insights to refine engagement strategies and measure impact.
5. Finance, Operations & Organizational Systems Oversight
- Directly supervise and support the Chief Financial & Operating Officer.
- Provide integrated oversight of finance, operations, people & culture, and internal systems.
- Partner with the CFO on budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and risk management.
- Ensure operational policies, systems, and practices support organizational sustainability and growth.
6. Team Leadership & Management
- Directly supervise and support the Senior Director of Donor Development and Communications Director.
- Lead, support, and develop a high-performing Engagement Team (communications, development, digital, education, engagement).
- Establish clear goals, workflows, and decision-making structures across engagement functions.
- Manage outside consultants, vendors, and creative partners as needed.
- Build systems that support collaboration with Legal, Operations, Youth Programs, and the Chief of Staff.
Qualifications
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they have every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our qualifications described. If you are unsure of whether you meet the qualifications of this position, or how this would be determined, please feel free to contact us to discuss your application.
Minimum Required Education and Experience:
- 10+ years of senior leadership experience in fundraising, communications, advocacy, or movement-based organizations.
- OR Associate's degree and 8+ years of fundraising experience
- OR Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of fundraising experience
- OR Master's degree and 4+ years of fundraising experience
Competencies:
- Demonstrated success leading major fundraising efforts, including major gifts and institutional funding.
- Experience designing and overseeing finance and operations at the organizational level, including business planning, financial systems, and operational processes, and leading executive teams through periods of growth, complexity, and change.
- Proven ability to integrate communications and development strategies.
- Experience managing and mentoring senior staff and multidisciplinary teams.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Deep alignment with OCT's mission and values.
Preferred:
- Experience working alongside legal or litigation-driven organizations.
- Familiarity with trauma-informed care and youth-centered approaches.
- JD or strong understanding of the legal system a plus (not required).
Core Competencies
- Strategic vision paired with operational follow-through
- Fundraising leadership and donor relationship-building
- Brand stewardship and narrative discipline
- Emotional intelligence and trauma-informed leadership
- Collaborative executive partnership
- Comfort operating in high-stakes, public-facing environments
Working Conditions/Work Schedule:
Work is primarily performed in a standard office setting. Work is primarily performed Monday through Friday during regular business hours; however, evening and weekend hours may be necessary dependent upon case activity, deadlines, and workload.
Physical Working Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to the extent possible and appropriate in the event of ADA qualifying disability.
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 20 pounds.
Travel:
Some travel will be expected. Travel will be primarily within the United States and could expand outside the country. Travel is dependent on organizational growth, legal case development, trial, and other national and international events. High travel times will occur around trial dates and events geared to Major Donors.
Salary and Benefits
The salary is competitive, based on experience and a compensation review. OCT benefits include 100% employer paid medical and dental for employee, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, 401K plan with a 3% contribution, generous vacation, sick and holiday leave including restorative leave after six years.
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.
