Job Description:
Joining The American Red Cross is like nothing else – it’s as much something you feel as something you do. You become a vital part of the world’s largest humanitarian network. Joining a team of welcoming individuals who are exceptional, yet unassuming. Diverse, yet uncompromising in unity. You grow your career within a movement that matters, where success is measured in people helped, communities made whole, and individuals equipped to never stop changing lives and situations for the better.
When you choose to be a force for good, you’ll have mentors who empower your growth along a purposeful career path. You align your life’s work with an ongoing mission that’s bigger than all of us. As you care for others, you’re cared for with competitive compensation and benefits. You join a community that respects who you are away from work as much as what you do while at work.
Where Your Career is a Force for Good!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
As Regional Chief Development Officer , you will have the unique opportunity to shape and scale a high-impact philanthropic program that fuels mission delivery across Arizona and New Mexico. This role offers both enterprise-level influence and local market ownership, allowing you to drive meaningful growth while building deep community connections. You will operate in a high-visibility leadership role, partnering with senior executives, board members, and major donors—leading through both blue-sky growth environments and disaster response moments, where philanthropy is essential. This is a rare opportunity to build a modern, high-performing development function while advancing one of the most recognized and trusted missions in the world.
WHERE YOUR CAREER IS A FORCE FOR GOOD
As the Regional CDO, you’ll be at the forefront of our development efforts, responsible for:
Set and Execute a Bold Regional Fundraising Strategy
Design and lead annual and multi-year fundraising strategies that sustain and significantly grow the Region’s donor base while expanding new corporate, individual, and foundation relationships. Partner closely with the Regional CEO, Divisional Fundraising Vice President, Chapter Executive Directors, and Chapter Boards to align fundraising priorities with regional mission impact, market opportunity, and organizational growth. Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and accountability measures that drive a revenue oriented culture across the Region.
Lead and Be Accountable for a Portfolio Based Major Gifts Program
Own and be fully accountable for all regional fundraising results within a portfolio based major gifts model. Lead the Development team in setting individual targets, ensure the management and stewardship of disciplined portfolios, provide accurate forecasting and analysis, and drive consistent prospect movement across the Region. Provide key leadership, expectations, standards, and accountability for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects with emphasis on transformational giving. Ensure strategic solicitation planning, rigorous performance management, and strong stewardship practices that result in sustained donor engagement and long term revenue growth.
Achieve and Grow Significant Fundraising Targets
Maintain full accountability for achieving or exceeding the Region’s annual fundraising goal, currently exceeding $6.7 million annually, while managing departmental expense budgets. Navigate dynamic revenue environments, including increased targets during major domestic disasters, with agility, discipline, and confidence. Monitor monthly, quarterly, and annual performance of team members and channels and adjust strategies as needed to ensure sustained success.
Lead and Scale a High Impact Individual Major Gifts Donor Program
Drive growth in individual giving and partnership strategies through dynamic annual and multiyear plans that grow revenue, deepen engagement, and diversify the donor base. Own the renewal and expansion of key relationships and the pursuit of new revenue, especially during disaster response and other high impact moments. Set a high standard for strategic discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and world class stewardship to consistently exceed regional goals.
Mobilize Boards and Volunteer Leaders for Philanthropic Impact
Act as the fundraising subject matter expert and as the primary liaison between the development team and Regional Board Philanthropy Committees supporting Chapter Boards in fulfilling their fundraising responsibilities. Equip board members and volunteer leaders with the tools, coaching, and confidence needed to serve as effective ambassadors and fundraisers. Support orientation and ongoing engagement of new board members with a clear focus on philanthropic leadership.
Build, Develop, and Inspire a High Performing Team
Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Regional Development team, including fundraising staff outside the region. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and performance driven team culture focused on professional growth, accountability, and shared success. Guide strategic decision making and ensure alignment across the Development function.
Lead Effectively During Disaster and High-Demand Environments (“Grey Skies”)
During grey skies—when disasters are unfolding locally and nationally—led with discipline and urgency through swift execution, prioritization of donor relationships and modeling resilience. Manage the team with clarity and accountability, coaching through uncertainty, sustaining morale and driving both restricted and unrestricted fundraising to meet the moment.
Ensure Excellence in Systems, Stewardship, and Reporting
Oversee disciplined donor management practices, ensuring all fundraising activity and gifts are accurately and timely recorded in Salesforce. Hold accountability for monthly and annual forecasting of expected gifts. Maintain compliance with all reporting and relationship management requirements while using data and insights to inform strategy, improve performance, and strengthen donor relationships.
Serve as a Key Member of the Regional Leadership Team
Operate as a trusted senior leader within the Region, contributing to enterprise wide strategy, decision making, and organizational leadership. Represent the Region externally with credibility and confidence while advancing the American Red Cross mission and values across Arizona and New Mexico.
Oversee and drive a multi-million-dollar regional fundraising portfolio, ensuring alignment between strategic priorities, resource allocation, and revenue growth objectives
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $123,000-154,000. You will be eligible to participate in an incentive plan based on annual individual and organization performance.
Note that American Red Cross salaries are aligned to the specific geographic location in which the work is primarily performed. Other factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your specific skills, how many years of experience you have, and comparison to other employees already in this role. This job will be posted for a minimum of five business days and extended if the applicant pool needs to be expanded. This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
Education
*A combination of education and experience may be considered, provided minimum requirements are met. Management experience may not be substituted.
Travel
WHAT WILL GIVE YOU A COMPETITIVE EDGE
Market knowledge along with deep familiarity with the local community and existing relationships with HNW stakeholders, donors or partners and knowledge of current trends in philanthropy
Physical 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. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 15 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Depending on work assignment, may require ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. The work environment will consist of moderate noise ( i.e. business office with computers, phones and printers, light traffic). The employee must have the ability to work in a small cubicle and have the ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time . Overall mobility is essential. May also include driving a vehicle and working under challenging conditions.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required .
BENEFITS FOR YOU:
We take care of you, while you take care of others. As a mission-based organization, we believe our team needs great support to do great work. Our comprehensive benefits help you in balancing home and work. With our resources and perks, you have amazing possibilities at the American Red Cross to advance the learn.
Medical, Dental Vision plans
Health Spending Accounts & Flexible Spending Accounts
PTO (Paid Time Off): Starting at 15 days a year; based on FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) status and tenure
Holidays: 11 paid holidays comprised of six core holidays and five floating holidays.
401K with 6% match
Paid Family Leave
Employee Assistance Program
Disability and Insurance: Short + Long Term
Service Awards and recognition
The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, San Diego Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act and any other applicable state and local laws.
AmeriCorps, the federal agency that brings people together through service, and its partners — the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps Alums, National Peace Corps Association, and the Service Year Alliance — launched Employers of National Service to connect national service alumni with opportunities in the workforce. American Red Cross is proud to be an EONS partner and share our employment opportunities with the network of organizations.
Interested in Volunteering? Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including our most-needed volunteer positions.
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