Cook Silverman Search Seeks CDO for San Francisco Non-Profit Glide

September 13, 2022 – Greenbrae, CA-based Cook Silverman Search has been selected to find a chief development officer for Glide, a non-profit organization which provides food and social services for the homeless in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. Victoria L. Silverman, managing founder, is heading the assignment for the non-profit-focused search firm.

The chief development officer leads Glide’s efforts to create and implement new and innovative strategies to generate increased revenue. “The CDO is a bold, strategic, and experienced fundraising leader with a track record of success generating traditional and new streams of revenue within organizations positioned for growth,” said Cook Silverman Search. “In addition to meeting its annual and multi-year fundraising goals, the CDO oversees the planning, implementation, and tracking of audacious, innovative, and inspirational strategies to develop new donors and contributions in support of Glide’s exciting strategic vision, goals, and priority initiatives, including a series of initiative based campaigns. Possessing a social justice mindset, the successful candidate will bring demonstrated experience advancing racial justice and DEI as a development leader.”

The CDO is charged with leading individual and institutional fundraising efforts and utilizing the organization’s activities, programs, events, contacts, and relationships as opportunities to promote the organization, in collaboration with the president and CEO, board, and staff. The individual is also expected to partner with the chief communications and marketing officer to drive visibility for the Glide brand via messaging, collateral, platforms, and distribution to increase donor, media, and community engagement and ensure a unified and powerful voice.

The CDO reports directly to the president and CEO and leads, manages, and inspires a team of over 20 professionals whose primary roles are to cultivate relationships, develop strategies, advance opportunities for revenue growth and support development operations.

Key Qualifications

Candidates should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field and more than 10 years non-profit management experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience, said Cook Silverman Search. CARE, CAP, or other fundraising advanced degrees or certifications will be highly regarded. A track record of successful experience creating new and aggressive funding growth strategies is critical.

Experience leading by example, managing, nurturing, inspiring, and growing a large team of talented development staff is also a key qualification. Candidates should be strategic, creative, and entrepreneurial, with an innovative mindset.

Related: The Decade Ahead for Non-Profits: Great Pressure, Transformation and Big Impact on Talent

Founded in 1963, Glide is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, Glide empowers individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and thrive. This non-profit is at the forefront of addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice.

West Coast Non-Profit Recruiters

Cook Silverman Search focuses on senior development positions for not-for-profit organizations, predominantly in Northern California. Its client base represents a broad span of organizations, including independent schools, universities and faith-based organizations, as well as those serving conservation, health care, social service, museums, science and culture. The firm has placed advancement executives for Peninsula Family Service, Moreau Catholic High School, Children’s Council of San Francisco, and Pinewood School, among others.

Ms. Silverman has more than 30 years of experience in the philanthropic sector. Throughout her career, she has worked in senior fundraising, advancement and management positions at Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of California, the American Film Institute, and the Buck Institute for Age Research, among others. Her search work focuses on higher education, the arts, biotech and environment sectors. She has been speaker for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and has served on fundraising advisory committees for several non-profit organizations.

Cook Silverman Search is also currently seeking a chief development officer for the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the non-profit partner of the National Park Service overseeing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area — 84,000 acres spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, including sites like Muir Woods, Fort Point, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, and Alcatraz Island.

Reporting to the president and chief executive officer, the CDO would be joining the organization during a time of reflection and transformation, said Cook Silverman Search. Building on the momentum of a new strategic direction, as well as deep and evolving commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion – reflected in the group’s newly adopted organizational values, the CDO will lead the development and membership team, and its impact on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

Related: Surging Non-Profit Sector Seeks Senior Leaders

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

Share This Article

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments