Development Guild DDI Seeking Chief Development Officer for the Lymphoma Research Foundation

February 25, 2019 – Executive recruitment firm Development Guild DDI, which focuses on the non-profit sector, has been retained to find a chief development officer for the Lymphoma Research Foundation. William Weber, president of the search firm, is leading the assignment.

The incoming executive will lead the foundation’s fundraising program into its next stage of growth. The CDO will provide strategic leadership and creative direction to an integrated team of active lifestyle events, digital programs, distinguished events, individual and planned giving, and peer-to-peer fundraising. Reporting to the CEO, this individual will be expected to design, lead and implement a sustainable development strategy to increase philanthropic revenue and support from a diverse constituency.

The winning candidate should have more than 10 years of relevant, professional experience as well as “demonstrated success soliciting and securing six-figure gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations, with experience raising more than $10 million annually,” said the search firm. In addition, prospects must have demonstrated success as a development executive with the ability to effectively create a fundraising strategic plan and metrics-driven operation. Lastly, Development Guild DDI said that the executive must have “proven ability to build long-term, productive relationships with donors and philanthropic institutions, as well as superb relationship management and communication skills.”

Located in New York City, the Lymphoma Research Foundation is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to funding innovative research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services. The foundation’s mission is to eradicate lymphoma and serve those impacted by the disease.

Veteran Recruiters

Development Guild DDI, which has offices in New York and Boston, was founded in 1978. The firm helps clients align leadership around a strategic vision with its planning, executive search and fundraising services. The firm works with non-profits nationwide, partnering with leaders in academic medicine, higher education, arts and culture, human services and others.

Development Guild’s clients, which number more than 500, have included: Boston Children’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, College of the Holy Cross, Partners in Health, University of Rhode Island Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Cancer Society.

Mr. Weber, who co-founded the firm with Suzanne Weber in 1978, has focused his career on the convergence of strategic planning, philanthropy and leadership development, as well as the transformational impact it can have on an institution. His many clients have included: Boston University, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Johns Hopkins Medicine, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Mount Sinai Health System, National Coast Guard Museum Association, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Year Up.

Chief Development Officers

Virtually every industry needs top-drawer chief development officers. CDOs play a key role in planning, coordinating and administering capital campaigns, corporate giving and galvanizing new donors while keeping previous funders content. Implementing funding strategies that “keep the lights on,” according to recruiters specializing in the function, is job one.

Recruiters continue to report that CDOs are in high demand. Fundraising prowess and having an ability to drive growth are essential parts of the job in nearly every competitive organization today.

Recruiters generally say that the best training for these positions is experience, noting that there are many industry conferences and summits that are beneficial for benchmarking and sharing of best practices.

Here is a sampling of recent searches for chief development officers from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

Aspen Leadership Group, an executive search firm that specializes in recruiting top talent for philanthropic organizations, has been enlisted to find a chief development officer for the Denver Zoological Foundation (Denver Zoo) in Colorado. The CDO will be charged with providing strategic and tactical leadership on all Denver Zoo fundraising, said the search firm.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based PFM Executive Search placed Cynthia Kinsella as chief development officer of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Most recently, Ms. Kinsella was vice president of employee support solutions for Morneau Shepell’s Western region.

Development Resources inc. (DRi) has placed Emily Tracy as the new chief development officer of Polaris, an anti-human-trafficking organization. Ms. Tracy most recently served as national director of development for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

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

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