CEO Fundraising Sr. Specialist

The CEO Fundraising Sr. Specialist will play a pivotal role in advancing fundraising efforts led by the President and CEO, recognized as Women's World Banking's most effective fundraising asset. In this role, you will work in direct partnership with the CEO to identify, develop, and advance a strong pipeline and portfolio of prospective supporters, helping create opportunities that contribute to the organization's long-term fundraising goals.

A significant element of this work involves supporting the implementation of the CEO’s fundraising strategy and the development of a principal gifts pipeline under her leadership. You will be responsible for building and advancing a robust pipeline of prospective supporters, creating a disciplined cultivation process that generates a steady flow of new and engaged donors. This work supports the CEO's fundraising objectives, which include securing $10 million annually, representing approximately half of the organization's overall fundraising target, with at least half of that funding being unrestricted. While the organization's broader fundraising strategy is developed by senior leadership, the CEO defines the fundraising strategy and priorities needed to achieve her fundraising goals within that framework. This role is responsible for helping to bring that strategy to life through generating opportunities, advancing prospects, and contributing to fundraising objectives.

Success in this role requires a combination of strong research and analytical skills, sound judgment, persistence, and a sales-minded approach to relationship development. The ideal candidate is energized by opening doors, connecting the dots across networks, creating momentum, and helping move relationships from prospect to partner. While not a front-line fundraising role, this position requires the same discipline, urgency, organization, and initiative to build the systems and partnerships that drive fundraising success.

Collaboration with Board members, senior leadership, Development colleagues, and other members of the CEO's front office team will be essential to identifying, cultivating, and advancing opportunities. The successful candidate will be comfortable engaging with high-level stakeholders, exercising discretion and sound judgment, and representing Women's World Banking with professionalism and credibility in a variety of external settings.

Roles and Responsibilities

Prospect Development and Pipeline Management

• Steward and advance a pipeline of prospective individual donors, family offices, philanthropic advisors, foundations, corporate leaders, and other high-potential supporters, ensuring the CEO's engagement is well-sequenced and well-prepared at every stage
• Develop prospect engagement plans and recommend priorities, outreach approaches, and next steps in support of the CEO's fundraising strategy and priorities.
• Conduct prospect research and due diligence, developing profiles that assess alignment, capacity, interests, networks, and potential pathways to engagement.
• Generate new opportunities through relationship mapping, market intelligence, networking, and creative prospecting.
• Maintain accurate pipeline activity, engagement plans, and prospect records in Salesforce and other fundraising systems.

Relationship Development and CEO Engagement

• Manage and advance a portfolio of CEO-priority prospects, driving outreach and cultivation efforts through introductions, correspondence, meeting requests, follow-up, and engagement strategies.
• Identify and cultivate pathways to introductions through Board members, donors, advisors, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Generate opportunities for CEO engagement and help maintain a consistent cadence of qualified prospect and donor meetings.
• Work with the CEO to develop the Leaders Circle into a strategic engagement platform for the organization’s most committed donors, prospects, and friends. Optimize the potential for the Leaders Circle to deepen affiliation, increase giving, expand influence, and create a pipeline for future leadership.
• Partner with the CEO and Executive Assistant to coordinate meetings and cultivation activities while maintaining ownership of prospect progression, engagement plans, and next steps.
• Regularly assess prospect activity and recommend actions that will strengthen relationships and move opportunities forward.

Donor Engagement and Relationship Advancement

• Prepare briefing materials, prospect profiles, talking points, and recommendations for CEO meetings and external engagements.
• Draft and manage donor-facing correspondence and stewardship communications on behalf of the CEO.
• Track relationship activity, commitments, action items, and engagement outcomes, ensuring timely execution and follow-through.
• Capture donor insights and communications in Salesforce and share relevant information with the broader fundraising team.
• Coordinate with Development colleagues to ensure opportunities are appropriately advanced, cultivated, or transitioned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum 7-9 years of direct experience in fundraising, principal and major gifts, donor engagement, philanthropic partnerships, business development, private wealth, or a closely related external-facing relationship development role, with demonstrated success identifying prospects, building pipelines, and advancing high-value relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with a strong sense of urgency, take initiative, and independently drive opportunities forward in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
• Strong relationship-building instincts and a demonstrated ability to leverage networks, social platforms, and market intelligence to identify prospects, uncover connection pathways, and generate new engagement opportunities.
• Experience working with senior executives, organizational leaders, Board members, or other high-level stakeholders.
• Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize information into actionable recommendations and engagement plans.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience using Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities with minimal oversight.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting CEO-, President-, C-suite-, or Board-led fundraising, partnership development, or external engagement efforts.
• Experience working within principal and major gifts, executive fundraising, business development, philanthropy, or private wealth functions.
• Existing professional networks aligned with Women's World Banking's prospective donor base.
• Knowledge of international development, social impact, financial inclusion, or women's economic empowerment.

Measure of Success

Within the First 75 Days

• Develop a strong understanding of the CEO's fundraising priorities, relationship network, and expectations for donor and prospect engagement.
• Develop an understanding of Women's World Banking's mission, strategic priorities, programs, impact, and value proposition.
• Build productive working relationships with the CEO, Executive Assistant, Development leadership, Board members, and other colleagues involved in donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Assess existing CEO-linked donor and prospect activity and establish a prioritized prospect pipeline with clear engagement strategies and introduction pathways.
• Demonstrate early success in generating and advancing opportunities through prospect research, outreach, relationship development, and CEO engagement support.