Chief Advancement Officer

About MFAN

The Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) is a national nonprofit dedicated to understanding and serving the modern military family. We bring together research, data, and real-life stories to inform decision-makers, create community connections, and drive solutions that improve military family well-being.

MFAN is a nimble, mission-driven organization with a strong track record of turning insights into action. We are entering a period of significant growth and are looking for leaders who can help us scale our impact with discipline, creativity, and urgency.

Job Summary

MFAN seeks a Chief Advancement Officer to lead and grow the organization’s fundraising, communications, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement efforts. This is a senior leadership role for a strategic, action-oriented, and entrepreneurial advancement professional who can build the systems, relationships, team, and revenue strategy needed to support MFAN’s next phase of growth.

While MFAN is a nonprofit, the organization operates with the discipline, pace, and accountability of a high-performing business. The right candidate will know how to pair mission with execution, relationship-building with revenue generation, and big-picture strategy with measurable results.

MFAN is looking for a self-starter who can see around corners, identify opportunities, create structure where it does not yet exist, and move priorities forward. The successful candidate will bring ideas, judgment, urgency, and follow-through.

The Chief Advancement Officer will be both strategic and hands-on. They will set vision, manage people, close major opportunities, strengthen MFAN’s brand, and build the infrastructure needed for sustainable growth. They must be comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment where opportunities emerge in real time and strong judgment is needed to determine what to pursue, what to delegate, and what to decline.

The ideal candidate has a strong track record of identifying, cultivating, closing, and growing major funding relationships across corporate, foundation, individual, and other philanthropic channels. They should be comfortable working directly with the CEO, Board, senior leaders, donors, corporate partners, media, and external stakeholders, and serving as a visible spokesperson for MFAN in funder conversations, speaking engagements, public forums, and media opportunities.

This person must also be an effective people leader who can supervise, support, and further develop a highly skilled and capable team. The right leader will empower staff and consultants to operate at a high level by setting clear priorities, removing barriers, strengthening systems, creating accountability, and giving team members the direction, trust, and support they need to do their best work.

MFAN is also looking for a leader who understands that growth requires modern infrastructure. The successful candidate should be open to leveraging AI, automation, CRM discipline, and agentic solutions to improve systems, increase team capacity, strengthen donor and stakeholder engagement, and support smarter, faster execution.

Experience in an agency, consulting, public affairs, communications, corporate social impact, or other fast-paced external relations environment is a plus, particularly for candidates who have led cross-functional teams, managed multiple clients or stakeholders, and translated strategy into execution.

A growth mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, high standards, strong judgment, and an authentic commitment to improving outcomes for military and veteran families are essential.

The Chief Advancement Officer is a member of MFAN’s senior leadership team and will play a central role in shaping the organization’s future.

Leadership Expectations

The Chief Advancement Officer will operate as a senior enterprise leader, not only as the head of a department. This person should be able to anticipate needs, identify opportunities, solve problems, and bring forward clear recommendations.

The Successful Candidate Will Be

• A self-starter: Able to identify opportunities, create structure, solve problems, and move priorities forward without waiting for step-by-step direction.

• A strong people leader: Able to empower, focus, and develop a highly skilled team with clarity, accountability, trust, and care.

• A revenue creator: Confident identifying prospects, building relationships, making the ask, closing opportunities, and growing long-term investment.

• Business-minded and mission-driven: Able to bring structure, accountability, revenue discipline, and operational rigor while staying deeply connected to MFAN’s purpose.

• A builder: Energized by creating systems, improving workflows, growing teams, and scaling impact.

• Operationally disciplined: Able to translate relationships and opportunities into clear CRM practices, philanthropic calendars, workflows, reporting, and measurable revenue progress.

• Modern and systems-minded: Open to using AI, automation, and agentic solutions to improve workflows, increase team capacity, strengthen donor engagement, and support responsible growth.

• Externally fluent: Comfortable engaging donors, executives, partners, media, and community leaders.

• Strategic and practical: Able to see the big picture while managing the details required to deliver.

• Collaborative: Skilled at working across departments and aligning people around shared goals.

• Polished and authentic: Able to represent MFAN with credibility, warmth, and professionalism.

• Mission-driven: Committed to using data, partnerships, and action to improve life for military families.

Position Type / Hours of Work

• Full-Time, Exempt Position

• Hours: Standard hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Monday–Thursday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET on Fridays, unless otherwise approved by the department lead. There will be occasions when extended hours are required due to events, travel, meetings, or other requirements.

• Location: Remote. As this is a fully remote position, candidates are expected to have a dedicated workspace and access to high-speed internet. This position is limited to a candidate living in the 48 contiguous states, easy access to national capital region is preferred.

• Travel: Travel is required on an as-needed basis for this position and is expected at a minimum of once per month. Travel may include donor meetings, Board meetings, events, presentations, conferences, partner engagements, and other organizational priorities.

Duties & Responsibilities

Advancement Strategy and Revenue Growth

• Design, lead, and execute a comprehensive advancement strategy that grows revenue across corporate partnerships, foundation grants, major gifts, individual giving, campaigns, events, and other funding channels.

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward six- and seven-figure funding opportunities.

• Proactively identify new funding opportunities, partnership pathways, and revenue strategies aligned with MFAN’s mission, data, programs, and long-term growth goals.

• Build and manage a strong donor and prospect pipeline, with clear systems for moves management, follow-up, reporting, and accountability.

• Develop advancement plans that reflect strong fluency with philanthropic calendars, including corporate giving cycles, foundation deadlines, campaign timelines, fiscal year planning, stewardship moments, and major donor cultivation rhythms.

• Partner closely with the CEO and Board of Directors to open doors, deepen relationships, and convert strategic opportunities into meaningful investment.

• Develop compelling funding opportunities that align MFAN’s research, programs, priorities, and impact with donor, corporate, foundation, and partner interests.

• Strengthen MFAN’s ability to grow cash reserves and pursue long-term sustainability, including future campaign and endowment opportunities.

• Track fundraising performance, analyze progress against goals, and adjust strategies as needed to meet or exceed revenue targets.

Donor and Partner Engagement

• Build and deepen relationships with current and prospective donors, corporate partners, foundations, high-level volunteers, and other key stakeholders.

• Create and implement a donor stewardship strategy that ensures funders are informed, valued, and connected to MFAN’s impact.

• Lead the development of high-quality proposals, reports, briefings, sponsorship opportunities, and donor-facing materials.

• Plan and oversee donor cultivation and recognition opportunities, including briefings, events, meetings, and strategic convenings.

• Ensure MFAN’s external relationships are managed with professionalism, responsiveness, and a focus on long-term partnership.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, manage, and further develop MFAN’s advancement team, including development, communications, events, contractors, and future departmental staff.

• Bring clarity, structure, accountability, and strategic direction to a growing team.

• Build a high-performing, action-oriented team culture with clear priorities, strong communication, measurable goals, and accountability.

• Coach and mentor staff with varying levels of experience while ensuring work is executed at a high standard.

• Establish clear ownership, decision-making norms, timelines, and performance expectations across the advancement team.

• Empower team members to lead within their areas of expertise while ensuring strong coordination and alignment with organizational priorities.

• Identify gaps, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement, then proactively recommend and implement solutions.

• Manage cross-functional projects and ensure alignment between advancement, research, programs, finance, operations, and executive leadership.

• Create systems and workflows that improve efficiency, coordination, and follow-through across a remote team.

• Help shape the structure of the advancement department as MFAN grows.

Communications, Brand, and Public Affairs

• Lead an integrated communications strategy that strengthens MFAN’s visibility, credibility, and reach with donors, military families, partners, media, and the broader public.

• Serve as a spokesperson for MFAN with funders, partners, media, and external audiences, including through speaking engagements, briefings, panels, interviews, and other public-facing opportunities.

• Ensure MFAN’s messaging clearly communicates the organization’s mission, data, impact, and role in driving solutions.

• Oversee the development of compelling storytelling, marketing materials, donor communications, digital content, campaigns, reports, and public-facing materials.

• Lead communications efforts connected to major announcements, research releases,events, partnerships, and organizational milestones.

• Oversee MFAN’s communications team and contractors, including work related to brand strategy, website updates or relaunches, media relations, digital engagement, and public affairs.

• Ensure all external communications are clear, accurate, polished, and aligned with MFAN’s voice and strategic priorities.

Technology, Systems, and Innovation

• Evaluate and adopt tools, systems, and workflows that improve advancement operations,bteam efficiency, donor engagement, and organizational visibility.

• Lead the effective integration and use of MFAN’s CRM, Bloomerang, ensuring it supports donor cultivation, moves management, stewardship, reporting, forecasting, segmentation, and team accountability.

• Explore responsible uses of AI, automation, and agentic solutions to increase team capacity, reduce manual work, strengthen follow-up, and support smarter decision-making.

• Ensure technology and systems are implemented thoughtfully, with appropriate attention to data quality, privacy, accuracy, and staff adoption.

• Partner with senior leadership to identify where modern tools can help MFAN scale without losing the quality, judgment, and relationship-driven approach that define the organization.

Board and Executive Engagement

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board Advancement Committee, ensuring the committee is strategically engaged, well-prepared, and equipped to support revenue growth, donor cultivation, corporate and foundation engagement, and broader advancement priorities.

• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to develop and implement annual and multi-year advancement goals.

• Support and engage the Board of Directors in fundraising, donor cultivation, stakeholder engagement, and strategic relationship-building.

• Provide regular updates to the Board and senior leadership on fundraising progress, pipeline development, communications priorities, risks, and opportunities.

• Help identify and cultivate potential Board members, advisors, ambassadors, and high-level volunteers who can advance MFAN’s mission and growth.

Budget, Systems, and Operations

• Prepare and manage the advancement department budget in partnership with finance and operations leadership.

• Ensure fundraising projections, revenue tracking, donor records, and reporting systems are accurate, timely, and useful for decision-making.

• Strengthen donor database use, Bloomerang adoption, pipeline management, reporting, forecasting, and advancement operations.

• Ensure fundraising activities are planned and executed in alignment with philanthropic calendars, donor cycles, reporting deadlines, campaign timelines, and organizational budget planning.

• Monitor trends in philanthropy, corporate social impact, nonprofit communications, and military/veteran community support to identify opportunities for innovation and growth.

• Lead special projects and other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, advancement, external affairs, communications, corporate partnerships, or a related field.

• At least 3–5 years of senior leadership experience, including managing people and teams.

• Demonstrated success securing six-figure gifts or partnerships; experience securing seven-figure commitments strongly preferred.

• Experience in remote and national fundraising environments where relationship-building occurs primarily through strategic outreach, virtual engagement and travel rather than local proximity or community presence.

• Proven ability to identify prospects, build relationships, close opportunities, and grow long-term funding partnerships.

• Experience leading or contributing to multi-channel fundraising strategies, including corporate, foundation, individual, major gift, campaign, sponsorship, or grant revenue.

• Strong people leadership skills, including experience managing, mentoring, and developing staff in a remote or hybrid environment.

• Experience leading integrated communications, marketing, public affairs, or brand strategy.

• Strong executive presence, public speaking ability, and comfort representing an organization with funders, partners, media, and external audiences.

• Excellent writing, editing, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to work effectively with a CEO, Board of Directors, senior leadership team, staff, donors, corporate partners, external stakeholders, and advisors.

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to move multiple priorities forward simultaneously.

• Knowledge of nonprofit financials, fundraising metrics, donor management systems, and advancement operations.

• Experience using a CRM or donor management system to support donor cultivation, moves management, stewardship, reporting, and revenue forecasting; experience with Bloomerang strongly preferred.

• Strong understanding of philanthropic calendars, including corporate giving cycles, foundation timelines, campaign planning, stewardship rhythms, and donor cultivation windows.

• Comfort with modern workplace technology and openness to using AI, automation, and other emerging tools to improve effectiveness and scale responsibly.

• Excellent judgment, discretion, professionalism, and integrity.

• A proactive, solutions-oriented approach and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, growing organization.

• Authentic commitment to MFAN’s mission and to improving outcomes for military and veteran families.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in an agency, consulting, public affairs, communications, corporate social impact, or other fast-paced client- or stakeholder-driven environment.

• Experience working with or within the military, veteran, or nonprofit ecosystem.

• Experience developing and executing an integrated communications strategy for a national nonprofit or mission-driven organization.

• Experience leading organizational growth, change management, brand evolution, or strategic planning efforts.

• Experience managing high-profile events, media moments, donor briefings, or public-facing campaigns.

• Experience working with corporate partners, foundations, high-net-worth individuals, and Board-level stakeholders.

• Direct experience with Bloomerang or similar nonprofit CRM platforms.

• Experience building annual advancement calendars that integrate fundraising, communications, stewardship, reporting, events, Board engagement, and campaign milestones.

• Experience evaluating or implementing AI, automation, CRM, donor intelligence, workflow, or other technology-enabled solutions in a professional setting.

• Master’s degree or advanced professional training in nonprofit management, business, communications, public affairs, philanthropy, or a related field.

Benefits

We’re proud to offer a comprehensive and people-centered benefits package designed to support your well-being both in and out of work:

• Health & Wellness: QSEHRA (Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement) to help cover your health insurance and medical expenses.

• Time to Recharge: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and compassionate leave—because life happens.

• Summer Fridays: Enjoy shortened hours on Fridays during the summer months.

• 401K: Available immediately upon hire with a 3% employer match.

We believe in flexibility, care, and supporting our team with meaningful benefits that promote balance and sustainability.

Working Conditions

The work environment described here is representative of those an employee encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The qualified employee will work in a dynamic home office setting, and interact with staff and consultants, and therefore may be subjected to interruptions throughout the workday. The position will require some flexible hours, and when applicable, local and national travel will be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

MFAN is an equal employment opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs. MFAN does not discriminate against employees or applicants in any aspect of employment and prohibits harassment of any kind, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Application

For an applicant to be considered, please submit a cover letter, resume, and a minimum of one reference to hr@mfan.org. References should include name, phone number, email, and relationship to the candidate. The application will remain open until the position is filled.