Chief Development Officer

OMEGA INSTITUTE

TITLE: CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (CDO) 

REPORTS TO OMEGA PRESIDENT & CEO

 ABOUT OMEGA: Omega was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1977 on a profound ideal—to help awaken the best in the human spirit. Every year, tens of thousands of people attend our innovative educational workshops, trainings, conferences, and retreats on our Hudson Valley campus and more than two million people join us online. From the beginning, we have been guided by these core beliefs: that personal and social change are inexorably linked; that all people deserve and can cultivate health and happiness; and that we are interconnected and responsible for each other and the earth we share. Our integrated approach to personal and social change has made Omega different from other learning centers and conference conveners — we are neither a university nor a retreat center. We are a hub for a global community of lifelong learners, seekers, creators, thinkers, and doers.

 When Omega first began, things like yoga and meditation, environmental sustainability, women’s leadership, natural foods and integrative medicine, indigenous wisdom, inter-religious and non-religious spirituality, and world music and transformational art were all subjects at the fringe of society. Now, yoga studios are on every corner; meditation is being taught in public schools; hospitals are embracing stress reduction, acupuncture, and energy medicine; women are leading and innovating in a variety of sectors; global climate change is a reality; and food—whether it’s about its local production, food deserts, or healthy lifestyles—is part of the cultural vernacular. And the urgent issues of racial healing, understanding the impact of trauma on individuals and society, and bridging growing divides have become central to our understanding of evolving human consciousness. 

 Thanks to our extraordinary faculty, staff, and extended community of millions of participants, we have become one of the largest and most trusted centers for lifelong learning in the world. Our next big step is to translate the excellence in education, inspiration, and community building we have honed over 45 years into new, emerging trends, communities, and especially, the digital space. Digital technology provides us with the chance to deliver the wisdom of the ages, and the wisdom straining to be born, to a more diverse and worldwide audience. It’s always been true that consciousness change is required to affect abiding cultural change. But it seems truer than ever: Without work on personal development; without a deep understanding of human interconnectivity on the social level; and without the commitment to safeguard the natural systems that support life on the planet, humanity will continue to move in destructive and traumatic cycles. Omega has always been part of the forces examining, disrupting, and transforming those cycles. We have a track record of moving culture toward this goal. We are excited to become a leader in digital education, new entrepreneurial collaborations, and ever-changing ways of inspiring care of the self and care of the world.

 JOB OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the President & CEO, the primary focus of the Chief Development Officer (CDO) is to align Omega’s unique mission with the long-term development culture and strategy, while managing a development program already underway The CDO serves as the strategist and operations lead for fundraising efforts and will be responsible for both increasing philanthropic revenue for Omega, as well as providing strategic support, energy, and vision for an organization that is going through a significant leadership transition and recovery from the global pandemic. At the same time, the organization is developing new ways to advance an integrated approach to personal and social change on a larger scale, and this will require the identification and cultivation of new donors, many of which may not be currently funding or known to Omega.  As one of the primary spokespersons for Omega’s mission, the CDO will cultivate interest and passion among both current and potential supporters for Omega’s work and community. The CDO will directly manage a team of 4-5 people, work strongly in collaboration with other leaders and staff across the organization, and will oversee all aspects of a fully integrated development and membership program including Board stewardship, annual giving, events, corporate and foundation giving and major gifts from individuals. The CDO, in partnership with the President & CEO will also be expected to solicit and close major gifts--including being available to be on campus during weekends when workshops are in session, to meet with prospects and to support critical donor events and gatherings (Rhinebeck campus guest season runs May – October). As a member of the Executive Team, the CDO will also work across the organization as a key contributor in strategic planning, budgeting, achieving organizational aspirations and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) goals, and enhancing our mission impact.   

 Key Responsibilities 

 The Chief Development Officer will: 

• Participate as a member of the executive team in the overall management of the organization, including the annual budget process, and shared responsibility for the organization's financial well-being. 
• The CDO will create fundraising Campaign strategy and implementation plans that reflect Omega’s Values and Aspirations and that actively advance our commitment to JEDI principles, and growing Omega’s donor and membership base.
• Oversee the formal closure of the campaign, including ensuring that outstanding pledge are paid and perform ongoing donor stewardship, with the support of the Development team as well as the Executive team. 
• Work closely with the President & CEO to design, plan, and execute a strategy to increase support from members of the board of directors, key contributors, and other critical benefactors to broaden the base of support for Omega, including identifying and cultivating many “new to us” donors, to prepare the organization for its next major capital effort in the coming years. 
• Embody the Omega culture and ethos in both internal settings, as well as external messaging with the Board, donors and other stakeholders
• Work with staff members, the board of directors and the executive team to proactively expand and execute the development and membership effort, building current and new relationships. 
• Manage and mentor the current development and membership team and expand their capacity as necessary. 
• Manage the development and membership department budget, with fiscal responsibility that supports the financial goals of the organization. 
• Work with the communications and marketing teams, among others, to develop communications vehicles to enhance giving to Omega. 
• Support the membership effort as it continues to build partnerships across the organization to enhance the membership experience with creativity and mission-aligned benefits.
• Direct and tightly manage the preparation of high-quality grant proposals, donor reports, mailings and other important communications such as the annual Impact Report, among other deliverables for executive team final approval. 
• Develop a calendar of engaging activities, both in person, at Omega and off site, as well as virtual, to engage and grow membership in the Stewardship Council. 
• Oversee the appropriate use of donor software and reporting, ensuring donor privacy, data accuracy and timeliness of acknowledgements and reporting. 
• Establish development policies, systems, and procedures, with a special emphasis on professionalism and ethical standards for soliciting, acknowledging, tracking, and reporting gifts.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and utilization of fundraising best practices and internal and external customer service. 
• Uphold Omega’s values and aspirations by playing an active role in maintaining and strengthening organizational culture through integrity, trust, empathy, accountability, and collaboration.
• Be available to meet donors and prospects while they are on campus when campus is open for the season. This may require regular evening and weekend hours. 
• Local and regional travel is expected; some national and international travel may also be required.

 Qualifications 

• Appreciation of Omega’s mission and embodiment of its culture 
• Ability to be an effective spokesperson with excellent communication, both verbal and written 
• Ability to serve as a trusted partner to visionary leadership and senior management 
• Demonstrated social and emotional intelligence in navigating and negotiating among different stakeholders 
• 8-10 years of development leadership and experience in similarly sized or larger non-profit organizations 
• Experience fundraising for social and cultural change movements and an understanding of this landscape is highly desirable  
• Proven experience with shaping multi-million-dollar campaigns, major gift solicitation, having secured major donations (5 figures and above) 
• Proven success in prospect identification, cultivation, and stewardship 
• Experience developing and executing multi-year gift strategies from individuals, corporations, foundations, and events 
• Experience leading a team focused on the support necessary for successful fundraising 
• Awareness of trends and development in the holistic education field, as well as understanding of Omega’s offerings. 

  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Omega complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable New York State or local laws. Consistent with those requirements, Omega will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability if such accommodation would allow the individual to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

 Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Inc. (“Omega”) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, New York State, and local laws. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. As a community of learners, we are committed to putting our organizational aspirations into practice, as outlined in our Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) Statement.

 Omega strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of actual or perceived race; color; creed; age; religion; national origin; citizenship status; sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions); gender (including gender identity); sexual orientation; disability; marital status; partnership status; familial status; status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sex offenses; genetic predisposition; veteran’s status; military status; or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. All Omega employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.