Columbia University

Chief Development Officer

Columbia University$275K — $315K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • 10-15 years of senior fundraising or business development experience.
  • Proven success with major donor or institutional relationships.
  • Experience leading fundraising campaigns or growth initiatives.
  • Strong relationship-management and communication skills.
  • Proficiency in managing high-performing teams.
  • Ability to navigate complex organizations with varied stakeholders.
  • High degree of professionalism and executive presence.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage the Development team and its initiatives.
  • Ensure fundraising goals and resources are clearly communicated to the team.
  • Develop long-term and project-based fundraising plans for donors.
  • Manage planning and fundraising for strategic programs and initiatives.
  • Cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors.
  • Represent CGEP with donors and institutional partners.
  • Oversee gift management, reporting, and stewardship systems.

Benefits

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
  • Generous retirement plan options.
  • Professional development and training opportunities.
  • Flexible work schedule and supportive work environment.
Full Job Description
  • Job Type: Officer of Administration
  • Bargaining Unit:
  • Regular/Temporary: Regular
  • End Date if Temporary:
  • Hours Per Week: 35
  • Standard Work Schedule:
  • Building:
  • Salary Range: $275,000-$315,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University School of International Public Affairs (SIPA) seeks a senior development leader to help shape and execute the next phase of the Center's growth, including a future comprehensive campaign. Reporting to Jason Bordoff, Founding Director, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be responsible for leading CGEP's development effort across all contributed revenue, including leadership giving and annual support from individuals, the corporate partnership program, and foundation grantmaking.

CGEP stands as one of the world's leading energy policy centers, combining rigorous, independent analysis with deep engagement across government, industry, finance, technology, philanthropy, and academia. As the global energy system undergoes a profound transformation driven by geopolitics, technological change, electrification, AI-driven power demand growth, and shifting industrial policy, CGEP is entering a period of ambitious expansion.

Primary Responsibilities

The Chief Development Officer will:

  • Lead and manage a Development team of staff and consultants, including direct supervision of the Senior Director of Development, Director of Corporate Partnerships, and Corporate Programs Coordinator;
  • Ensure team members clearly understand annual fundraising, institutional and strategic plan goals, and have the tools, support, and resources to meet them;
  • Develop and help drive long-range, annual, and project-based fundraising plans for individual and institutional donors and prospects;
  • Manage all aspects of development planning and fundraising for strategic programs and initiatives;
  • Lead and/or participate in major fundraising solicitations;
  • Assist with Advisory Board development and management;
  • Represent CGEP with donors, institutional partners, and other external stakeholders in support of the Center's strategic and fundraising priorities;
  • Oversee systems for gift management, reporting, and stewardship;
  • Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors;
  • Position and prepare Advisory Board members and members of the Leadership team for fundraising cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship;
  • Build strong working relationships across the Center to support effective collaboration between Development, Finance, Communications, Events, Research, Strategic Programs, Publications, and other teams in pursuit of institutional and fundraising goals; and
  • Oversee operations, budgeting, and management for the Development team.

Qualifications and Experience
  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • 10-15 years of progressively senior fundraising, advancement, business development, strategic partnerships, or related leadership experience.
  • Demonstrated success developing and managing major donor, client, or institutional relationships;
  • Experience leading fundraising campaigns or institutional growth initiatives.
  • Strong relationship-management, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
  • Ability to operate effectively in complex organizations with multiple stakeholders.
  • High degree of discretion, professionalism, judgment, and executive presence.
  • Strong alignment with CGEP's mission of rigorous, independent, nonpartisan analysis and engagement.

Preferred Characteristics

The successful candidate is likely to be:
  • Strategic, collaborative, and execution-oriented.
  • A strong relationship builder with sound judgment and interpersonal skills.
  • Entrepreneurial and comfortable operating in a dynamic environment.
  • Motivated by institution building and mission-driven work.
  • Intellectually curious across issues of energy, climate, and geopolitics.

About CGEP

As a key member of the Leadership team, the Chief Development Officer will help shape strategic, financial, operational, and programmatic decisions for the Center. The successful candidate will be a strategic and collaborative leader, capable of engaging credibly with leaders across philanthropy, business, policy, and the energy sector. The Center seeks a candidate who can build on its strong foundation and help drive its next phase of growth and impact.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan, Columbia is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is one of nine colonial colleges founded prior to the Declaration of Independence, seven of which belong to the Ivy League. Columbia is ranked among the top universities in the world by major education publications. Columbia was established by royal charter under George II of Great Britain. It was renamed Columbia College in 1784 following the American Revolution, and in 1787 was placed under a private board of trustees headed by former students Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In 1896, the campus was moved to its current location in Morningside Heights and renamed Columbia University. Columbia scientists and scholars have played a pivotal role in scientific breakthroughs including brain-computer interface; the laser and maser; nuclear magnetic resonance; the first nuclear pile; the first nuclear fission reaction in the Americas; the first evidence for plate tectonics and continental drift; and much of the initial research and planning for the Manhattan Project during World War II. Columbia is organized into twenty schools, including four undergraduate schools and 16 graduate schools. The university's research efforts include the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and accelerator laboratories with Big Tech firms such as Amazon and IBM. Columbia is a founding member of the Association of American Universities and was the first school in the United States to grant the MD degree. The university also annually administers the Pulitzer Prize. With over 14.5 million volumes, Columbia University Library is the third-largest private research library in the United States.
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