Chief Development Officer (CDO) Jobs

Explore Chief Development Officer jobs for experienced leaders ready to shape organizational growth, revenue strategy, and long-term development. CDOs build and lead initiatives that expand an organization’s reach, strengthen partnerships, and create sustainable funding or business opportunities. Browse vetted professional roles paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.

What Does a Chief Development Officer Do?

A Chief Development Officer sets the strategy for organizational development and turns high-level goals into measurable results. Depending on the organization, the role may focus on fundraising and philanthropy, business development, strategic partnerships, or market expansion. CDOs typically work with executive teams and boards, oversee development staff, manage major stakeholder relationships, and track performance against growth targets.

Common CDO Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute strategies for revenue growth, fundraising, or organizational expansion.
  • Build relationships with donors, investors, customers, community leaders, and strategic partners.
  • Identify new markets, funding sources, and partnership opportunities.
  • Lead, coach, and develop business development or fundraising teams.
  • Collaborate with the CEO and other executives on planning, budgets, and organizational priorities.
  • Monitor performance metrics and communicate progress to leadership and stakeholders.

Qualifications for Chief Development Officer Roles

Employers often seek senior professionals with a record of delivering growth and leading teams. Requirements vary by industry and whether the position centers on nonprofit development, commercial growth, or partnerships. Common qualifications include extensive relevant experience, strong financial and strategic planning skills, executive communication, and the ability to build trusted relationships. Some roles prefer an advanced degree or specialized experience in areas such as major-gift fundraising, corporate partnerships, or business development.

Chief Development Officer Salary and Career Outlook

Compensation for CDO roles varies based on organization size, sector, location, and scope of responsibility. Many opportunities offer executive-level compensation, and Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more. Experienced development leaders may progress to broader executive roles, including chief executive, chief operating, or other enterprise leadership positions.

Find Chief Development Officer Jobs on Ladders

Search Chief Development Officer jobs on Ladders to discover senior opportunities aligned with your experience and career goals. Review role expectations, compare opportunities, and find positions where you can lead growth, partnerships, and development strategy.

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$200K - $250K *

Transform the defense technology landscape as a co-founder and CEO, driving strategy, capital formation, and business development for an innovative training platform. Lead a dynamic team to secure con...

Arlington, VARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$125K - $150K *

The Regional Director at ModernFi will work closely with the VP of Institution Success and the CRO to enhance client satisfaction and drive product adoption among bank and credit union clients. This r...

New York, NYRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$145K - $185K *

Champion new business opportunities by building relationships, shaping solutions, and leading contract execution within the Army sector. Drive portfolio growth while ensuring customer satisfaction and...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $197K *

Lead strategic initiatives as a trusted advisor to the CEO, enhancing organizational effectiveness through cross-functional collaboration, executive representation, and performance monitoring to achie...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$100K - $115K *

Transform your career by leading financial strategy and operations for innovative service lines. Collaborate with senior leaders to enhance profitability, oversee budgeting, and drive growth initiativ...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$125K - $150K *

Lead the charge in community engagement, fostering relationships with stakeholders to enhance local support for infrastructure projects. Drive initiatives across markets, ensuring alignment with corpo...

Dallas, TXRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$140K - $170K *

Shape the success of enterprise health systems by leading full implementations. Collaborate cross-functionally to manage project lifecycles, mitigate risks, and ensure smooth transitions to customer s...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$90K - $110K *

Elevate client relationships and drive revenue growth by developing strategic sales initiatives, negotiating with retail partners, and leveraging market insights to expand market presence and achieve...

Pleasanton, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$150K - $180K *

Elevate AI-driven product development by leading a high-performance team to innovate and implement cutting-edge software solutions in Life Sciences, enhancing research and collaboration across diverse...

New Hampshire, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$210K - $250K *

Develop transformative tech strategies to elevate operational performance. Lead a 175-person team in optimizing core systems and embedding AI across workflows while ensuring rigorous financial control...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$100K - $110K *

Lead the charge in expanding and optimizing a statewide clinical placement system, fostering partnerships with healthcare providers and educational institutions to enhance California's healthcare work...

California, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$100K - $120K *

Lead a skilled team of developers to maintain and enhance production software. Manage defect resolution, and release cycles while ensuring quality standards and AI integration. Drive team performance...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Accelerate progress at driving strategic M&A initiatives by managing deal execution, from financial modeling to synergy analysis, while collaborating with senior leadership and ensuring organized proc...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$154K - $181K *

Lead and optimize enterprise data platforms and Salesforce AMS, ensuring scalability, reliability, and security. Collaborate with stakeholders to align systems with organizational goals while managing...

Washington, DCRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$160K - $200K *

Drive financial excellence as a senior leader, overseeing operations, strategy, and compliance in a dynamic nonprofit environment. Collaborate with executives to shape growth and ensure transparency a...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$210K - $240K *

Transform the future of clinical development by leading strategic initiatives, fostering client relationships, and driving innovative solutions in a dynamic, global environment. Shape best practices a...

Durham, NCRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$145K - $225K *

Lead the charge in software development, driving innovation and collaboration across teams. Oversee strategic planning and team development to enhance product quality and efficiency, while fostering a...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Drive growth by shaping strategic partnerships and optimizing processes in a dynamic business development role. Collaborate with teams to enhance e-commerce performance, create lead generation strateg...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$145K - $175K *

Join our team to drive the technical direction of our Internal Developer Platform, enhancing workflows and tooling for engineering teams. You'll lead multi-quarter strategies, ensuring reliable delive...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Media

$117K - $157K *

Join a team that's focused on driving financial performance and customer outcomes through effective delivery execution and operational excellence across a defined Professional Services portfolio...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$155K - $207K *

Elevate business performance by partnering with the CCO to drive customer retention and revenue growth through strategic analysis, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration, ensuring...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive strategic initiatives as Chief of Staff, enabling the AI & DT&A Practice Leader to excel while ensuring operational consistency and organizational clarity in a fast-paced, innovation-focused env...

Mclean, VARemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$102K - $122K *

Join a team that crafts innovative commerce and digital strategies for premium clients across various major retail platforms, enhancing their market performance and driving impactful results through c...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$180K - $220K *

Shape the future of banking technology by leading modernization efforts and innovative solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance system architecture, security, and scalable Fintech...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $170K *

Drive business growth by building relationships and delivering innovative solutions in the Higher Education sector. Leverage your expertise in sales and strategic transformation to meet client needs a...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What is a Chief Development Officer?question toggle

    A Chief Development Officer is an executive who leads an organization’s development strategy. Depending on the employer, that can include fundraising, revenue growth, business development, strategic partnerships, or organizational expansion.

  • What does a Chief Development Officer do?question toggle

    A CDO sets development goals, identifies growth and funding opportunities, builds relationships with key stakeholders, leads relevant teams, and reports results to executive leadership or a board.

  • What qualifications are needed for a Chief Development Officer job?question toggle

    Qualifications vary by sector, but employers commonly look for substantial experience in development, fundraising, business growth, or partnerships; a record of leadership; strategic and financial skills; and strong communication. Some roles require an advanced degree or specialized expertise.

  • How much do Chief Development Officers earn?question toggle

    CDO compensation varies by organization, industry, location, and responsibilities. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, including senior leadership opportunities.

  • Where can I find Chief Development Officer jobs?question toggle

    You can browse Chief Development Officer openings on Ladders, which focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more.