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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$103K - $197K *

Champion IT change governance by coordinating complex software releases, assessing risks, and ensuring deployment readiness across teams. Drive improvements in change processes while maintaining produ...

San Antonio, TXRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$160K - $200K *

Pioneer strategic sales excellence by architecting complex deals with precision across multiple business units and geographies while forging C-suite relationships and leveraging AI to optimize the sal...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

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

$120K - $150K *

Lead the strategic alignment of R&D and IT, ensuring compliance and scalability of Veeva systems. Drive technology roadmaps, manage vendor relationships, and mentor junior partners while enhancing reg...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$143K - $193K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of data-driven transformation in life sciences. Collaborate with leadership to shape and execute enterprise data architecture initiatives, ensuring scalable, trust...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$79K - $107K *

Champion curriculum innovation in health professions education, leading strategic development and management of programs. Collaborate with faculty and administration to ensure quality and compliance w...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

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

$177K - $235K *

Accelerate growth by leading technical business development for liquid cooling solutions. Drive strategic customer engagement, oversee program execution, and influence technology roadmaps to enhance m...

Austin, TXRemote

3 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$72K - $111K *

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3 weeks ago

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$117K - $175K *

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Detroit, MIRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$200K - $250K *

Drive transformative enterprise sales by pioneering BGO's AI-first strategy. As the first seller, you'll build a robust pipeline, shape the sales playbook, and establish BGO as a leader in innovative...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$160K - $200K *

Execute complex deal strategies and shape customer solutions while managing high-stakes relationships with C-suite executives and founders. Utilize AI tools to enhance sales efficiency and influence t...

CanadaRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

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

$122K - $203K *

Empower teams by leading data governance initiatives, enhancing data quality, and fostering collaboration across business domains. Drive operational excellence and ensure compliance while developing a...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $145K *

Shape the future of patient services by ensuring timely delivery of features and integrations. Collaborate across teams to enhance operational efficiency in a compliance-heavy environment, driving inn...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $130K *

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Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$128K - $190K *

Shape the future of biotech by driving strategic sales and fostering key client relationships. Leverage your expertise to maximize revenue growth and enhance client satisfaction in a dynamic, fast-pac...

California, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$130K - $155K *

Join our team as a Principal Security Engineer, where you'll design and enhance security solutions, shape strategy, and lead initiatives to protect enterprise assets while mentoring junior engineers a...

Pennsylvania, USRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$115K - $175K *

Lead and innovate within our ML Operations team, driving scalable machine learning solutions. Oversee a talented group while ensuring robust integration of ML technologies, optimizing performance, and...

San Ramon, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$120K - $145K *

Elevate healthcare through strategic AI product management, driving innovation and lifecycle management of AI solutions. Collaborate cross-functionally to align business objectives with customer needs...

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6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$160K - $200K *

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United StatesRemote

Reposted today

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

$80K - $95K *

Drive operational excellence by overseeing program management activities, supervising a dedicated team, and ensuring adherence to policies and procedures. Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance effi...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$85K - $100K *

Lead the charge in managing complex underground storage tank projects, coordinating with diverse stakeholders to ensure compliance, safety, and timely completion across multiple sites while overseeing...

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1 month ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K *

Elevate your career by leading the design and implementation of enterprise-level Oracle database solutions in a multi-cloud environment, ensuring optimal performance and security for critical governme...

Texas, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Drive innovative Workday solutions to elevate clients' finance and operations. Join a team of experts to tackle complex challenges and lead projects that shape the future of digital finance for fast-g...

California, USRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$320K - $405K *

Shape your career as you oversee network deployment and maintenance across multiple data centers. Lead initiatives from planning to execution, ensuring the delivery of robust network solutions while d...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$113K - $175K *

Elevate your impact by leading database implementation projects throughout the development life cycle. Collaborate with clients as a trusted advisor, shaping data strategies and delivering high-qualit...

New York, NYRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Media

$100K - $120K *

Advance global service delivery by managing offshore partnerships, ensuring performance excellence, and driving operational improvements across teams to enhance productivity and quality outcomes...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

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.