Chief Institutional Advancement Officer

DEPARTMENT: Institutional Advancement

OPPORTUNITY TYPE: Full-time  

LOCATION: New York City, NY   

POSITION TYPE: Hybrid

About the Organization: 

The Orthodox Union (OU) is the largest Orthodox Jewish organization in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs for the disabled, localized religious study programs, and international units. The OU maintains a kosher certification service, whose circled U symbol, ?, is found on the labels of over 100,000,000 kosher commercial and consumer food products.   

Position Overview: 

The Orthodox Union is seeking a visionary and strategic leader to serve as the Chief Institutional Advancement Officer (CIAO). The CIAO will play a critical role in advancing the organization’s fundraising efforts by giving leadership and direction to a national team whose members are centrally, regionally and programmatically based. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President/COO, the CIAO will be responsible for setting strategic goals, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, standardizing fundraising practices, and managing the performance of all fundraising teams across the USA. The selected candidate may be required to solicit and raise funds directly.    

Key Responsibilities: 

• Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies aligned with the Orthodox Union’s mission and goals. This includes major and planned giving, corporate and foundation giving, donor relations and stewardship, gift processing and acknowledgement, prospect research and strategy, special events, and advancement communications and marketing. 
• Lead and mentor a team of fundraising professionals from various departments, providing guidance and support to ensure their success. 
• Ensure adherence to all relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards governing fundraising activities. 
• Conduct in-depth fundraising analysis of initiatives and donor data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for optimization. 
• Establish and maintain standardized procedures and best practices for fundraising across the organization and all program departments. 
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of fundraising teams, providing feedback and implementing strategies for improvement as needed. 
• Develop, implement, and strategically lead all annual and capital campaigns while guiding executive, programmatic, and board leadership in delivering the targeted goals for these initiatives. 
• Create and manage the department budget, employ cost controls, and capitalize on operational efficiencies. 
• Work closely with other senior leaders and departments within the organization to coordinate fundraising efforts and maximize effectiveness. This includes assisting department heads with developing a fundraising strategy and following up on metrics as needed.  
• Prepare regular reports and presentations for senior leadership and the Executive Board on fundraising activities, achievements, and challenges. 

• Facilitate and enforce use of technological platforms, tools, and metrics for organizational and program prospect identification and pipeline management, including implementation of guidelines regarding comprehensive data services and relationship management. 
• Stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and innovations in fundraising and philanthropy, continuously seeking opportunities for professional growth and improvement. 

Qualification Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree. 
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in a sophisticated fundraising operation, preferably within major nonprofit organizations or institutions of higher education, or other environments of similar complexity, including work in all core functional areas of fundraising. 
• Minimum of 3 years managing teams across multiple states. 
• A strong record of recruiting, managing, and developing exceptional people in a fundraising context and fostering a transparent work environment where collegiality is a key to success. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and fundraising software/CRM. 

Competencies and Personal Qualities: 

• Commitment to and passion for the mission of the Orthodox Union; ability to communicate and generate excitement about mission, history, vision, programs, fundamental strengths. 
• Strong understanding of fundraising principles, strategies, and techniques. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and inspire confidence among donors, staff and stakeholders. 
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and implement innovative fundraising strategies. 
• High level of integrity and ethical standards, with a commitment to upholding the values and mission of the Orthodox Union. 

Salary and Benefits:  

The salary range for this position is between $250,000 and $350,000, commensurate with experience. 

We offer employee-sponsored healthcare, dental and vision plans. 

Other benefits include: 

• Paid sick days 
• Paid vacation days 
• Paid Jewish and most Federal holidays 
• Short Fridays to accommodate for the Sabbath 
• Free life and disability insurance 
• 403(b) retirement plan which the OU will contribute 5% of your wage towards retirement savings after you contribute at least 2% (match eligible after 3 years of continuous service)