Chief Development Officer (Hybrid Role)

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), created by an act of Congress in 1992, seeks to honor America’s fallen fire heroes; support their families, colleagues and organizations; and work to reduce preventable firefighter death and injury.

The NFFF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization comprising approximately 30 staff with offices in both Crofton and Emmitsburg, Maryland. Crofton is a town in Anne Arundel County, approximately 30 miles east of Washington, DC. Emmitsburg is a town in Frederick County, approximately 10 miles south of Gettysburg, PA and 70 miles north of Washington, DC. NFFF is registered as a corporation in Maryland and funds its work through program-specific pass-through federal grant funding, as well as support from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

The NFFF prides itself on a set of core principles that focuses upon honoring the fallen, supporting their families, health and safety of firefighters, and prevention of line of duty deaths.

• Recognized and looked upon as the national organization that provides the highest level of support to families of fallen firefighters.
• An organization with programs that provide meaningful reductions in the number of firefighter fatalities and injuries.
• A leading advocate of firefighter death prevention and fire safety.
• Financially self-sustaining.
• An effectively managed organization, adaptive to the ever-changing environment.
• An organization capable of immediately responding to situations that involve the loss of fire service life.

The Opportunity:

NFFF seeks a motivated, dynamic, and driven Chief Development Officer who is compelled by the idea of growing a historically successful fundraising program through an expanded fundraising strategy. Successful candidates will view themselves as “out-the-door” fundraisers who possess the unique ability to both think strategically and act tactically and efficiently. This executive role will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and collaborate with leaders across the organization to drive a new era of fundraising.

A committed board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer believe significant opportunities exist on all levels for the NFFF. Specifically, a national grass-roots effort (to include direct response) as well as corporate and foundation funding partnerships. There are groups of committed individual funders who, with a thoughtful cultivation and stewardship strategy, have the capacity to become major donors. This position requires a proactive approach to building and maintaining relationships, securing resources, enhancing fundraising strategies, and leading a motivated team.

Responsibilities:

Build Philanthropic Capacity

• Fearlessly and confidently implement a comprehensive fundraising strategic plan that includes major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, and special events.
• NFFF currently raises $5M and aspires to increase to $10M over the next five years.
• Identify and cultivate large corporate opportunities.
• Strengthen the Individual Major Gift pipeline and execute strategies that attract new donors at the five, six, and seven-figure level.
• Implement a data approach to fundraising: Oversee and analyze fundraising data to evaluate performance, track donor engagement and retention rates, analyze revenue streams, and make data-driven decisions to achieve fundraising goals.
• Determine the viability and ROI of a national direct response program to deepen the pipeline and set the stage for long-term individual prospect moves management.
• Execute high-level donor communications, including crafting compelling messages, establishing donor recognition programs, and designing targeted appeals to drive significant gifts.

Lead with a Growth Mindset

• Develop a multi-faceted, five-year fundraising plan that mirrors the programmatic objectives of the NFFF’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan and builds off the 2024 Impact Report.
• Support the grant research and writing processes for NFFF, coordinating efforts among internal staff and external contractors to develop competitive grant proposals with private foundations.
• Create and deliver funding data reports and presentations to the board of directors.
• Lead a team of fundraising professionals by providing guidance, expertise, and accountability.

Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate is a dynamic and results-oriented fundraising leader deeply committed to the NFFF’s mission. They possess a proven track record of establishing and exceeding ambitious fundraising targets through strategic and innovative approaches. This seasoned fundraiser will excel at cultivating meaningful and enduring relationships with donors, prioritizing their engagement and ensuring they feel valued and connected to the organization’s impact.

Experience and Qualifications

• A leader who embraces NFFF’s opportunities and thrives on building relationships and securing major gifts.
• Track record of successfully closing five and six-figure gifts from individuals and/or corporations.
• The ability to think strategically and implement quickly while not sacrificing quality or attention to detail.
• Demonstrated success leading or being part of a dynamic development team that showcased data-driven processes, accountability, and reporting.
• A high level of leadership and management expertise.
• Strong commitment to excellence and an understanding of the difference between urgent and important.
• Comfort around wealth and key decision makers.
• Experience with fundraising software and donor databases.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• In-depth understanding of fire service or first responder operations is a plus, but not required.
• Must possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clear a Federal-level criminal background check.

Location:
Hybrid position (2-3 days a week in office). Offices in both Crofton (preferred) and Emmitsburg, Maryland. Crofton is a town in Anne Arundel County, approximately 30 miles east of Washington, DC. Emmitsburg is a town in Frederick County, approximately 10 miles south of Gettysburg, PA, and 70 miles north of Washington, DC.

Salary: $150,000-$175,000 base salary with bonus potential.

DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.