Director of Development Operations

Director of Development Operations– Cato Institute

Cato Institute (Cato) is seeking a Director of Development Operations who will lead the systems, processes, and innovations that power Cato’s fundraising success and sustain the excellence behind Cato’s Vision for Liberty campaign. Reporting to the Vice President for Development, this leader will manage a team of five and oversee annual giving operations, donor analytics, prospect research, CRM administration, and data strategy.

A core focus of the role is driving AI adoption and automation in fundraising operations, positioning Cato at the forefront of technology-enabled development work. The Director will set standards for performance metrics, integrate cutting-edge tools into the CRM ecosystem, and ensure that Cato’s fundraising infrastructure is data-driven, efficient, and donor-centered.

Please refer to the link below to access the position details for a comprehensive overview of the Director of Development Operation’s areas of responsibility.

 Qualifications:

• 7-10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including team leadership.
• Expertise in Salesforce (or comparable CRM) and advanced data analytics.
• Strong track record integrating AI and technology solutions into fundraising or operations.
• Demonstrated success in annual giving, donor stewardship, and fundraising operations.
• Experience with prospect research, business intelligence tools, and performance metrics.
• Excellent leadership, management, and communication skills.
• Commitment to Cato’s mission of advancing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace.

Location: This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC (Mon-Wed WFH optional – Thur-Fri in the office mandatory)

DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of Cato Institute. For more information on how to apply, please visit: https://driwaterstonehc.com/position/development-ops-cato/.