Role Type: Full-time

Location: US - Remote

Compensation: Salaried, Exempt

Experience: 15+ Years

Required: Nonprofit Experience

Sponsorship Available: No

About FreeWorld:

FreeWorld is at a pivotal inflection point. In just four years, FreeWorld has scaled to 10 states, 30+ cities, and served more than 22,000 returning citizens — earning support from Blue Meridian Partners, Gates Foundation, Crankstart, and Rippleworks. Over the next three years, FreeWorld will surpass $100M in revenue, expand into new verticals, and establish itself as a national systems-change platform.

To lead this next phase, FreeWorld is hiring its first Chief Development Officer  - a senior executive who will architect, scale, and professionalize FreeWorld’s entire revenue engine. This is not a maintenance role. This is a build-the-engine, shape-the-future, national-platform leadership opportunity.

Job Description:

The CDO is a core member of the Executive Leadership Team and the CEO’s primary partner in shaping FreeWorld’s growth, sustainability, and national positioning.

You will design and lead a fully diversified revenue strategy across:

• Major, corporate and  institutional philanthropy

• Government funding and contracts 

You will build the systems, teams, and forecasting discipline that transform FreeWorld from a fast-growing nonprofit into a durable national platform.

Reporting:

This role will report to Jason Wang (CEO).

Key Responsibilities

1.  Enterprise Development Strategy (Executive Ownership)

• Architect FreeWorld’s multi-year fundraising and capital roadmap

• Own revenue forecasting, dashboards, pipeline management, and reporting

• Build predictable, diversified, and scalable development systems

• Serve as strategic partner to CEO and Board on capital strategy

• Drive FreeWorld toward $30M+ in annual philanthropic and public funding

2.  Major & Institutional Philanthropy (Primary Growth Engine)

• Personally steward and close seven-figure foundation, corporate, and major gift partnerships

• Build a world-class institutional fundraising function

• Lead national foundation strategy, renewals, and multi-year commitments

• Partner with the CEO on top-tier funder relationships

• Create disciplined moves, management, and stewardship systems

3.  Government & Public Funding Strategy

• Lead state and federal funding strategy (SNAP E&T, WIOA, appropriations)

• Build multi-state RFP pipelines, compliance systems, and reimbursement workflows

• Establish government funding as a stable, scalable revenue pillar

4.  Systems, Team & Culture Leadership

• Build FreeWorld’s development operations backbone (HubSpot CRM, forecasting, dashboards, KPIs)

• Recruit, mentor, and scale a high-performance development team

• Instill a culture of accountability, clarity, and excellence

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The Ideal Candidate

You are a senior development executive who has built fundraising engines — not just managed them. Your Bring:

• Must have 5+ years of experience in the nonprofit sector

• 15+ years of institutional fundraising and development leadership

• Track record building $15M–$50M+ annual fundraising engines

• Personal experience closing $1M+ gifts

• Executive presence with Boards, CEOs, and funders

• Proven ability to architect systems, forecast, and manage infrastructure

• Experience scaling mission-driven or systems-change organizations

Bonus Points

• Workforce development, re-entry, or public funding experience.
  
  

Traits That Win Here

• Builder Mindset: You create clarity from chaos and like being the first one to the problem.

• Closer Energy: You turn relationships into results.

• Operator Discipline: You track data, hold people accountable, and hit deadlines.

• Mission Alignment: You care deeply about impact, not just income.

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Why This Role Matters

You will be the executive who:

• Builds the capital engine that fuels FreeWorld’s national scale

• Shapes how systems-change capital is raised and stewarded

• Creates infrastructure that will outlast any individual leader

• Leaves a national legacy platform for second-chance workforce transformation

This is a career-defining Chief Development Officer role with true executive authority and impact.

Compensation and Benefits

FreeWorld offers a competitive total rewards package that aligns with nonprofit organizations of similar size and scope. Compensation is benchmarked to industry standards and based on experience, internal equity, and role responsibility. The salary range for this position is $200,000–$250,000 base pay, plus bonus. FreeWorld provides a robust and comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee well-being, professional growth, and financial stability:

• Fully remote work environment with schedule flexibility

• Collaborative, values-driven culture built on honesty, trust, and transparency

• Annual, company-sponsored in-person staff retreat focused on connection, learning, and celebration

• Meaningful work creating life-changing impact for returning citizens across the country

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with supplemental and pet coverage options

• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and a $10,000 life and AD&D policy

• Quarterly wellness stipend and paid phone/internet stipend

• 401(k) plan and high-yield savings account options to support financial health and stability

• Paid professional development opportunities and learning stipends

• Access to the Working Advantage Employee Discount Program, offering savings on travel, entertainment, retail, and more

• Unlimited paid time off and at least 14 paid holidays each year

• 12–16 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents

• Two-week paid winter break at the end of each calendar year

At FreeWorld, our people are our greatest asset. We are building a team that feels valued, supported, and empowered to bring their best selves to work daily because changing lives begins with caring for ourselves.

Hiring Process

Our hiring process is designed to be transparent, equitable, and reflective of FreeWorld’s values. We want candidates to experience the same honesty, respect, and collaboration that define how we work every day. While specific steps may vary by role, the general process includes:

1. Application Review
   Submit your application and cover letter after reviewing our [FreeWorld Culture FAQ] and [FreeWorld Company Values]. We review every submission carefully to identify alignment with our mission, experience, and values.

2. Initial Screening
   Selected candidates will be invited to a brief, 15-minute introductory Zoom call to learn more about the role and share their interest in FreeWorld.

3. Role-Specific Task
   Candidates complete a short project or submit a relevant work sample that reflects key aspects of the position. This helps us understand your approach and gives you a preview of the work you’d be doing.
   Hiring Manager Interview
   A one-on-one Zoom conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your background, skills, and career goals, as well as how you would contribute to FreeWorld’s mission.

4. Team Interviews
   A series of 45-minute interviews with key team members to explore collaboration, alignment, and how your experience and working style complement the team.

5. Reference Checks
   We connect with a few of your past colleagues or supervisors to learn more about your work and professional impact.

If all goes well, we’ll move forward with an offer and begin welcoming you to the FreeWorld team.