Chief Development Officer

The University of Southern California seeks an accomplished advancement leader to serve as Chief Development Officer (CDO) for the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Reporting to the Dean of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice President, Health Sciences Advancement, the CDO serves as the School’s senior fundraising executive and leads all aspects of its comprehensive development program. The CDO is responsible for planning, organizing, developing, implementing, and executing short- and long-term strategies to secure major, principal, and transformational gifts from individuals, alumni, foundations, corporations, and other philanthropic partners. Working closely with the Dean, Board of Councilors members, faculty, staff, volunteers, Health Sciences Advancement colleagues and university leadership, the CDO advances the school’s strategic priorities through philanthropy. The position oversees fundraising strategy, donor engagement, stewardship, volunteer management, development operations, and staff leadership while serving as a key ambassador for the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School and USC. The successful candidate will maintain an active portfolio of leadership and principal gift prospects and will be expected to personally secure significant philanthropic investments that advance the school’s highest priorities. The CDO will also recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing advancement team while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and donor-centered engagement. The CDO will be expected to build a pipeline of seven- and eight-figure philanthropic opportunities and play a leading role in positioning the school for future university-wide campaign initiatives and transformational fundraising efforts. Opportunity The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work offers an exceptional opportunity to advance one of the nation's leading schools of social work and a recognized leader in improving health and social outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. Nationally recognized for excellence in behavioral health, military social work, telehealth innovation, workforce development, health equity, aging, child welfare, juvenile justice, homelessness, responsible artificial intelligence, and community-based solutions, the school addresses society's most pressing challenges through pioneering research, innovative education, and meaningful community partnerships. Working collaboratively with distinguished faculty, researchers, practitioners, university leadership, the School's Board of Councilors, Central Advancement, and Health Sciences Advancement colleagues, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) will lead comprehensive fundraising efforts that advance the school's strategic priorities. Through the cultivation and stewardship of philanthropic partnerships, the CDO will secure philanthropic investments that support…