Chief Marketing and Development Officer

Special Olympics International

Washington, DC

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Special Olympics International (SOI), headquartered in Washington, DC, is a global non-governmental organization founded on the belief that persons with intellectual disabilities learn, enjoy, and benefit from participation in year-round individual and team sports training and competition. Today, more than 3 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in Special Olympics in over 170 countries and in each of the 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia. Through training and competition, Special Olympics athletes grow socially and spiritually; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect, and acceptance.

Reporting to the President & COO, the Chief Marketing & Development Officer will identify and seize upon opportunities to promote and strengthen the collective assets and respected brand of the Special Olympics’ movement from the transformational power of its grassroots initiatives to the global impact of its accredited programs. The CMDO will champion a comprehensive, strategic and integrated approach to marketing, communications and philanthropy that will aggressively grow and diversify funding streams for SOI’s $70M in operating revenue as well as increase the $250M in aggregate revenue among SO’s accredited programs. The CMDO will also aggressively develop and grow the Movement’s global awareness and network or “Fans” worldwide.

The CMDO will have a sophisticated view of revenue generation, understanding that sustainable financial support is achieved through a holistic approach to marketing and development – one that explores all channels for the strategic engagement of SOI’s various supporters. He/She will help to harness the energy, goodwill and resources of SO’s impressive and ever-expanding base of grassroots supporters around the globe, enlisting them as citizen advocates, broadcasters and ambassadors who will continue to fuel the movement. He/She will help find synergies with corporate philanthropic partners to amplify the reach and impact of programs and events. He/She will help ensure that private individual funders are able to match their philanthropic investment interests in ways that align with SO’s mission. And finally, he/she will help connect civic leaders across the globe to communicate the value and relevancy of investing political, social and financial capital into the movement.

Currently, nearly 65% of SOI’s private philanthropy is raised through direct marketing. The new CMDO will continue to expand and tap into SO’s impressive grassroots fan base, using digital and social networking mediums that are bolstered with corporate partnerships. In addition to increasing grassroots fundraising capacity, the CMDO will help diversify funding streams with the aim of shifting the philanthropic mix to include greater capacity around corporate, major and foundation funding. Since SO’s largest base of revenue originates in the United States, the CMDO will need to address not only the mix of revenue channels, but also work to build awareness, relevance and funding capacity outside of the United States.

An ideal candidate will have at least 10-15 years of experience relevant to the management of a comprehensive, integrated marketing and development program within a large, complex, multi-national non-profit. He/She will have a demonstrated track record of successfully partnering with multiple, geographically-dispersed internal clients with diverse needs and priorities to increase and diversify philanthropic support and create a cohesive and coordinated marketing and communications effort. The CMDO should exhibit the credibility and sophistication to effectively engage and leverage SOI executive leadership and key stakeholders in the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of strategic relationships ranging from corporate philanthropic supporters to individual donors. He/She should also have the charisma, cultural sensitivity, and communication skills necessary to be an effective representative of SOI and a key liaison to its diverse constituents ranging from the general public to the media, policy makers, and high profile individuals and corporate leaders. A collaborative, open and innovative leadership style, well suited to management in a complex setting, is a prerequisite as is the creativity, energy and political savvy needed to introduce and champion new ideas that will balance the urgency for achieving short-term priorities with the strategic need to follow through and keep focus on sustainable long-term objectives. He/She will exhibit a holistic approach to marketing, communications, and revenue generation and have successfully utilized as well as kept pace with constantly evolving digital age engagement and stewardship techniques exhibiting an appreciation for how these new tools dovetail with traditional marketing and development methods. An undergraduate degree is required, and an advanced degree is preferred. The CMDO will be able to travel frequently, both domestically and internationally.

This search is being conducted by the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Since its inception in 1968, Special Olympics has grown exponentially both in athlete participation and in geographic reach. Much more than a sports movement, it is also an effective catalyst for personal and social change, inviting all citizens to discover Special Olympics athletes as valuable members of their families, their communities, and their countries. In recent years, Special Olympics has broadened its work with programs designed to embody the principles of empowerment and self-advocacy, and to change attitudes toward people worldwide with intellectual disabilities from pity or “charity” to acceptance, dignity, and respect. To that end, Special Olympics now boasts a large public health program, an exercise development program for children 2-4 years of age, a growing outreach effort to nondisabled young people, an appeal to Heads of State for greater political action, a targeted research effort, and a family support and advocacy effort. In promoting the ideal of acceptance and overcoming differences in all of its work, Special Olympics has become a unique global force for unity, engagement, and understanding.

With over 200 staff worldwide and a $70M operating budget, Special Olympics International (SOI) serves as the central governing organization of the Special Olympics Movement, coordinating and overseeing its 230 accredited Special Olympics programs, each of which is an independent entity with its own governing body and professional staff. SOI partners closely with the political, business, sports, health, education, entertainment and media leadership in each country and each state where Special Olympics Programs exist. Both SOI’s leadership and grassroots constituencies work tirelessly to bring the joy of sport to athletes with intellectual disabilities around the world.

SOI is dedicated to strengthening its identity as a worldwide movement for the best in the human spirit by expanding its focus on healthcare, education, development and advocacy. This exciting plan and the movement’s expansion both in terms of athletes and programs requires greater, more diverse and reliable sources of revenue to fuel the growth and to continue to engage fans of the movement across the globe.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE CHIEF MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER:

Reporting to SOI’s President and COO, and working closely with SOI’s senior leadership, accredited program managers worldwide, and board members, the CMDO will create a comprehensive plan for fundraising and strategic marketing that drives program development in a focused and sustainable manner and aligns with the overarching priorities and needs of the movement. The CMDO will develop and lead a cross functional staff of 25 and cultivate a unified, innovative client-service culture across all units – guiding all public relations and communications functions (branding, media relations, marketing publications, internal communications and digital media) and areas of private philanthropy (direct marketing, major and planned giving, corporate and foundation giving) as a high-functioning and integrated team.

The CMDO will operate with an awareness that SO is a global movement that relies on the passion and tireless commitment of its founders, volunteers, athletes and the friends who support them in the field. He/She will highlight SO’s distinctive ability to effect change along a grassroots to global continuum. This ability has enabled SO to cultivate a rich and varied set of assets that the CMDO will marshal in a manner that engages and expands a global fanbase and positions SO as a valuable strategic partner with the power to drive mutual benefit in cooperation with external partners. The CMDO will encourage Special Olympics leaders to form dynamic and impactful relationships with current and prospective supporters that tap into SO’s capacity for partnership at multiple levels (local, regional, global) and across numerous program offerings including healthcare, education, development and advocacy.

Over the next 3 to 5 years, the CMDO will need to take a number of steps toward increasing and diversifying funding for SOI to support the broader expansion of the movement. He/She will:

Aggressively increase revenue for SOI and the entire SO movement while seeking to diversify SO’s funding channels and geographic revenue mix.

• Work to achieve a step change increase for SOI’s $70 million in operating revenue by raising an additional $5-$10 million and help accredited program leaders increase SO’s $250 million in aggregate revenue by an additional $100 million.

• Capitalize on SO’s strong revenue potential in consumer and online fundraising pushed by corporate partnerships. This includes innovative digital engagement and “call to action” campaigns.

• Shift the philanthropic mix of current revenue channels - whereas direct marketing accounts for 65% of revenue, build capacity in major, corporate, and foundation giving to adjust that percentage to 50% while increasing funding overall.

  • Support the cultivation of a major donor pipeline, providing a strategic framework, advice and support to SO’s senior leadership and program leaders across the globe. Oversee a comprehensive analysis of the organization’s overall major gifts prospect pool and the organization and systematization of an effective prospect research and donor tracking effort that provides linkages at the local, national, and international levels.

  • Leverage SOI’s chairman, president, board members and other key supporters in order to identify and cultivate high capacity donors who can become participants in the life of the organization and provide financial support at leadership levels.

• Since SO’s largest base of revenue originates in the United States, the CMDO will need to address not only the mix of revenue channels, but also work with program leaders internationally to craft tailored fundraising and strategic marketing plans to build awareness, relevance and funding capacity outside of the United States.

Increase SO’s fan base through powerful digital engagement and build brand awareness.

The CMDO will broaden awareness of the impact that SO has on athletes to include the transformative effect it has on the families, communities, and fans who support the movement. He/She will explore digital media and social networking as a means to develop highly personalized and tailored messaging for the engagement of SO’s mass audiences and diverse constituents. The CMDO will artfully coordinate outreach across all communications platforms including digital mediums, direct marketing, advertising, public relations, public forums, charitable events and SO’s athletic competitions that are held locally and regionally, and culminate at the world games providing a distributed media platform with enviable reach. This highly strategic and holistic approach will build the brand relevance, favorability and awareness of the Movement across the globe.

Identify and seize upon opportunities to promote and strengthen the collective assets of the Special Olympics’ movement from the transformational power of its grassroots initiatives to the global impact of its accredited programs.

The new CMDO will both build upon and develop SO’s national and global assets to help sustain revenue over the next 3 to 5 years. He/She will take existing fundraising initiatives such as the SO Torch Run – a national grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle supported by more than 85,000 law enforcement officers -- and find ways to build upon their success for other SO initiatives. The CMDO will also develop new outlets for SO’s incredible grassroots energy, finding ways to engage fans effectively in fundraising campaigns and reaching new audiences through charity campaigns and broadened distribution of SO assets like “A Very Special Christmas.”

Build a strong internal communications platform that will encourage knowledge sharing and partnerships.

Mindful that SO is a complex and distributed organization in which the needs and ability to implement marketing and development programs vary by geography, culture and resources, the CMDO will provide counsel, training and support to internal stakeholders in a manner that is consistent with capacity and encourages cooperative partnerships among internal leadership that leverage collective resources and create opportunities for shared benefit. He/She will develop communications vehicles to articulate a clear vision and model the role of fundraiser engaging the local, national, and international volunteers, program leaders, and SOI senior managers to assume leadership roles in fundraising.

Foster a cohesive marketing and development team and maintain a leadership style that is innovative and transparent, that empowers staff through active communication and delegation, and that ensures staff accountability for excellence through clearly defined and measurable goals.

The CMDO will explore opportunities for modifying SOI’s existing marketing/communications and development organizational structure in order to assure coordination, productivity, and responsiveness, to enhance communication, and to promote staff collaboration and professional satisfaction. He/She will develop a diverse and high-quality staff that is well prepared to meet the ongoing challenges of a first-rate institution. Where training and staff development is necessary, the CMDO will provide opportunities for staff to increase and enhance their skills.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional to assist a celebrated organization with its ambitious goals to fuel a growing global movement. While no candidate is expected to have all the ideal professional and personal characteristics sought in this position, the ideal Chief Marketing & Development Officer will have the following personal and professional qualifications:

Professional experience

• 10-15 years of experience relevant to the management of a comprehensive, integrated marketing and development program within a large, complex, multi-national non-profit.

• A demonstrated track-record of successfully partnering with multiple, geographically-dispersed internal clients with diverse needs and priorities to increase and diversify philanthropic support and create a cohesive and coordinated marketing and communications effort.

• Experience and success in establishing and managing infrastructure to sustain a global and distributed funding base, including the creation of transparent information and revenue sharing platforms and tools that enable internal coordination and encourage multi-stakeholder partnerships.

• Significant experience raising funds from a variety of sources, particularly through consumer/fan focused marketing initiatives that inspire greater levels of participation and financial support through innovative outreach campaigns and corporate partnerships, but also solid skills in more traditional fundraising methods such as cultivating high-net worth individuals and foundation support.

• A sophisticated and holistic approach to marketing, communications and resource generation that has kept pace with the constantly evolving digital age engagement and stewardship techniques and exhibits an appreciation for how these new tools dovetail with traditional marketing and development methods.

• The capacity to craft a substantive and cohesive message for an organization with a record of successful communication of that message to key audiences over a period of time and the ability to demonstrate a measurable positive organizational impact from that effort (e.g. market penetration, improved visibility, increased funding and donor support).

• Broad experience in strategic marketing, communications planning, media relations and crisis management as well as significant successful experience dealing with the national media.

• Strong management skills, both strategic and operational, and a history of running a productive and effective department – one where staff are committed to the organization and feel ownership and pride in their work, and where openness and communication are mutually valued.

Personal characteristics

• Commitment to Special Olympics’ mission and goals, with an understanding and respect for the power and importance of persons with intellectual disabilities, the unique role and power of sports, and a vision of a more understanding, inclusive, and just world.

• An inquisitive and creative intellect; a style that includes flexibility, evenness, equanimity and good humor.

• The agility and inclination to advance complex projects and solve problems collaboratively, coupled with the willingness to act resourcefully, authoritatively, and resolutely.

• The ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and the ability to develop a highly functioning and service-oriented staff.

• The intellectual depth, maturity, wisdom and collaborative skills to garner the trust and confidence of SO’s senior management, board members, program leadership, staff, and other constituents and to inspire them to new levels of performance – providing strong support, inspiring them to action, and making the experience both satisfying and fun.

• The willingness to invest considerable time and energy circulating among SO’s distributed programs, identifying ways to directly contribute to operating revenue and resource development, thereby building credibility among diverse independent constituencies.

• The ability to understand and translate information for all audiences with clarity, crispness and elegance in writing and speaking.

• Integrity, imagination, strong listening skills, and a high level of energy.

• Respect and appreciation of both those who participate in the Special Olympics and those whose lives are touched through all of its programs worldwide.

• The ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

TO APPLY

More information about Special Olympics International may be found at: http://www.specialolympics.org.

Nominations and applications are due by September 30, 2009. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history and where you learned of the position should be sent to:
soi-cmdo@nonprofitprofessionals.com. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.
 

Special Olympics International is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Women and candidates of color are encouraged to apply.