Career Move: Should You Seek a Development or CEO Position?
A client asked about potential career moves. She was toying with pursuing a development position vs. an executive director role. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? From my perspective, as an advisor and mentor to individuals in the philanthropic arena, here are the top benefits and drawbacks of each position.
CEO
CEO Position Advantages
You determine and follow your vision for the future
Varied activities, including executing the mission, managing people, organizing revenue
More interaction with mission activities than development work, generally
Greater power including access to board members and all staff
Demand to think strategically
Drawbacks of CEO Positions
Unless you’re the founder, you start with a board someone else developed
Multiple bosses
Need to keep executing the mission, managing people, and growing revenue on the front burners simultaneously
Typically, under-resourced
Require all corporate leadership skills plus how to motivate volunteers, and seek donations
Director of Development
Director of Development Position Advantages
You work with people who believe in giving
The longer you serve, the better your return
You have one boss
You seek a single overriding objective: to build a community of donors that grow the bottom line
You focus on nurturing others
Drawbacks of Director of Development Position
Few people “get” what you do
The timing of donations is capricious
Those in the position are often subject to unrealistic expectations which result in high, involuntary turnover
Success requires an exceptional relationship with the CEO, who may leave at any time
Lower control than the CEO, over the resources you need to create an effective program
Still Stuck?
Which nonprofit career should you pursue? A job in development or a CEO position? It depends on your answer to this question: Which do you enjoy most, helping individuals with means to make philanthropic gifts or, guiding a team of people to build an organization that improves lives? For more help as you explore your next career move, join my coaching program to move your career into the fast lane in the New Year.
Karen Eber Davis provides customized advising and coaching around nonprofit strategy and board development. People leaders hire her to bring clarity to sticky situations, break through barriers that seem insurmountable, and align people for better futures. She is the author of 7 Nonprofit Income Streams and Let's Raise Nonprofit Millions Together.
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