The harsh reality about development staffing (as noted in the above 2013 report by CompassPoint), is that you’re very likely to go through a search every two years.  Good Development Officers move on to higher pay and other adventures, and the not-so-good ones just move on.  Either way, they leave a big hole in your organization’s operation as you face a competitive and dynamic funding landscape. So in your search, the major question to ask is: How does your development department spend the next two years building momentum, being productive, generating results, and making sure it can sustain its efforts?

Development, like HR and Finance, is a critical system in any organization.  When effectively managed, these systems enable leadership to focus on vision, mission and strategy (aka the real, actual work).  Similar to the benefits of outsourcing HR and Finance, retaining a Chief Development Officer (CDO) Consultant has the following advantages:

• It provides senior level management and leadership experience
• Consists of a focused scope of work with clear deliverables and measures for success
• Provides objectivity and a new perspective/approach to building sustainable systems
• Allows for more flexibility in creating roles/building staff
• Is more cost-effective and efficient than the “revolving door” option of hiring a FT development officer
• It frees the CEO to focus on the real, actual work of the organization

Shameless plug: Before you update that job posting and launch your semi-annual search for next Development Officer, schedule a free consultation and we can talk about whether outsourced development is a good fit for your organization.