Deputy Chief of Development and Communications

Job Summary: Reporting to the CEO, the Deputy Chief will lead the team responsible for fundraising, communications, and storytelling. The Deputy Chief is part of the Executive Team and will share in the team’s responsibility for creating a culture of philanthropy, collaboration, and effective communication across the organization’s staff and board.

Status: Full-time, Exempt
Location: Chinatown, San Francisco
Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., general business hours plus some or occasional nights and weekends
Salary: $185,000 - $200,000 annually; Comprehensive benefits

The Organization: A private non-profit founded in 1977, Chinatown Community Development Center believes in a comprehensive vision of community. We own and/or manage approximately 30 affordable housing buildings serving over 3,800 low-income seniors, single adults, formerly homeless adults, and families of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Tenderloin, Western Addition, and Polk Gulch neighborhoods. We also build housing, develop grassroots leadership, and engage low-income residents and youth. Our employees are passionate about the mission; thrive in a family organizational culture; and embody values of empowerment, teamwork, and compassion. Chinatown CDC serves a diverse population and is committed to hiring practices that provide culturally competent services. We encourage people of color to apply.

What You Will Do:Strategy and Planning

The Deputy Chief will partner closely with the CEO, CFO, Executive Team, Board, and staff to develop and implement an integrated annual strategy for development and communications. This includes establishing clear fundraising and communications goals, translating organizational priorities into annual work plans and calendars, and creating systems to track progress, evaluate results, and adjust strategies as needed. The Deputy Chief will bring an enterprise-wide perspective to planning, ensuring that development and communications priorities are closely connected to CCDC’s broader strategic priorities, programs, advocacy, and community-building work. The Deputy Chief will regularly communicate progress, opportunities, and challenges to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board and will use data, learning, and external trends to inform its development and communications strategies.

Leadership and Management

The Deputy Chief will lead and develop a growing team of seven staff, creating clarity around priorities, roles, goals, and accountability while fostering a collaborative, supportive, and high-performing culture. The Deputy Chief will hire, supervise, coach, and develop staff; establish annual work plans and performance expectations; and ensure that team members have the resources and support needed to be successful. As the department continues to evolve, the Deputy Chief will help shape its structure, workflows, and ways of working. The Deputy Chief will also play an important role in strengthening a culture of philanthropy and effective communication across CCDC. This includes helping staff and Board understand their roles as ambassadors, storytellers, and partners in fundraising. The Deputy Chief will also oversee departmental budgets and help ensure that resources are deployed effectively in support of organizational priorities.

Fundraising and Resource Development

The Deputy Chief will provide strategic leadership for CCDC’s development program, with a focus on building a diversified and sustainable base of philanthropic support. The Deputy Chief will strengthen and manage a portfolio of individual and institutional giving, including unrestricted operating support, annual giving, major gifts, multi-year commitments, and develop a legacy giving program. Working closely with the CEO and Board, the Deputy Chief will cultivate a culture of philanthropy and build meaningful, long-term relationships with donors, funders, and other supporters. The Deputy Chief will also oversee the full development cycle, from prospect identification and cultivation through solicitation, recognition, and stewardship, while actively engaging donors and identifying opportunities to deepen existing and new relationships. The role will also ensure that development systems, data, policies, and practices are aligned with organizational priorities and positioned to support long-term growth.

Communications

The Deputy Chief will provide strategic leadership for CCDC’s communications, storytelling, and external positioning, ensuring the organization’s voice reflects its history, values, communities, and vision for the future. Strategically partnering with the Director of Marketing and Communications and communications staff, the Deputy Chief will translate CCDC’s comprehensive model — affordable housing, community development, grassroots leadership, and resident engagement — into compelling narratives that resonate with existing and new audiences. The Deputy Chief will strengthen internal understanding of the organization’s mission and story while elevating CCDC’s visibility and influence beyond San Francisco Chinatown. The Deputy Chief will also provide strategic direction across communications channels including fundraising materials, annual reports, digital communications, media, events, and multimedia, ensuring content is accessible, culturally relevant, and multilingual when appropriate. As an advisor to the CEO and Executive Team, the Deputy Chief will guide media, policy and advocacy communications, public positioning, and crisis communications. They will also serve as an ambassador and spokesperson, building relationships with donors, civic and community leaders, funders, partners, and media to elevate CCDC’s voice and influence.

Events

The Deputy Chief will provide strategic fundraising and marketing oversight for CCDC’s relevant events, ensuring activities are aligned with departmental goals and supported by clear objectives, work plans, budgets, and effective use of team resources. The Deputy Chief will foster creativity, collaboration, and a sense of pride and belonging across events, ensuring they are meaningful experiences for staff, board members, donors, and community members. They will also represent CCDC at external events and speaking engagements, including networking opportunities, panels, and other community gatherings.

Other (all positions)

• Embody organization values (respect & compassion, empowerment, teamwork)
• Contribute to a safe and pleasant work environment
• Follow policies, procedures, and safe work practices
• Other duties as assigned

What You Bring:

• Strong commitment to CCDC's mission, values, and advancing equity and social justice in diverse communities.
• Strong strategic thinking, leadership, and decision-making skills, with the ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage donors, funders, board members, staff, and community partners.
• Ability to lead, coach, and inspire high-performing teams while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable work environment.
• Strong understanding of fundraising, donor stewardship, and communications strategies that strengthen organizational visibility and long-term sustainability.
• Ability to develop and lead communications strategies that strengthen organizational visibility, engage diverse audiences, and translate organizational mission, values, and impact into compelling, culturally relevant narratives.
• Strong judgment and ability to provide strategic direction on public positioning, media relations, advocacy, and sensitive or high-profile communications while protecting organizational reputation.

Education and Experience (Minimum Qualifications):

• Minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience in fundraising, development, communications, or related fields, with demonstrated success in strategic planning, team leadership, and organizational management.
• Demonstrated experience leading fundraising and communications strategies, including establishing and achieving fundraising goals.
• Proven success cultivating major donors, securing significant gifts, and developing relationships with individual and institutional funders.
• Experience supervising and developing staff, managing budgets, and overseeing departmental operations.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership and Board of Directors to advance fundraising and organizational priorities.
• Experience overseeing communications strategies, branding, storytelling, and public relations to engage diverse audiences and strengthen organizational visibility.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in community development, affordable housing, or social justice organizations, particularly in San Francisco.
• Experience developing legacy giving programs and strengthening organizational fundraising capacity.
• Experience engaging AAPI and Chinese American donor communities; proficiency in Mandarin and/or Cantonese strongly preferred.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC) is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race (includes hairstyle and hair texture), color, religion (includes dress and grooming practices), age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition and reproductive health decision making), national origin (includes language restrictions), ancestry, citizenship, disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristic), genetic information or characteristic, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or participation in an EEO protected activity or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

SAN FRANCISCO FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE

All final candidates will undergo a background check. For certain positions this will include a fingerprint check. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.