Chief Development Officer

Position Summary

The University of Southern California seeks an accomplished advancement leader to serve as Chief Development Officer (CDO) for the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Reporting to the Dean of the Mann School, 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, faculty, staff, volunteers, 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 Mann School and USC.

Opportunity

The Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a unique opportunity to advance one of the nation's leading pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy programs. In addition to its nationally recognized education and research programs, the Mann School operates pharmacies on USC’s University Park Campus and Health Sciences Campus, as well as the USC Pharmacy in South Los Angeles, extending its impact through direct patient care and community engagement. Working closely with world-renowned faculty, researchers, and university leadership, the Chief Development Officer will help secure philanthropic support for groundbreaking research, therapeutic innovation, translational medicine, student success, and initiatives that improve health outcomes for patients and communities.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The Mann School seeks a strategic and intellectually curious development leader who combines exceptional fundraising expertise with the ability to engage a highly scientific and translational research enterprise.

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated success securing major and principal gifts, leading comprehensive fundraising programs, managing high-performing teams, and cultivating relationships with sophisticated donors and stakeholders. We welcome candidates with advancement leadership experience across higher education, academic medical centers, healthcare organizations, research institutes, scientific organizations, and other mission-driven sectors. They will be comfortable operating in an environment that spans basic science, drug discovery, translational medicine, clinical trials, commercialization, and patient impact.

The ideal candidate is a scientifically fluent development executive who can build credibility with researchers, clinicians, biotech and pharmaceutical leaders, venture philanthropists, grateful patients, alumni, foundations, and major donors. They possess the ability to translate complex scientific research into compelling philanthropic opportunities and demonstrate how philanthropy can accelerate discovery, therapeutic innovation, translational research, and meaningful impact for patients and communities.

Key responsibilities will include the following:

• Lead the planning, implementation, and execution of comprehensive fundraising and stewardship strategies in support of the Mann School’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Secure major, principal, and transformational gifts from individuals, alumni, foundations, corporations, and other philanthropic partners.
• Partner with the Dean, faculty, and university leadership to identify funding priorities and develop philanthropic opportunities aligned with institutional goals.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective and current donors while expanding and strengthening the school’s donor pipeline.
• Represent the Mann School to donors, alumni, foundations, corporations, volunteers, and other key stakeholders.
• Translate complex scientific and research initiatives into compelling cases for philanthropic investment.
• Plan and direct donor visits, engagement opportunities, and special events that advance fundraising objectives.
• Collaborate with university partners to develop donor communications, fundraising materials, impact stories, and stewardship initiatives.
• Encourage and support faculty engagement with foundations and corporate partners and facilitate philanthropic proposals when appropriate.
• Develop and oversee the annual development budget and ensure effective stewardship of resources.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead development staff, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and inclusive team culture.
• Establish goals, monitor progress, provide coaching and feedback, and empower staff and volunteers through active communication and leadership.
• Maintain awareness of legal, regulatory, and policy developments affecting philanthropy and higher education advancement.
• Promote a workplace culture where all employees are valued, value others, and have the opportunity to contribute through their ideas, words, and actions in accordance with the USC Code of Ethics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Eight (8) years of professional experience within university advancement/development setting
• Experience in planning development efforts in support of institutional and departmental strategies, and managing and leading goal-oriented teams
• Experience in academic and/or higher education development, collaborating with prominent faculty, and working understanding of university research units
• Demonstrated track record of success securing major gifts and meeting fundraising goals
• Exceptional communication, networking, and relationship-management skills, with demonstrated success engaging and influencing diverse stakeholders, including faculty, alumni, volunteers, donors, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Knowledge of human resources processes, with experience in mediation, negotiation, staff development, and teaching/training staff
• Demonstrated experience developing communication plans, instructional materials and related content, and with conducting in-person meetings
• Experience applying policies and procedures, writing legal and technical documents, and at assembling, organizing, and conceptualizing numerical data in spreadsheets, databases, reports, and presentations
• Lead/guidance skills, with the ability to manage, balance and prioritize different tasks and projects for various projects
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Knowledge of risk management and liability issues affecting higher education

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• 10 years of professional experience within university advancement/development setting
• Experience with donor/development management systems (e.g., SalesForce, DonorPerfect, Raiser’s Edge NXT, eTapestry, Bloomerang, easyTithe)
• Demonstrated understanding, strong insight, and experience in development and/or fundraising in the Los Angeles and Greater Southern California region

Required Documents and Additional Information

Resume and cover letter required (may be submitted as one attachment).

The annual base salary range for this position is $200,000-$250,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer alignment, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

To support faculty and staff well-being, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of benefits and perks to help protect their and their dependents’ health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree


Minimum Experience: 8 years

Minimum Skills: Experience in planning development efforts in support of institutional and departmental strategies, and managing and leading goal-oriented teams. Experience in academic and/or higher education development, collaborating with prominent faculty, and working understanding of university research units. Demonstrated track record of success securing major gifts and meeting fundraising goals. Exemplary interpersonal skills for communicating for “cold calling,” developing relationships with all types of students, staff and alumni, and being particularly sensitive to varied, sophisticated, high-net worth individuals and groups. Knowledge of human resources processes, with experience in mediation, negotiation, staff development, and teaching/training staff. Demonstrated experience developing communication plans, instructional materials and related content, and with conducting in-person meetings. Experience applying policies and procedures, writing legal and technical documents, and at assembling, organizing, and conceptualizing numerical data in spreadsheets, databases, reports, and presentations. Lead/guidance skills, with the ability to manage, balance and prioritize different tasks and projects for various projects. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills. Knowledge of risk management and liability issues affecting higher education.
Preferred Education: Master's degree

Preferred Experience: 10 years
Preferred Skills: Experience with donor/development management systems (e.g., DonorPerfect, Raiser’s Edge NXT, eTapestry, Bloomerang, easyTithe). Demonstrated understanding, strong insight, and experience in development and/or fundraising in the Los Angeles and Greater Southern California region.

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at [email protected]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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