For more than 40 years, Cato has led the charge for liberty in our nation and around the world. The Cato Institute is an assiduously nonpartisan and independent public policy research organization—or think tank—that creates a presence for and promotes libertarian ideas in policy debates.
The mission of the Cato Institute is to keep the principles, ideas, and moral case for liberty alive for future generations while moving public policy in the direction of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace.
Cato’s vision is a free and open society in which liberty allows every individual to pursue a life of prosperity and meaning in peace.
Cato is seeking a Director of Development Operations who will lead the systems, processes, and innovations that power Cato’s fundraising success and sustain the excellence behind Cato’s Vision for Liberty campaign. Reporting to the Vice President for Development, this leader will manage a team of five and oversee annual giving operations, donor analytics, prospect research, CRM administration, and data strategy.
A core focus of the role is driving AI adoption and automation in fundraising operations, positioning Cato at the forefront of technology-enabled development work. The Director will set standards for performance metrics, integrate cutting-edge tools into the CRM ecosystem, and ensure that Cato’s fundraising infrastructure is data-driven, efficient, and donor-centered.
Please refer to the Position Details linked above for a comprehensive overview of the Director of Development Operation’s areas of responsibility.
Qualifications:
- 7-10+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including team leadership.
- Expertise in Salesforce (or comparable CRM) and advanced data analytics.
- Strong track record integrating AI and technology solutions into fundraising or operations.
- Demonstrated success in annual giving, donor stewardship, and fundraising operations.
- Experience with prospect research, business intelligence tools, and performance metrics.
- Excellent leadership, management, and communication skills.
- Commitment to Cato’s mission of advancing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace.
Location: This is a hybrid position in Washington, DC (Mon-Wed WFH optional – Thur-Fri in the office mandatory).
DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of Cato Institute.
