Director of Development Operations

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE DRiWaterstone APPLICATION.About CatoFor 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.Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato's Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. We make liberty come alive for people by sharing our research and ideas in clear language, free of jargon. We find common ground and work with individuals and groups across the political spectrum in order to build a society that is freer, happier, and more prosperous. Our scholars and experts develop a portfolio of projects that drive tangible change in the near term while producing scholarship and research that bend the arc of ideas toward liberty in the long term. We are focusing on these key areas in order to achieve our ambitious mission and unify Americans behind the principles most of us can agree on—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What We DoThe 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. Their vision is a free and open society in which liberty allows every individual to pursue a life of prosperity and meaning in peace. The OpportunityCato Institute (Cato) is seeking a Director of Development Operations that will lead the systems, processes, and innovations that power Cato's fundraising success. 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.ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Team ManagementSupervise, mentor, and coach a team of five —including internal and externally facing Development staff—fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and donor-first culture.Recruit, train, and develop staff and interns to advance operational excellence across Development.Provide training and onboarding support in fundraising best practices, CRM use, SOPs, and innovation adoption.AI, Technology, and Systems InnovationLead AI adoption and automation efforts in Development operations, identifying opportunities to integrate emerging technologies into fundraising workflows.Maintain an optimized Development CRM (Salesforce) and supporting technologies to ensure seamless fundraising activity and actionable insights.Partner with Data Services/IT on CRM data governance practices, integrations, and system enhancements.Proactively identify risks, opportunities, and solutions to strengthen Development's data infrastructure.Fundraising Operations & MeasurementImplement and manage fundraising best practices across the Development team.Develop and track KPIs and performance metrics for fundraising operations, presenting reports and dashboards to leadership, the board, and key stakeholdersAnalyze donor and program performance data to generate actionable insights that guide fundraising strategies.Project management and process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency and impactAnnual Fund & Partner StewardshipOversee strategy and execution of the annual giving program (~$6.5M goal,