Chief Development Officer

Role Overview

Sesame Workshop is seeking a senior revenue and transformation leader to shape the next phase of philanthropic growth for a globally recognized mission-driven organization. Reporting to the CEO, this person will build a scalable development engine, strengthen major gifts, deepen board and donor engagement, and help create a clear, compelling case for support that explains why philanthropy is essential to Sesame’s long-term impact.

This is a strategic enterprise leadership position rather than a conventional fundraising role. The successful candidate will combine vision, relationship-building, and operating discipline to support a complex, matrixed organization with evolving infrastructure and ambitious multi-platform goals.

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit behind Sesame Street and related educational media initiatives. For more than 50 years, it has worked across education, media, and research to create joyful learning experiences that help children around the world grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Its programs, characters, and outreach reach families in more than 190 countries.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and lead Sesame Workshop’s long-range philanthropic strategy, with a strong focus on expanding major gifts and securing more unrestricted funding.
• Collaborate across philanthropy, corporate partnerships, strategy, finance, operations, communications, marketing, research, education, and production to align messaging, donor engagement, and organizational priorities.
• Work with the CEO, Board of Trustees, and executive leadership to create a simple, persuasive, and repeatable case for support.
• Direct the full donor lifecycle, including prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, while personally handling a select group of high-value relationships.
• Prepare trustees and senior leaders to serve effectively as ambassadors and relationship builders in major gifts work.
• Build strong working relationships with trustees to open networks and opportunities, and partner closely with the CEO to activate board participation in fundraising.
• Hire, guide, and develop a VP/SVP of Major Gifts and the supporting team.
• Review and improve the development team’s structure, operating model, accountability, and culture to support collaboration and strong performance.
• Put in place the systems needed for scale, including disciplined portfolio management, Salesforce or an equivalent CRM across revenue streams, and reliable pipeline, forecast, and reporting processes.
• Carry out other related duties as needed in support of team and organizational priorities.

Success Outcomes

• Launch a fully functioning major gifts operation with clear ownership, pipeline visibility, and early results within the first 12 to 18 months.
• Strengthen and broadly share the philanthropic narrative so trustees, donors, and leaders can consistently explain Sesame’s need for philanthropy.
• Increase board participation and effectiveness in fundraising.
• Create a unified philanthropy strategy aligned to enterprise priorities, with stronger leadership and cross-functional coordination.
• Earn trust across the organization as a strategic partner and leader.
• Establish the basis for a sustainable, scalable development function.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will bring the depth of an accomplished development executive and the presence of a trusted enterprise partner. Success in this role will require both strategic fundraising ability and the interpersonal skill to work effectively across a complex mission-driven organization.

Required Experience and Strengths

• A proven record of building a successful major gifts function, especially by creating or significantly scaling a program rather than merely refining an established one.
• Strong experience leading broad philanthropic strategy within complex mission-driven organizations where infrastructure is still maturing.
• Comfort operating in a matrixed environment where mission priorities, public visibility, and fundraising goals intersect.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to turn a complex organizational model into a clear and persuasive story.
• Demonstrated success securing seven- and eight-figure gifts and managing sophisticated donor relationships.
• Ability to make thoughtful, timely decisions in a complex international context involving multiple donors, partners, and operational considerations.
• Experience balancing financial prudence with innovation and measured risk-taking.
• Background working closely with a CEO and Board to build a culture of philanthropy.
• High emotional intelligence, humility, strong listening skills, and a collaborative leadership style.
• Curiosity, a commitment to learning, and the ability to inspire strong performance in others.
• Calm, methodical judgment under pressure and during periods of change.
• Credibility with major donors, families, trustees, and senior executives, along with the tact to represent a prominent institution authentically.
• Willingness to maintain a strong presence in New York and to work with donors, trustees, and partners nationally and internationally.
• Deep alignment with Sesame Workshop’s mission and belief in the power of educational media to create positive change.
• Personal integrity, professionalism, resilience, and strong judgment.
• Ability to earn trust, confidence, and respect across diverse stakeholder groups.

Work Arrangement

This position is based at Sesame Workshop’s headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, and follows a hybrid schedule. In-office expectations vary by role and employee group, with current requirements ranging from two to five designated office days each week.

Additional Information

Applicants must have browser cookies enabled in order to complete the application process. If assistance is needed, support can be contacted for further guidance.

Although an external search firm is supporting this hiring process, candidates are instructed to submit their resume and application through the organization’s career site. All inquiries will be handled confidentially.

Sesame Workshop is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without discrimination based on protected characteristics, including race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, genetic characteristics, pregnancy-related condition, familial status, domestic violence victim status, veteran status, or disability.

The organization also follows child safeguarding and anti-trafficking policies intended to protect program participants and define the standards of behavior expected from staff, consultants, visitors, and partner organizations.

As a federal contractor, Sesame Workshop follows pay transparency and non-discrimination requirements in line with U.S. Department of Labor guidance.