Chief Development Officer

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the most respected and admired aquariums in the world, seeks an experienced fundraising executive to serve as its next Chief Development Officer (CDO). With the ocean in peril and its wildlife and habitats threatened by an ever-increasing pace of human activity, the Aquarium’s mission is more urgent than ever before. This career-defining leadership role becomes available not only at a moment of significant resolve, but also at an important milestone in the Aquarium’s history with the recent arrival of Dr. Jenny Gray, who joined as CEO in March 2026. As Dr. Gray and the Board of Trustees embark on an ambitious priority-setting process that will define the next comprehensive campaign, the Aquarium seeks a visionary leader to strengthen and scale its philanthropic enterprise while implementing a bold vision that aligns with the organization’s future aspirations.

Reporting to Dr. Gray, the CDO will direct all fundraising, donor engagement, and membership efforts across the Aquarium and serve as the architect of the institution’s next comprehensive campaign while also ensuring the continued strength of annual operating support. The CDO will devise and execute strategies to expand and deepen the Aquarium’s community of individual, foundation, and corporate supporters while leveraging its robust membership program, consisting of 72,000 households, as a gateway to long-term philanthropic engagement. Working alongside Dr. Gray and the Board of Trustees, the CDO will play a central role in shaping and translating campaign priorities, preparing for significant fundraising initiatives, and securing the resources necessary to advance both transformational capital projects and the Aquarium’s renowned conservation, education, and research activities. Importantly, the CDO will serve as one of several new members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), helping to set organizational priorities, drive cross-functional alignment, and contribute to enterprise-wide strategic decision making.

The successful candidate will bring a distinguished record of fundraising achievement, including substantial experience securing major and principal gifts, leading complex campaigns, and managing high-performing development teams. The Aquarium seeks a strategic and disciplined leader who combines big-picture thinking with exceptional operational rigor. The successful candidate will bring a demonstrated ability to translate strategy into action, establish clear systems and priorities, and ensure consistent follow-through across a complex donor enterprise. As a trusted thought partner to Dr. Gray, the CDO will provide counsel on fundraising strategy, help translate emerging organizational priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities, and thrive in a dynamic environment characterized by ambition, momentum, and high achievement. The ideal candidate will be an inclusive and collaborative leader, an exceptional communicator, and a visible ambassador for the Aquarium’s mission and core values.

Rachel Ellenport is leading this search with Nicole Poe and Megan Gorman.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is an Equal Opportunity Employer.