With Who: Gads Hill Center
Location: Chicago, IL
Type of Employment: Full-Time
Position Description: The Director of Development and Communications is a senior staff position ensuring achievement of the fundraising and communication goals of GHC through planning and execution. The individual in this key role will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer and Board Members to establish and achieve the fundraising goals. The Director will lead the efforts in the design and implementation of a comprehensive and strategic development program including individual donor development, grant writing, special events management, and special campaigns. In addition to overseeing the department, the Director will develop and manage a caseload of established and prospective individual donors. The Director reports to the CEO and oversees fundraising team at Gads Hill Center.
Responsibilities:
Leadership:
- Serve on GHC’s leadership team, identifying funds needed, preferred funding targets, and approaches
- Support the Board of Directors to ensure their engagement in philanthropic activities
- Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s Development Committee, Communications Committee and all special events committees.
- Establish and execute the strategic development plan that includes yearly overall funding goals for donor retention, individual donor base growth, corporations and foundations, and special events, in cooperation with the CEO and in consultation with the Board
- Provide leadership, guidance and professional development opportunities to Development staff
- Track industry trends, strategy, opportunities and fundraising best practices
- Provide a best practice approach to Gads Hill Center’s efforts to effectively communicate the mission, goals and accomplishments to donors, prospective donors and the broader community.
Administration and Management:
- Motivate, develop, and supervise a team of fundraising professionals to contribute to execution of strategic development plan.
- Oversee and ensure the integrity of regular reporting on goal achievement to demonstrate progress, identifying areas of concern and revising strategies as needed in consultation with the CEO
- Monitor budget and revenue targets and ensure that those supervised perform within guidelines and expectations
Portfolio Management:
- Develop and maintain key long-term relationships with donors and prospects to build a robust donor base
- Identify, cultivate, and solicit a portfolio of major gift donors, building GHC’s base of 5, 6, and 7-figure gifts from high-net-worth individuals and families.
- Conduct prospect research on multiple donor sources, maintaining comprehensive donor briefs, engagement reports, and wealth capacities.
- Support, prepare, and strategically deploy the CEO with key potential donors from all constituencies
- Develop the plans and activities to ensure individual donors are engaged year-round, educated about Gads Hill Center, and informed about the impact they are making annually through a calendar of strategic touch points
- Develop and implements a strategic communication plan to maximize public awareness and support for the mission and work of Gads Hill Center that includes brochures, newsletters, direct mail—gift acknowledgements, annual appeals, annual report—website content, e-blasts, social media, and events to encourage major and planned gift inquiries
- Identify and cultivate family foundations and corporations in collaboration with the Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager
External Relations and Special Events:
- Oversee the planning and successful execution of an Annual Gala and special events
- Serve as an articulate, passionate and visible spokesperson for the agency
- Create and implement a plan to build strong relationships with community leaders and community-based organizations, and volunteers
- Oversee the development of Gads Hill Center Young Professionals Board and Alumni Programs
Qualifications and Competencies Required:
- Proven success in development fundraising for a nonprofit with a budget of $9-$12 million
- Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of experience in donor development
- Proven track record in cultivation, solicitation and closing of corporate, foundation grants and five-figure individual gifts.
- Experience supervising and leading staff and coordinating with peers to achieve goals
- Experience in planning, leading, and managing development projects, as well as reporting progress to senior management and Board of Directors
- Highly effective interpersonal, communication, and public speaking skills
- Skilled in creating powerful, compelling written and oral communications for fundraising
- Strong analytic and strategic-thinking skills, with demonstrated ability to create, implement, and monitor complex plans and ability to translate plans into concrete goals and measurable outcomes
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, and Donor Perfect and/or Raiser’s Edge fundraising software or similar fundraising software
- Flexible time needed for donor cultivation and events
- A passion for helping low income children and youth build better lives
- Familiarity with Chicago’s funders and nonprofit landscape is a plus.
- Ability to pass a criminal background check and child abuse/neglect registry check.
Position Details:
- Salary Range: Commensurate with experience and skill level
- Schedule: Full time
- Status: Salary
- Location: 1919 W Cullerton Chicago, IL 60608
Apply (or request more information): Apply today! See the full online posting and application information here: Job Application via CofC Alumni Career Center