Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago is a nonprofit organization dedicated to working in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and community organizations to help students stay in school and be successful. During the 2024-2025 school year, CIS of Chicago will partner with 240 Chicago public schools and will connect services and programs to more than 75,000 CPS students and their families by leveraging community partner programs and services. In addition, CIS of Chicago is implementing our Intensive Program— at 34 Chicago public schools we have placed a full time Student Supports Manager. Staff in these schools provide intervention services to a caseload of students who are at risk of dropping out, as well as connect support services to the whole school.
CIS of Chicago was founded in 1988, and is an affiliate of Communities In Schools, Inc., a national nonprofit organization with offices across the country, reaching 2M students annually.
The mission of Communities In Schools of Chicago is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The vision of CIS of Chicago is to ensure that every public-school student in Chicago graduates from high school prepared to succeed. The organization’s core values are Impact, Integrity, Relationships, and Social Justice.
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Communities In Schools of Chicago (CIS Chicago) seeks an innovative and strategic Director of Annual Giving to develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive annual giving program. This critical role will focus on increasing unrestricted financial support through contributions from individuals (up to $99,999), corporate contributions, and fundraising events, while building a broad, sustainable donor base for the future.
The Director of Annual Giving will oversee a team including the Donor Relations Manager, Associate Director of Development Operations, and Development Operations Coordinator, providing leadership and support to this dynamic team. Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), this position will serve as a key partner in advancing donor engagement strategies and strengthening the foundation for CIS Chicago’s long-term fundraising success. This position is one of three senior level fundraisers reporting to the CDO.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Individual Giving Annual Fund Strategy & Management
- Develop and implement a comprehensive annual giving program to grow unrestricted contributions
- Oversee mail and email campaigns, fundraising events, and other opportunities as applicable to attract, retain, and upgrade donors
- Create and manage strategies for donor stewardship and personal solicitation to increase donor retention and engagement
- Identify and cultivate donors with high-level giving potential, supporting the pipeline for major gifts and planned giving
Corporate Giving Strategy and Management
- Oversee and strategically elevate the corporate giving program
- Create and implement a plan for increasing corporate support with emphasis on corporate support at the $10,000+ level, utilizing the Inspiring Futures program and the annual spring fundraiser
- Provide ongoing stewardship for corporate donors and sponsors
Fundraising Events
- Provide strategy and implementation for development events, with a focus on large scale donor events
- Serve as development team lead for CIS of Chicago’s annual spring fundraiser
Team Leadership
- Provide leadership, direction, and support to the Annual Giving team, overseeing the Donor Relations Manager and Associate Director of Development Operations as direct reports, and the Development Operations Coordinator who reports to the Associate Director
- Ensure alignment between the annual fund strategy and overall development goals
- Act as a filter for detail-focused, day-to-day activities, allowing the CDO to focus on strategy and major gift cultivation
Collaboration & Integration
- Work closely with the CDO to align annual giving efforts with broader development initiatives, including major gifts and capital campaigns
- Partner with the Director of Major Gifts to ensure a seamless transition of donor relationships from annual giving to major gifts
- Maintain consistent messaging and integration across all donor engagement strategies
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
- Serve as the first point of contact for many donors through annual giving campaigns
- Build and cultivate relationships with a diverse donor base, including first-time donors and consistent supporters
- Design stewardship plans to recognize and retain donors at all levels
Data & Reporting
- Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of annual fund strategies, ensuring data-driven decision-making
- Provide regular reports on donor trends, campaign performance, and annual fund progress to the CDO and leadership team
DESIRED SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:
- Strategic thinker with a strong ability to prioritize and delegate
- Exceptional communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with donors, staff, and leadership
- Commitment to the mission and values of Communities In Schools of Chicago
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Minimum 5-7 years of professional fundraising experience, with a strong focus on annual giving and team leadership
- Proven track record of designing and executing successful annual giving campaigns
- Strong knowledge of donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship practices
- Familiarity with CRM systems and donor management software
REPORTS TO:
Chief Development Officer
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The position is full-time. Currently, the work environment is hybrid (20 hours at CIS of Chicago headquarters/20 hours remote), which may be adjusted at the discretion of CIS of Chicago leadership. Candidate must be available to work occasional evenings and weekends.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The salary range for this role is $95,000-$100,000. See cisofchicago.org/join-our-team for additional benefits information.
TO APPLY:
Complete our online application here. Candidates are encouraged to include a cover letter with their application, in addition to their resume.
CIS of Chicago provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.