Director of Development

Design and execute strategies to identify, qualify, and engage prospective individual, corporate, and community donors aligned with CASL's mission and funding priorities.  

Build and manage a discovery portfolio of 75–125 prospects, guiding individuals through the identification, qualification, and early engagement stages of the donor journey.  

Leverage board networks, community relationships, peer referrals, events, and research tools to uncover philanthropic opportunities and expand CASL's donor pipeline.  

Conduct discovery meetings, introductory conversations, site visits, and other engagement activities to assess donor interest, philanthropic capacity, and alignment with CASL's mission.  

Develop personalized engagement strategies and maintain accurate prospect records, assessments, and activity documentation within Salesforce.  

Build awareness of CASL throughout the Chicago philanthropic, civic, and community landscape to strengthen relationships and generate new donor opportunities.  

Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer, board members, and internal stakeholders to cultivate connections and secure introductions to prospective supporters.  

Utilize data, wealth screening, market insights, and portfolio analysis to prioritize outreach efforts and maximize pipeline growth and donor engagement.  

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field.  

Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, cultivating, and developing donor and/or corporate partnership opportunities.  

Proven track record of managing a fundraising or donor development portfolio and meeting or exceeding engagement, pipeline, or revenue goals.  

Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform for donor management, moves management, and reporting. 

Exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to engage confidently with diverse donor audiences, board members, corporate executives, and community stakeholders.  

Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage prospective donors, facilitate meaningful conversations, and communicate organizational impact effectively.  

Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into donor engagement strategies and fundraising initiatives.  

High degree of personal accountability, initiative, and ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong organization and follow-through.  

Data-driven approach to portfolio management, with comfort using metrics to evaluate performance and inform decision-making. 

Advanced degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, philanthropy, or a related field.  

Experience working in a community-based, social services, or mission-driven nonprofit organization.  

Familiarity with the Chicago philanthropic landscape, including individual major donors, corporate giving programs, and civic networks.  

Bilingual fluency in an Asian language spoken within CASL's service communities (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese).  

CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) certification or active pursuit of the certification. 

Standard business hours, Monday through Friday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), with flexibility to work additional hours, as necessary. 

Regular local travel is required for donor meetings, cultivation events, community engagement activities, and organizational representation opportunities. 

Occasional evening and weekend attendance may be required to support donor engagement, fundraising events, and community activities.