Chief Development Officer (Chicago)

COOP Careers is a national nonprofit dedicated to closing the gap between college graduation and meaningful career success for first-generation and low-income graduates.

Founded in 2014, COOP provides intensive, career-focused training, professional networks, and employer connections that help talented graduates overcome underemployment and launch careers in fields including technology, digital marketing, financial services, and data analytics. Today, the organization has supported more than 10,000 alumni across New York, the Bay Area, Chicago, and Los Angeles while cultivating partnerships with employers such as Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, TikTok, Barclays, and leading advertising agencies.

COOP now enters one of the most significant moments in its history. Building on a decade of proven impact, the organization is transforming its flagship fellowship into a portfolio of AI-resilient, Pell-eligible certificate programs delivered in partnership with accredited universities. This ambitious strategy positions COOP to dramatically expand its national reach and serve 100,000 low-income graduates by 2035, creating new pathways to economic mobility for generations of students.

The Opportunity

The Chief Development Officer will play a defining leadership role in this next chapter of growth. Reporting directly to Founder and CEO Kalani Leifer, the CDO will lead COOP's entire fundraising enterprise while serving as the CEO's closest strategic partner in philanthropy. This leader will develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy designed to build a diversified revenue portfolio exceeding $12 million annually, deepen relationships with existing philanthropic partners, and expand support from major donors, foundations, government agencies, and institutional partners. At the same time, the CDO will strengthen development operations, oversee forecasting and reporting, guide Board engagement, and build the systems and infrastructure needed to support long-term growth.

Beyond fundraising, this is an opportunity to shape the future of an organization with national aspirations and measurable social impact. The successful candidate will join the executive leadership team during a period of transformation, helping position COOP for unprecedented scale while ensuring that its mission remains at the center of every strategic decision.

For a leader who combines fundraising expertise with operational discipline, collaborative leadership, and a passion for expanding economic opportunity, this role offers the chance to help redefine how higher education and workforce development intersect to create lasting upward mobility.

Compensation for this position is $225,000-$275,000 inclusive of base salary and potential variable compensation.