Senior Development Officer (Chicago)

The posted salary range includes both the base salary and bonus potential

All candidates must submit a resume AND cover letter to complete an application for this role

Students who attend Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) will be the next generation of leaders in the City of Chicago. Talented people who wish to be employed by Chicago Jesuit Academy must demonstrate a past and continued commitment to educational equity, professional development and the Jesuit ideal of being people for others. Strong candidates are disciplined workers, compassionate listeners and tireless advocates for the children they serve. Most importantly, they recognize that Chicago Jesuit Academy will ask them to approach their work as a vocation and make substantial contributions of their time and talents in the service of the students, alumni and families of CJA.

Our ideal Senior Development Officer will play a crucial role in implementing fundraising strategies, cultivating donor relationships, writing grants and supporting various efforts to ensure the smooth functioning of our Development department. They will become an integral part of the team’s success as a trusted leader who exercises sound judgment, manages increasingly complex fundraising initiatives and contributes to the team's strategic direction. Their sincere commitment to educational equity, exceptional communication, strength in building relationships, meticulous attention to detail and innovative thinking will be essential to our team’s ability to achieve our goals and further the mission of our larger school community. We believe in learning through action, so there will be close collaboration with colleagues as this role learns to authentically master their contributions to the work of our team.

Our ideal Senior Development Officer will:

Fundraising and Stewardship

• Fundraise between $1-1.5 million annually through strategic consideration and invitation of renewals, increases in support or new financial asks to support team in meeting a $15-$16M collective fundraising goal
• Actively research new prospects, identify new connections and engage in new introductions to our work, both for individuals and foundations
• Directly steward financial and other contributions from major donors to achieve the annual fundraising goals of the Development team
• Master an understanding of the programs, framework, mission and outcomes of our student, alumni and partner-school relationships to effectively share our work with donors
• Solicit and coordinate on-campus visits for the President and fellow team members
• Manage all aspects of your portfolio including oversight and maintenance of donor data and processes
• Work with donors to coordinate small events to introduce our work to their networks
• Model the highest standards of donor stewardship, collaboration and professional practice for the team

Grants Management

• Serve as a primary writer for grant proposals and foundations’ annual reporting, ensuring consistency, clarity and alignment with funder priorities
• Collaborate with multiple individuals across different departments to collect and present compelling and relevant anecdotal program information
• Collect and incorporate the necessary quantitative data into letters of intent, reports and proposals to demonstrate organization outcomes

Communication

• Consistently engage with donors through clear and compelling communication about how their investment is making a difference in the lives of the students, alumni, families and communities we serve
• Manage major donor renewal cycles, including drafting communications and engaging Board and Committee members
• Oversee and execute various donor communications projects per deadlines outlined in the team’s annual calendar

Events

• Supporting planning and managing annual school or fundraising events, including logistics, outreach and overall management in partnership with donors or fellow staff

Strategic Planning/Other

• Collaborates with manager and fellow Senior-level team members to make strategic, programming and support decisions aligned with fiscal year budget, team goals and guiding principles
• Provide input and insights to further develop the team’s fundraising strategies
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned by manager

The ideal candidate should:

• Have a sincere commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a belief that all children deserve equitable access to a high-quality education
• Possess impeccable attention to detail and accuracy and strong organizational and project management skills
• Exhibit credibility and professionalism when presenting materials to external audiences and demonstrate experience and confidence in stewarding donor relationships and resources
• Possess strong written and oral communication skills including the ability to support team communication to donors in a clear and concise manner
• Possess strong relationship-building skills including the ability to navigate challenging conversations across lines of difference and to listen sincerely and effectively
• Have a strong understanding of data utilization and management for strategic fundraising operations and decision making
• Possess a professional and resourceful style including an ability to work independently and as a team player, to take initiative and to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time
• Actively engage in the life of the school and larger CJA community
• Climb over, dig under or go through obstacles that would otherwise keep CJA students, alumni and families from having the resources they need to navigate a path out of material poverty
• Expect to execute other duties as assigned. This position occasionally requires non-traditional work hours to run evening or weekend events and best support our team’s success
• Experience utilizing Salesforce or a similar database

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years professional experience and demonstrated success in nonprofit organization, business development, direct sales or a related function
• All candidates must submit a resume AND cover letter to complete an application for this role
• This is a full-time, largely on-site and in-person role
• All candidates must be authorized to work in the United States

Mission : Chicago Jesuit Academy’s schools provide a loving and academically rigorous tuition-free Catholic education to students and families from resilient communities impacted by historical disinvestment. We accompany our students and alumni from enrollment through the start of their careers as they develop their gifts and chart their unique paths to meaningful employment as young men and women for others.

Means : CJA admits students to all grades and programs without regard for their race, ethnicity or religion, and CJA enrolls students prior to 5th grade without regard for students’ past levels of academic achievement.

We use small class sizes, extended school days, and year-round learning opportunities to give personal care to our students and help them develop as whole persons.

We accompany our alumni on their unique paths to meaningful employment and support them throughout high school, their post-secondary education and the start of their careers as they strive to continue to develop their gifts and support CJA and the broader community.

CJA students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteers and benefactors listen to and learn from one another and make disciplined sacrifices to accomplish our shared mission.

We partner with other schools and the broader community to create access to better educational resources, confront systemic racism and remove obstacles to educational equity.

We call one another to find God in all things and be men and women for others who seek intellectual excellence and are open to growth, loving, religious and committed to doing justice.

Chicago Jesuit Academy, in accordance with our Jesuit tradition, is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the CJA community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected identity.