Senior Director Institutional Giving

About Mikva Challenge

Mikva Challenge is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to develop youth to be engaged, informed, and active citizens and community members who will promote a just and equitable society. We do this by engaging youth in an authentic and transformative learning process built on youth voice and youth expertise. Youth in Mikva’s programming experience unique civic learning opportunities. Our approaches include direct youth work, teacher support, and liaising with civic leaders and institutions. We believe strongly in the potential of youth and are committed to youth voice.

Mikva Challenge evaluations show the lasting impact of its programs:

• 82% of students reported an increase in their civic knowledge.
• 77% of students developed their sense of civic agency and increased their future commitment to civic action.
• 83% of students took on new civic leadership.
• 79% of students reported gains in their socio-emotional skills — many of which have direct academic outcomes.

About the Position

Mikva Challenge is seeking a seasoned development professional and frontline fundraiser with deep roots in the philanthropic landscape. The Senior Director of Institutional Giving will play a pivotal role in elevating the organization’s profile by cultivating strategic, high-value partnerships with foundations and companies as well as pursuing government funding opportunities. The Senior Director will serve as the expert in institutional fundraising and provide input to the Chief Advancement Officer on trends and opportunities to help inform our broader advancement strategy.

The Senior Director of Institutional Giving will oversee an institutional giving portfolio of over 70 foundation and corporate donors and prospects, in addition to managing 5–10 government grant applications annually. With a responsibility of raising approximately $4M annually, the Senior Director will create and implement strategies to grow the institutional funding stream, serve as the primary portfolio and relationship manager for most donors, and manage a team of two Institutional Giving Managers.

As a senior member of the Advancement team, this position will also contribute to broader fundraising efforts by creating strategies, resources, and processes that can be applied across the organization’s funding streams and communications efforts.

Office Location: This is a hybrid position, working in the downtown Chicago office, as well as remotely, engaging with staff and stakeholders through virtual platforms. This position is not eligible for paid relocation.

Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer

Core Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy and Execution

• Set the vision and direction for Mikva Challenge's institutional fundraising, including annual and multi-year revenue goals, strategies for each revenue stream, and a plan to identify and cultivate new institutional funders.
• Develop and execute operational plans to implement the institutional fundraising strategies.
• Design and implement Mikva Challenge's corporate giving and engagement strategy.
• Monitor revenue goals and proactively address potential shortfalls in fundraising projections.
• Research philanthropic trends and best practices in foundation and corporate giving; recommend new ideas to the Chief Advancement Officer to creatively secure funding.

Donor Portfolio and Relationship Management

• Lead, grow, and manage a portfolio of foundations, corporations, and government entities through all stages of the grant lifecycle, including LOIs, proposals, reports, tracking submissions, and stewardship.
• Engage Mikva Challenge leadership and program staff in donor cultivation by facilitating strategy conversations and preparing team members for donor meetings.
• Conduct ongoing research to identify and pursue new institutional funding opportunities.
• Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive development plan to expand and enhance institutional relationships.
• Coordinate proactive stewardship plans, including site visits to connect institutional givers with Mikva’s work and identify other engagement opportunities.
• Engage institutional funders through events, programming, and sponsorships.

Team and People Management

• Lead, supervise, and coach a team of two Institutional Giving Managers.
• Develop SMART goals for staff and provide ongoing feedback to support growth and performance.
• Oversee preparation and submission of proposals, grant agreements, and presentation materials for direct reports.
• Foster collaboration between the program and advancement teams by designing systems to share program updates for grant proposals, reports, and donor updates.

Operations and Data Management

• Maintain accurate data records for institutional, corporate, and government partners in the CRM database.
• Track engagement metrics and analyze data to guide strategic planning.
• Assist in development operations initiatives, including CRM data review, gift processing, and donor acknowledgements.
• Accurately project and forecast revenue to support programmatic, fiscal, and operational goals.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience: 7–10 years of relevant experience, including at least 5+ years in development with expertise in cultivating, securing, and stewarding high-value institutional and corporate partnerships.

Competencies and Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with a track record of cultivating donor relationships.
• Experience managing high-value foundation and corporate relationships, including co-creating multi-faceted engagement with donors.
• Exceptional writing skills and ability to develop and implement ambitious fundraising plans for institutional funding.
• 5+ years of experience supervising direct reports and supporting their growth.
• Ability to communicate the organization’s mission and goals to a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and feedback skills with the ability to edit others’ work and to write and speak clearly and persuasively.
• Strong project management and budget development/monitoring experience.
• Familiarity with current issues and trends in education and philanthropic funding landscapes in education and youth programming.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Passion for youth development and addressing social injustice in underserved communities.
• Strong knowledge of MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with a CRM/donor database platform such as Salsa.
• Willingness to work periodic weekends and evenings, twice per quarter.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this IL-based position is $90,000 to $110,000 annually, commensurate with experience. We offer a competitive benefits package, including paid time off, medical, dental, vision, 401K, disability, and life insurance.

Equity Statement

Mikva Challenge is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity, and gender expression), sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. We strongly encourage candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to apply.

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