Career Blazers Nonprofit Search
Senior Director of Donor Engagement
Career Blazers Nonprofit Search, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Senior Director of Donor Engagement and Operations
Chicago, IL
Onsite
Position Overview Join a purpose-driven team working to end hunger and tackle its root causes through community partnerships, advocacy, and direct food distribution. Every role contributes to a powerful mission that helps provide millions of meals annually to individuals and families in need. Be part of a movement creating lasting change by increasing access to nutritious food and building a healthier, more equitable future for all.
As Senior Director of Donor Engagement and Operations, you will oversee key functions that drive fundraising success, including donor cultivation and stewardship, planning and strategy, prospect management and pipeline development, metrics and analytics, and development operations. You will partner closely with the Chief Philanthropy Officer and cross‑department leaders to strengthen collaboration, enhance data‑driven insights into donor behavior, and elevate donor engagement through a robust cultivation and stewardship framework. You will also serve as a member of development leadership and participate in cross‑functional project teams as needed.
Responsibilities
Lead comprehensive donor cultivation and stewardship to strengthen engagement and retention
Improve cross‑department systems and processes supporting fundraising
Oversee moves management, donor research, and donor operations
Develop and report on key performance indicators
Supervise a team of ten, including four direct reports
Build and maintain effective stewardship and cultivation systems and workflows
Collaborate across Development, Marketing, Community Impact, Policy, and Advocacy teams to enhance donor engagement
Manage a robust cultivation program across in‑person, online, and virtual channels
Partner with CPO and Technology teams on systems, data, and tools for pipeline management
Stay informed on program budgets and needs to align fundraising strategies
Translate organizational priorities into fundraising goals with leadership
Support team workplans and track KPIs across development
Use data to guide fundraising strategy and drive continuous improvement
Streamline business processes for efficiency in gift processing, prospect management, forecasting, and reporting
Promote collaboration across the donor pipeline
Supervise Prospect Development Manager and guide moves management and portfolio development
Recommend refinements to the CPO’s donor portfolio
Collaborate with leaders to define and adjust donor engagement metrics
Provide strategic oversight of data management and gift processing teams
Supervise the Director of Development Operations and support data and research decisions
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of relevant development experience
4+ years managing multi‑functional teams
Strong skills in strategy development, change management, and system improvement
Proven success building cultivation and stewardship programs
Demonstrated initiative and willingness to take on new projects
Excellent interpersonal, listening, written, and verbal communication skills
Effective presenter and negotiator
Highly organized and detail oriented
Adaptable, flexible, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
Collaborative team player who can also work independently
Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in fundraising
Proficient in MS Office and experienced with development databases
Ability to travel locally as needed; evening and weekend availability required
Compensation
Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
Employer‑paid life and disability insurance
Employee Assistance Program
403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
Generous paid time off
$3,000 annual employer‑paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program
$250.00 employee Referral bonus
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Full‑time
Job function
Finance
Industries
Non‑profit Organizations
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Chicago, IL
Onsite
Position Overview Join a purpose-driven team working to end hunger and tackle its root causes through community partnerships, advocacy, and direct food distribution. Every role contributes to a powerful mission that helps provide millions of meals annually to individuals and families in need. Be part of a movement creating lasting change by increasing access to nutritious food and building a healthier, more equitable future for all.
As Senior Director of Donor Engagement and Operations, you will oversee key functions that drive fundraising success, including donor cultivation and stewardship, planning and strategy, prospect management and pipeline development, metrics and analytics, and development operations. You will partner closely with the Chief Philanthropy Officer and cross‑department leaders to strengthen collaboration, enhance data‑driven insights into donor behavior, and elevate donor engagement through a robust cultivation and stewardship framework. You will also serve as a member of development leadership and participate in cross‑functional project teams as needed.
Responsibilities
Lead comprehensive donor cultivation and stewardship to strengthen engagement and retention
Improve cross‑department systems and processes supporting fundraising
Oversee moves management, donor research, and donor operations
Develop and report on key performance indicators
Supervise a team of ten, including four direct reports
Build and maintain effective stewardship and cultivation systems and workflows
Collaborate across Development, Marketing, Community Impact, Policy, and Advocacy teams to enhance donor engagement
Manage a robust cultivation program across in‑person, online, and virtual channels
Partner with CPO and Technology teams on systems, data, and tools for pipeline management
Stay informed on program budgets and needs to align fundraising strategies
Translate organizational priorities into fundraising goals with leadership
Support team workplans and track KPIs across development
Use data to guide fundraising strategy and drive continuous improvement
Streamline business processes for efficiency in gift processing, prospect management, forecasting, and reporting
Promote collaboration across the donor pipeline
Supervise Prospect Development Manager and guide moves management and portfolio development
Recommend refinements to the CPO’s donor portfolio
Collaborate with leaders to define and adjust donor engagement metrics
Provide strategic oversight of data management and gift processing teams
Supervise the Director of Development Operations and support data and research decisions
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years of relevant development experience
4+ years managing multi‑functional teams
Strong skills in strategy development, change management, and system improvement
Proven success building cultivation and stewardship programs
Demonstrated initiative and willingness to take on new projects
Excellent interpersonal, listening, written, and verbal communication skills
Effective presenter and negotiator
Highly organized and detail oriented
Adaptable, flexible, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
Collaborative team player who can also work independently
Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in fundraising
Proficient in MS Office and experienced with development databases
Ability to travel locally as needed; evening and weekend availability required
Compensation
Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
Employer‑paid life and disability insurance
Employee Assistance Program
403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
Generous paid time off
$3,000 annual employer‑paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program
$250.00 employee Referral bonus
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Full‑time
Job function
Finance
Industries
Non‑profit Organizations
#J-18808-Ljbffr