Director of Individual and Planned Giving
Join to apply for the Director of Individual and Planned Giving role at Chicago Architecture Center . This position plays a key role in building lasting philanthropic relationships, managing a portfolio of individual and major donors, advancing relationships for increased donations and gifts, and securing significant contributions to advance the Center’s priorities, including both operating and capital needs.
Position Summary
This role is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, tracking, and stewarding individual donors and prospects in support of the Chicago Architecture Center’s mission, exhibitions, and programs. The successful candidate will have an excellent work ethic, be optimistic, organized, and have an interest in architecture, design, art & culture, and/or education. Position is hybrid after 3 months.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
- Manage a portfolio of approximately 150–200 mid‑level to major donors and prospects capable of giving $5,000+ annually.
- Manage the portfolio of giving among trustees.
- Manage the CAC’s Planned Giving program with development leadership and steering committee.
- Develop tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies to engage donors in the CAC’s mission and impact.
- Conduct face‑to‑face donor visits, presentations, and solicitations to meet annual and long‑term fundraising goals.
- Create a donor stewardship process by developing customized stewardship plans and maintaining strong, ongoing relationships.
- Participate in all aspects of the gift cycle, including initiating contacts with potential donors, developing cultivation strategies, moving prospects toward solicitation and closure, making solicitations directly or in tandem with the leadership team, and maintaining stewardship contacts.
- Collaborate with leadership, curators, and program staff to create meaningful donor experiences, including exhibition previews, behind‑the‑scenes tours, and events.
- Work with the Development team to maintain excellent donor records, create donor communications, acknowledgments, and impact reports.
- Act as a strong advocate for prospective donors and the community.
- Partner with the AVP of Development to devise and carry out strategies for expanding the major gifts pipeline.
- Collaborate with the Development Research Manager to develop donor prospect research strategies and create detailed profiles on major and planned gifts prospects.
- Support fundraising events, campaigns, capital initiatives, and other opportunities.
- Work closely with trustees, senior leadership, and the CAC volunteer community to leverage networks and engage new prospects.
- Track and report on donor activity, revenue, and progress toward goals using CAC’s CRM/database system.
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
- Minimum of 5 years of progressive fundraising experience, with at least 2 years focused on major gifts or individual giving.
- Demonstrated track record securing five‑figure to six‑figure gifts.
- Strong knowledge of donor cultivation best practices.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
- An organized, focused, and goal‑oriented personality coupled with a high level of initiative, energy, and capacity for work.
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with diverse stakeholders.
- High degree of professionalism, discretion, and a donor‑centered mindset.
- Familiarity with museum or cultural institutions preferred.
- Familiarity with donor database/CRM systems.