Associate Director of Development Operations

Communities In Schools of Chicago • Chicago, IL

2d

About The Position

Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago is seeking an Associate Director of Development Operations to join their high-performing Development team. This role is ideal for a strategic, detail-oriented operations professional who enjoys improving systems, leveraging data to drive fundraising success, and bringing large-scale donor events to life. As the operational backbone of the Development team, this position will oversee donor database management, fundraising operations, gift processing, reporting and analytics, and event logistics, ensuring the team has the necessary tools, processes, and insights to cultivate and steward donors effectively. The mission of CIS of Chicago is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The vision is to ensure that every public school student in Chicago graduates from high school prepared to succeed. The organization's core values are Impact, Integrity, Relationships, and Social Justice.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 5-7 years of experience in development operations, fundraising, database management, event management, or a related field.
• Experience with donor CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Strong project management, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Commitment to the mission of Communities In Schools of Chicago.

Responsibilities

• Manage the organization's donor database, ensuring accurate, secure, and timely donor and gift records.
• Lead CRM optimization and support future database enhancements.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and donor analyses to inform fundraising strategy.
• Oversee gift processing, donor acknowledgments, and fundraising metrics in partnership with the Development Assistant.
• Support key fundraising initiatives, including the Annual Appeal and other donor campaigns.
• Train Development team members on CRM best practices and data management.
• Conduct donor and prospect research to identify new funding opportunities.
• Manage pledge tracking, reporting, and fundraising analytics.
• Continuously improve operational processes and team workflows.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Finance for reconciliations, budgeting, gift reporting, and financial tracking.
• Coordinate data requests and support special projects across departments.
• Lead planning and execution of donor cultivation events, including vendor management, logistics, registration, and post-event reporting.
• Support volunteer committees and attend select evening or weekend events as needed.

Benefits

• Salary: $70,000
• Comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plan, and generous paid time off.
• A collaborative community of educators, nonprofit leaders, and partners working together to create lasting change across Chicago.
• Meaningful impact with the opportunity to change lives – one student, one school, and one community at a time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level