Development Officer

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois • Chicago, IL

5d • $103,700 - $109,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Development Officer is a frontline fundraiser responsible for securing major gifts that fund life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. This individual carries a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects and moves them through the full development cycle, from identification and cultivation to solicitation and stewardship. The Development Officer reports to the Director of Individual Giving and partners with development leadership, the Leadership Team, Board members, and WishMakers across the chapter to grow contributed revenue from individual donors, with a focus on unrestricted and lightly restricted giving in support of Make-A-Wish Illinois’ (MAWI) mission and strategic plan. This is a portfolio-carrying individual contributor role, measured by relationships built, visits completed, and dollars raised.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, or an equivalent combination of education and professional fundraising experience.
• 5+ years of fundraising experience, with a focus on individual major giving, ideally within the nonprofit sector or a similar environment.
• At least 3 years of direct portfolio management, personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a defined book of major gift donors and prospects.
• Demonstrated track record of personally closing major gifts of $10,000 and above and meeting or exceeding annual revenue goals.
• Working command of moves management and the full donor development cycle, from identification through stewardship.
• Proficiency with donor CRM systems and Microsoft 365; experience with Salesforce or a comparable donor management system is strongly preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, from in-person solicitation to written proposals and presentations.
• Ability to build authentic relationships with donors and colleagues from varied backgrounds, lifestyles, and perspectives.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• Ability to exercise sound independent judgment and take ownership of a personal revenue goal.
• Enthusiasm for the mission and the ability to communicate impact with warmth and authenticity.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Willingness to travel to meet donors and prospects.
• Some night and weekend work will be required for board meetings, donor visits, and wish celebrations.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Salesforce or a comparable donor management system is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manages a portfolio of approximately 100 to 150 major gift donors and prospects, with primary responsibility for gifts in the $10,000 to $100,000 range.
• Builds a portfolio capable of delivering an annual fundraising goal of approximately $1.5 million to $3 million in personally solicited revenue, set each year in partnership with the Director of Individual Giving and Chief Development Officer (CDO).
• Executes a disciplined moves management strategy for each donor, advancing relationships through face-to-face visits, calls, written proposals, and personalized stewardship.
• Develops tailored cultivation and solicitation plans that align donor interests with MAWI funding priorities, including wish grants, signature programs, and strategic initiatives.
• Identifies and qualifies new major gift prospects to maintain a healthy, growing pipeline.
• Prepares proposals, presentations, gift agreements, and stewardship materials that communicate impact and share the power of a wish®.
• Partners with the gift planning function to identify and refer planned giving and non-cash gift opportunities within the portfolio.
• Engages Board members and senior volunteers in the cultivation and solicitation of assigned donors as appropriate.
• Maintains accurate, timely records of all donor activity, moves, and revenue in the CRM, and reports on portfolio performance against goal.
• Represents MAWI at wish celebrations, donor events, and community functions, including some evenings and weekends.

Benefits

• Hybrid Schedule – Tuesdays and Thursdays in-person at the corporate office (200 W. Monroe, Suite 1801, Chicago, IL 60606), and Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays remote, in the event there are no off-site donor commitments.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The duties of the job require extended periods of time being stationary and manipulating a computer (keyboard, monitor, mouse), and other standard office equipment including, but not limited to printer, fax, calculator, copier, telephone and associated computer/technology peripherals.
• At times this job will require an ability to lift up to 30 pounds.

What This Job Offers

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