Director of Development, Midwest
About The Position
The Director of Development, Midwest manages short- and long-term strategies to grow The Obama Foundation’s fundraising program across the Midwest. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, Midwest, the role cultivates, solicits, and stewards six- to seven-figure gifts from individual philanthropists and collaborates with executive leaders to cultivate and close high-level prospects. The position is based at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on a hybrid basis, or may be remote for candidates located in the Midwest outside the Chicago metropolitan area. The Director develops and executes regional fundraising plans, manages a portfolio of more than 100 seven-figure prospects, and builds customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans. The role partners with Foundation leadership, board members, volunteers, regional fundraisers, and other teams; represents Development externally; and supports a data-driven fundraising culture using Salesforce. It also coordinates donor materials, events, and donor experiences at the Obama Presidential Center. The position is expected to secure roughly $10 million annually and meet or exceed fundraising and activity goals.
Requirements
- 8–10 years of experience in fundraising or donor relations, including at least five years managing high-capacity boards and volunteers while securing gifts directly.
- Advanced understanding of philanthropy, moves management, and gift closure.
- Advanced ability to cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward gifts and relationships.
- Mastery of and residency in the Midwestern territory.
- Track record of building relationships with major gift-level donors, including closing gifts of at least $1 million.
- Deep understanding of fundraising programs and high-level gift strategies.
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills and high emotional intelligence.
- Ability to develop and maintain long-term, productive internal and external relationships in a fast-paced, complex environment.
Responsibilities
- Partner with Foundation leadership and key teams to build and execute short- and long-term strategic fundraising plans for a major gifts program across the Midwest.
- Manage a portfolio of 100+ seven-figure prospects and develop customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each.
- Maintain long-term relationships with current and prospective donors, collaborate with Foundation leadership to cultivate high-capacity donors, provide exemplary stewardship, and increase donor retention annually.
- Develop partnerships with select board members and Development Committee members and support their regional fundraising efforts.
- Build cooperative relationships with regional fundraisers, share best practices and ideas, and collaborate on donor cultivation as needed.
- Represent the Development team at external conferences and gatherings and work across Foundation teams to advance a culture of philanthropy.
- Use Salesforce to track and evaluate key metrics and use data to improve practices and inform decisions.
- Coordinate with the Donor Relations team to ensure timely creation and distribution of fundraising and stewardship materials, collateral, briefings, and personalized proposals.
- Collaborate with the Development Events team to host high-capacity donor events and volunteer engagements.
- Partner with organizational stakeholders to improve the donor experience at the Obama Presidential Center through curated tours, donor events, and mission-aligned programs.
- Serve as the development liaison for the Obama Presidential Center, identifying, coordinating, and tracking strategic stewardship opportunities to deepen donor engagement and long-term relationships.
- Secure roughly $10 million annually to support the Foundation’s mission and vision.
- Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals and monthly activity targets; manage and benchmark portfolio strategy, including volunteer engagement; provide high-quality donor stewardship; execute events; and communicate effectively internally and externally.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- The posting directs candidates to the Foundation’s careers site for an overview of its benefits package, including insurance, paid time off, and retirement.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
