Director of Development

Chinese American Service League•Chicago, IL

4d•$95,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

Join CASL as a Director of Development and lead efforts to cultivate donors, corporate partners, and community champions who will help expand opportunities for the communities we serve. The Director of Development is responsible for building and expanding CASL's philanthropic pipeline by identifying, qualifying, and engaging prospective donors and partners. Focused on the front end of the fundraising cycle, this role strengthens CASL's donor base and long-term fundraising capacity by creating new pathways for philanthropic investment in the organization's mission. Working closely with Advancement leadership, the Director helps ensure a strong and sustainable pipeline of supporters who can advance CASL's work and impact across the communities it serves. Ultimately, this role expands CASL's philanthropic reach and helps secure the resources necessary to support long-term organizational growth and community impact.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field.
Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, cultivating, and developing donor and/or corporate partnership opportunities.
Proven track record of managing a fundraising or donor development portfolio and meeting or exceeding engagement, pipeline, or revenue goals.
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform for donor management, moves management, and reporting.
Exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to engage confidently with diverse donor audiences, board members, corporate executives, and community stakeholders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage prospective donors, facilitate meaningful conversations, and communicate organizational impact effectively.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into donor engagement strategies and fundraising initiatives.
High degree of personal accountability, initiative, and ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong organization and follow-through.
Data-driven approach to portfolio management, with comfort using metrics to evaluate performance and inform decision-making.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, philanthropy, or a related field.
Experience working in a community-based, social services, or mission-driven nonprofit organization.
Familiarity with the Chicago philanthropic landscape, including individual major donors, corporate giving programs, and civic networks.
Bilingual fluency in an Asian language spoken within CASL's service communities (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese).
CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) certification or active pursuit of the certification.

Responsibilities

Design and execute strategies to identify, qualify, and engage prospective individual, corporate, and community donors aligned with CASL's mission and funding priorities.
Build and manage a discovery portfolio of 75–125 prospects, guiding individuals through the identification, qualification, and early engagement stages of the donor journey.
Leverage board networks, community relationships, peer referrals, events, and research tools to uncover philanthropic opportunities and expand CASL's donor pipeline.
Conduct discovery meetings, introductory conversations, site visits, and other engagement activities to assess donor interest, philanthropic capacity, and alignment with CASL's mission.
Develop personalized engagement strategies and maintain accurate prospect records, assessments, and activity documentation within Salesforce.
Build awareness of CASL throughout the Chicago philanthropic, civic, and community landscape to strengthen relationships and generate new donor opportunities.
Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer, board members, and internal stakeholders to cultivate connections and secure introductions to prospective supporters.
Utilize data, wealth screening, market insights, and portfolio analysis to prioritize outreach efforts and maximize pipeline growth and donor engagement.
Collaborate with Advancement leadership to establish portfolio development goals, monitor prospect movement, and support long-term fundraising growth strategies.
Support donor cultivation events, engagement initiatives, and stewardship activities that introduce new audiences to CASL's mission, programs, and impact.
Partner with the Advancement Manager to ensure seamless transitions of qualified prospects into active cultivation and solicitation portfolios.
Collaborate with Marketing & Communications and other internal stakeholders to develop compelling donor-facing materials and foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization.