Senior Director of Advancement

Chicago, IL

2d•$100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Advancement (SDOA) is a senior member of the leadership team accountable for all advancement functions, including fundraising, donor relations, grants, strategic partnerships, and marketing and communications. The SDOA is responsible for the contributed revenue that sustains the organization’s mission, and ensures all advancement work is grounded in survivor-centered values, confidentiality, equity, and trauma-informed practice, ensuring ethical storytelling, cultural humility, and respectful engagement in fundraising strategy, donor relations, and communications. The SDOA will directly engage in major gifts cultivation and key donor relationships, and will provide strategic leadership, including setting priorities and strengthening advancement infrastructure in close partnership with the Executive Director. The Director of Advancement, Marketing, & Communications (DAMC) reports to the SDOA and leads day-to-day implementation of annual giving, communications, and events.

Requirements

Ten or more years of experience in fundraising, development, or advancement
High emotional intelligence and cultural humility, with a demonstrated ability to engage diverse communities and donors with sensitivity
Demonstrated success securing major gifts and managing donor relationships
Strong written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated trauma-informed communication and ethical storytelling in a donor-facing context, including proposal writing and impact storytelling
Strong strategic thinking, prioritization, and organizational skills with a record of managing complex, multi-year advancement plans
Experience with marketing or communications strategy
Proficiency with donor CRM systems, development analytics, online fundraising platforms, and standard office and communications software
Experience in collaborative leadership and team development, including mentoring staff and managing advancement teams or consultants
Ability to work effectively in a small, mission-driven, trauma-informed organization
Budget development and management experience
Minimum five years of supervisory experience
BA/BS (or equivalent experience) in business, nonprofit management, marketing, or similar field
Exceptional executive functioning skills
Adaptability, conscientiousness, and reliability
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to give and receive honest, constructive feedback
Ability to take initiative and work independently, as well as in a team environment that includes cross-department coordination
Passion for Resilience's mission required
Flexibility to work occasional evening and weekend hours
Completion of minimum 40-hours of sexual assault training within 90 days of hire

Nice To Haves

GiveSmart experience a plus
Knowledge of the Chicago philanthropic community highly desired
Understanding of sexual assault and violence, gender-based violence, women's issues, human rights issues, and trauma-informed approaches

Responsibilities

Partner with the Executive Director and Fundraising Committee to develop long-term revenue strategies
Develop and execute a fundraising strategy incorporating major gifts, annual giving, grants, corporate partnerships, and events aligned with organizational goals
Ensure decisions and strategies are data-driven, including the agency’s Customer Relations Management (CRM) data
Focus on new individual donor acquisition, particularly major gifts
Spearhead a planned giving program, cultivating legacy donor relationships and building infrastructure to grow this revenue stream over time
Collaborate with the DAMC to develop a grant strategy and priorities; ensure compliance, timely reporting, and strong funder relationships
Develop the advancement budget with the Executive Director and financial services staff; manage the budget, monitor fundraising metrics to ensure revenue goals are met, and report progress regularly to the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, and Fundraising Committee
Strengthen internal systems, donor management processes
Lead and oversee the collaborative design of a trauma-informed stewardship framework that reinforces survivor-centered values across all giving levels
Assess and strengthen donor pipelines; create new donor pipelines, particularly major donors; and improve donor retention and stewardship systems
Partner with the Executive Director and DAMC to develop and implement a portfolio management strategy, determining the best breakdown for key staff to cultivate, solicit, and steward, including the ED, SDOA, and DAMC
Monitor donor retention rates and guide strategies to strengthen long-term engagement
Set strategic direction and goals for fundraising and stewardship events based on past results, knowledge of our donor base, and current trends
Develop community engagement opportunities that educate and activate supporters, and ensure all events reflect trauma-informed design and organizational values
Partner with the ED and Leadership Team to strengthen organizational visibility
Build and maintain relationships with community partners, foundations, and corporations
Represent the organization at advocacy initiatives, community events, donor meetings, and key major donor cultivation events
Oversee volunteer fundraising engagement and give/get accountability, working with the DAMC on operational BOD and Associate Board (AB) support
Set the strategic direction for all marketing and communications, ensuring messaging is trauma-informed and culturally responsive
Oversee impact reports using anonymized data and ethical storytelling; collaborate with program staff to gather mission-aligned content
Ensure brand consistency across all platforms and materials; approve major campaigns, media outreach, and public-facing content
Support the Executive Director in public relations and crisis communication
Collaborate with the Executive Director and volunteers, including the Board of Directors and Associate Board
Supervise and mentor the DAMC and support their oversight of advancement staff, contractors, and interns
Oversee the recruitment, hiring, and supervision of the Engagement Manager, Communications Consultant, and Grant Writer, as needed
Foster a culture of philanthropy by engaging staff across the organization in donor awareness and mission storytelling
Participate on hiring committees as needed
Perform other duties as assigned to further the reputation and financial stability of Resilience.