Senior Manager of Development (Fundraising & Donor Relations)

Growing Home Inc. • Chicago, IL

11h • Onsite

About The Position

Growing Home, Inc. is a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers individuals with barriers to employment through paid job training in organic agriculture. Our program combines hands‑on, experiential learning on our USDA‑certified organic farms with a comprehensive job‑readiness curriculum that supports participants as they reenter and advance in the workforce. We also strengthen food access in Englewood by providing fresh, healthy produce and community‑centered food education. We are a diverse, energetic, and mission‑driven team committed to creating opportunity, building community, and driving meaningful change. Growing Home offers a collaborative environment where employees can contribute their skills, grow professionally, and make a real impact every day. The Senior Manager of Development reports to the Director of Operations and leads Growing Home’s institutional fundraising strategy. This role will manage a growing team of development officers, including full‑time and part‑time staff, and oversee the organization’s full grants portfolio, funder stewardship, and revenue‑generation strategy. The Senior Manager ensures the long‑term sustainability of Growing Home by driving high‑quality grant writing, cultivating funder relationships, and coordinating cross‑departmental collaboration.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field such as Communications or Marketing
• At least 3+ years of experience in nonprofit development, with a strong track record in grant writing, donor relations and institutional fundraising.
• Demonstrated experience securing gifts from individuals in the 5 and 6-figure range, as well as grassroots fundraising
• Experience supervising and developing staff.
• Strong understanding of development operations, prospect and project management, and fundraising systems.
• Proven record of excellent oral and writing communication, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Commitment to Growing Home’s mission and values.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills, strong attention to detail
• Professional computer skills, proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite
• Must be proficient in data entry (Sales Force a plus), tracking, analysis, and reporting, and database/software systems.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM systems preferred.
• Proficiency in WordPress, Constant Contact, or similar programs a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the full lifecycle of Growing Home’s grant portfolio, including prospecting, strategy development, proposal writing, reporting, and compliance.
• Ensures timely submission of a minimum of 8–12 proposals and 4–6 reports per month, with the understanding that these figures may shift based on organizational needs.
• Maintains a comprehensive grants calendar and ensures all deadlines are met.
• Prepares robust, data‑driven grant and revenue reports for Finance Committee, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors meetings.
• Leads the yearly grants snapshot and supports the grant reconciliation process in partnership with Finance.
• Coordinates with program, finance, and leadership teams to gather data, budgets, and impact narratives.
• Develops and executes an annual fundraising plan aligned with organizational goals and multi‑year growth priorities.
• Identifies new funding opportunities across corporate, foundation, government, and philanthropic networks.
• Tracks progress toward revenue targets and prepares development dashboards for leadership and board review.
• Writes compelling proposals, LOIs, concept papers, and funder updates that reflect accurate program data and strong storytelling.
• Leads internal review processes and ensures proposals meet compliance, formatting, and submission requirements.
• Ensures all submissions reflect alignment with funder priorities and organizational impact.
• Cultivates and stewards relationships with current and prospective funders through meetings, site visits, events, and consistent communication.
• Prepares stewardship materials, including impact updates, success stories, and annual reports.
• Partners with the Executive Director and Director of Operations to manage high‑level funder relationships.
• Supervises a growing team of development officers, including full‑time and part‑time staff.
• Provides coaching, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
• Ensures team alignment with organizational priorities, grant deadlines, and fundraising goals.
• Leads planning and execution of Growing Home’s major annual events, including: The Annual Benefit, The Backyard Barbecue, The Year‑End Appeal.
• Coordinates cross‑departmental logistics, sponsorship outreach, donor engagement, and post‑event stewardship.
• Ensures events align with fundraising goals and organizational messaging.
• Maintains and optimizes the prospect database, ensuring accurate tracking of funder activity, deadlines, and stewardship touchpoints.
• Oversees prospect research and pipeline development to support long‑term revenue growth.
• Ensures data integrity and consistent use of Salesforce and other development systems.
• Works closely with program staff to translate program outcomes into fundable narratives.
• Collaborates with finance to ensure accurate budgets, forecasts, and grant allocations.
• Supports marketing and communications efforts to align messaging with development goals.

Benefits

• Collaborative environment where employees can contribute their skills, grow professionally, and make a real impact every day.

What This Job Offers

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