Director of Development, Individual and Institutional Giving

We exist so families can get better together. Each night we keep 181 families close to the care and resources they need through six area Ronald McDonald Houses and four Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. Enabling families to stay close to their hospitalized child supports the health and well-being of the child and saves families more than $10 million in hotel and food costs each year. We also operate the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile program providing medical care to children in underserved areas. RMHC-CNI is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

RMHC-CNIis seeking an experiencedDirector of Development Individual and Institutional Giving. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer the ideal candidate is a high-performing self-starter with proven experience in relationship management and knowledge of best practices in major gift fundraising annual fund operations individual giving moves management and donor trends. Familiarity with institutional funding is essential as the candidate will create cultivation plans to build relationships with key foundation stakeholders and oversee grant deliverables. The candidate will be enthusiastic about expanding the existing major gifts and individual giving program creating and managing portfolios for respective front-line fundraisers and collaborating with the marketing team on the external direct response program. This role requires a passion for building relationships and the ability to use data to identify growth opportunities. Key responsibilities include developing executing and managing major gifts and mid-level donor strategy including engagement with foundation program officers while overseeing executive-level donor stewardship.

Leadership

• Provides thought leadership to the Development Team as well as participates across the organization as part of the broader leadership team
• Works closely cross-functionally with all other Development Team members as well as Programs Community Engagement Marketing Finance and Human Resources
• Develops and retains talent including ensuring employees have development plans and performance appraisals makes compensation decisions and provides appreciation and recognition
• Represents the Charity in speaking roles and attending fundraising engagements
• This position manages a seasoned prospect researcher as well as a contracted foundations team member whose firm provides strategy research grant writing and partial grant administration
• The ideal candidate is comfortable working autonomously toward goals while collaborating across teams

Individual & Institutional Giving

• Develop and manage an individual giving program for major gifts and mid-level donors
• Create strategies and support executives in prospecting and cultivating relationships with new donors improve donor retention grow recurring donors
• Help leadership cultivate relationships with key contacts through traditional individual giving tactics
• With support from grant contractor identify foundation program officers and leaders to cultivate relationships with and manage meeting preparation materials and follow up
• Act as steward of existing foundation relationships engaging in regular calls and communications to keep funders informed
• Support board management such as meetings communications board giving and relationship cultivation with guidance from CDO and CEO
• Leverage strong analytical skills to identify areas for growth in individual giving
• Propose creative solicitation plans and campaigns and possess excellent writing and storytelling skills
• Use familiarity with moves management best practices to improve recurring donor behaviors and gifts
• Support foundations team by managing internal stakeholders through unique grant opportunities monitoring grant deliverables and supporting grant application writing process by reviewing and editing
• Manage part-time foundation contractor providing insights and guidance on strategies research and suggest opportunities lead and execute grant writing and all reporting
• Collaborate across verticals and teams especially Development team Programs Finance and Marketing to gather and synthesize data outcomes and stories to grow to inform donor communications and fulfill or enhance grant applications and reporting.
• Work with Development Data Operations to ensure CRM Individual Giving needs and grant deliverables
• Generate detailed action reports and analytics on Individual Giving fundraising progress

Education and Experience

• Bachelors degree required
• 10 years of successful fundraising experience with extensive experience in building and managing individual giving or membership programs major gifts planned giving and familiarity with grants management
• Experience managing multiple projects concurrently demonstrating a sense of urgency results oriented and meeting deadlines
• Proven success in donor moves management increasing giving levels or frequency
• Excellent relationship building skills interested in stewarding individual donors and foundation program officers to build meaningful and lasting connections
• Knowledge of individual and/or fundraising trends and best practices
• Experience working directly with senior leadership teams and other key stakeholders.
• Excellent storytelling written and interpersonal communications skills
• Creative thinker with a track record of translating strategic thinking into action plans and output
• Passion for the Ronald McDonald House mission to provide essential services that remove barriers strengthen families and promote healing when children need healthcare

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Must possess excellent organizational and planning skills. Ability to work within tight deadlines adjust to changes in priorities and balance short-term needs with long-term strategic initiatives
• Strong writing editing and proofreading skills
• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups including staff board members volunteers donors program participants and other supporters
• Initiative-taker able to work independently and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives
• Working knowledge with the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Experience using Blackbaud or equivalent CRM/software beneficial
• Strong people skills and must be comfortable with public speaking
• Comfortable making financial asks of individuals and foundations
• Must be willing to travel within the Chicagoland metropolitan area

Work Environment and Physical Abilities

• While performing the duties of this job must be available to work irregular hours and occasional weekends and nights
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• Ability to travel throughout Chicagoland area is required with personal vehicle or other means
• Regular and predictable attendance is required
• Light sedentary office work. Frequently required to sit
• Ability to travel to other program sites or events as needed
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop kneel; talk or hear

Positions scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical Dental Vision
• Basic Life Short-term and long-term disability voluntary employee/spouse/child life insurance
• Flexible Spending Dependent Care and Commuter Benefit Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k)
• PTO

At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana we believe in diversity equity and inclusion in the workplace and we welcome and will consider applications for employment from all qualified candidates regardless of race color gender national origin religion age sexual orientation gender identity gender expression genetic information individuals with disabilities pregnancy marital status status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need accommodation during the application or hiring process please contact. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.