Full-Time Chief Development Officer
Job Description
Background
For more than 60 years, the Chicago Children’s Choir (CCC) has worked to inspire, unite and change the lives of youth through music. What began as a small choir in Hyde Park born in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement to foster racial understanding has since grown into a nonprofit with an international footprint that is Chicago’s premier arts education and performing organization. CCC serves every corner of Chicago’s 57 zip codes through a vast network of 140 choirs whose singers bridge cultural and economic divides to become ambassadors for peace.
CCC partners with over 90 schools to provide music education, administers 11 neighborhood after-school music programs and is home to the critically acclaimed and award-winning DiMension, an ensemble for boys with changing voices, and Voice of Chicago choirs. As a national and international touring ensemble, CCC has performed for dignitaries such as former President Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and former Chinese President Hu Jintao and with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Andrea Bocelli, Beyonce, Celine Dion and Chance the Rapper.
CCC is a civic treasure and model for urban music education with more than 75% of youth able to access its programming free of charge.
Opportunity
As a member of the senior team, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) will determine the fundraising strategy to meet CCC’s goal of growing annual philanthropic support to $4.2 million by fiscal year 2022. This person will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work closely with the President & Artistic Director and the Board. The CDO will be focused on supporting the growth and stewardship of CCC’s vibrant and engaged individual donor and foundation funder community. They will also foster a culture of philanthropy within the organization and work collaboratively with senior leaders to assure that CCC’s culture, systems and procedures support and institutionalize philanthropy and fund development throughout the organization. Leading a development of team of five staff, the CDO will execute fully integrated plans across all fundraising avenues.
The ideal candidate has strong strategic planning skills and is capable of developing and implementing clear goals, systems and priorities. They must be hands on with experience developing collaborative relationships, internally and externally, and with the ability to translate CCC’s mission into resource development opportunities. The right person will also have input into the development of CCC’s next five-year plan.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
• Partner with the Board, Artistic Director & President, Chief Operating Officer and other senior organizational leaders in setting fundraising strategy and goals that align with CCC’s mission, vision, values and plans
• Drive development efforts and planning for the organization and invest a culture of philanthropy into the entire CCC community
• Develop a structure, systems and goals for the implementation of development efforts
• Establish performance measures, monitor results and assist the senior team and Board to evaluate on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of CCC’s development program
• Staff the development committee of the Board and others as assigned
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives
Relationship Management and Donor Stewardship:
• Maintain portfolio of CCC’s highest net worth donors and key foundations and corporations serving as the primary leader responsible for stewarding these relationships
• Cultivate new philanthropic, community and political relationships using a wide range of acquisition strategies to expand the base of supporters and contributors at all levels and meet CCC’s development goals
• Manage interdepartmental/cross-functional coordination and communication between Development, Marketing and Communications, Finance, and Program Teams, to capture and communicate the CCC ‘story’ and assemble resources to support fundraising efforts
• Represent CCC at key donor and foundation meetings and events, and partner closely with and support the Board, President & Artistic Director and other senior leaders to develop an active solicitation program including the development of fundraising opportunities and conducting outreach
Team Development & Management
• Build and lead a best-in-class performing development team with a high level of professionalism and dedication
• Lead the development team to implement fundraising plans that outline monetary and activity goals targeting all donor levels and for all areas of support including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation support, special events and alumni relations
• Increase the effectiveness, productivity, and collaboration of the team by serving as a coach and mentor, promote diversity and inclusion, and motivate team members with energy and passion
Qualifications
Ideal candidates for the Chief Development Officer role will possess the following skills and attributes:
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline preferred with at least 8 years of increasingly responsible managerial experience
• Demonstrated experience with multiple categories of giving such as major gifts, events and campaigns, individual, foundation and corporate support, planned giving, and in-kind partnerships
• Proven success securing major gifts and building and stewarding relationships with major individual donors, foundations, corporations and other potential donors
• Evident experience and success building a development infrastructure to achieve strategic and annual goals
• Impeccable judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive information
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills with experience in development and marketing related writing
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to project professional competence, leadership capability and personal maturity
• Ability to present in a convincing and professional manner and to inspire and generate enthusiasm among donors, volunteers and staff
• Excellent team building, facilitation, and organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task
• Experience or interest in the arts, preferably music
• Passion for the CCC mission and program
This position description is based upon material provided by the Chicago Children’s Choir, an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of national origin, race, religious belief, gender, gender identify or expression, sexual orientation or disability in admission or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.
How to Apply
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