Associate Director of Development Operations

Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Generous PTO

Job summary

Communities In Schools of Chicago seeks an Associate Director of Development Operations to lead donor database management, fundraising operations, and event logistics. You will drive CRM optimization, create dashboards, and partner with Finance to ensure accurate gift reporting and budgeting.

Ideal candidates bring 5–7 years in development operations, Salesforce experience, strong project management, and a commitment to advancing CIS Chicago’s mission to surround students with support.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in development operations or related field.
• Experience with donor CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Strong project management, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Commitment to the mission of Communities In Schools of Chicago.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Manage donor database, ensuring accurate, secure, and timely donor records.
• Lead CRM optimization and support future enhancements.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and donor analyses to inform fundraising strategy.
• Oversee gift processing, donor acknowledgments, and fundraising metrics.
• Support key fundraising initiatives, including annual campaigns.
• Train Development team on CRM best practices and data management.
• Conduct donor and prospect research to identify new funding opportunities.
• Coordinate data requests and support special projects across departments.
• Serve as liaison with Finance for reconciliations and reporting.

Skills

Project management

Data analytics

Excel

Donor database management

Event coordination

Attention to detail

Communication

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Associate Director of Development Operations

At Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago, we believe students can enhance their learning when their needs are met, and that includes mental and emotional health. Every day, we partner with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and hundreds of community organizations to bring no-cost, high-quality programs directly to schools. These programs help students stay focused, engaged, and on track to graduate.

During the 2025-26 school year, we served over 80,000 students across 250 schools, connecting them to life-changing support from arts and academic enrichment to health and mental wellness services. And we need your help to make it happen.

The mission of Communities In Schools of Chicago is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The vision of CIS of Chicago is to ensure that every public school student in Chicago graduates from high school prepared to succeed. The organization's core values are Impact, Integrity, Relationships, and Social Justice.

Position Overview

We're seeking an Associate Director of Development Operations to join our high-performing Development team. This role is ideal for a strategic, detail-oriented operations professional who enjoys improving systems, leveraging data to drive fundraising success, and bringing large-scale donor events to life. As the operational backbone of the Development team, you'll oversee donor database management, fundraising operations, gift processing, reporting and analytics, and event logistics while ensuring the team has the tools, processes, and insights needed to cultivate and steward donors effectively.

Your Core Responsibilities

Development Operations & CRM :

• Manage the organization's donor database, ensuring accurate , secure, and timely donor and gift records.
• Lead CRM optimization and support future database enhancements.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and donor analyses to inform fundraising strategy .
• Oversee gift processing, donor acknowledgments, and fundraising metrics in partnership with the Development Assistant.
• Support key fundraising initiatives, including the Annual Appeal and other donor campaigns.
• Train Development team members on CRM best practices and data management.
• Conduct donor and prospect research to identify new funding opportunities.
• Manage pledge tracking, reporting, and fundraising analytics.
• Continuously improve operational processes and team workflows.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Finance for reconciliations, budgeting, gift reporting, and financial tracking.
• Coordinate data requests and support special projects across departments.

Event Engagement:

• Lead planning and execution of donor cultivation events, including vendor management, logistics , registration, and post-event reporting.
• Support volunteer committees and attend select evening or weekend events as needed.

What You Bring:

• 5-7 years of experience in development operations, fundraising, databa se management, event management, or a related field.
• Experience with donor CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Strong project management, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel.
• Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Commitment to the mission of Communities In Schools of Chicago.
  

What You'll Get:

• Comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plan , and generous paid time off.
• A collaborative community of educators, nonprofit leaders, and partners working together to create lasting change across Chicago.
• Meaningful impact with the opportunity to change lives - one student, one school, and one community at a time.

Communities In Schools of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, medical condition, marital or family status, veteran or military status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

This commitment applies to every aspect of employment at CIS of Chicago-including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, and all other conditions of employment. We believe that building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve strengthens our mission to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.