Development Manager

Junior-Achievement-of-Chicag; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible scheduling

Remote work options

Job summary

Junior Achievement of Chicago is seeking a Development Manager to lead corporate and foundation renewal grant efforts and support Major Gifts, Personal Giving, and the General Campaign.

You will manage grant tracking, coordinate with staff, ensure timely reporting, and help drive JA’s fundraising goals while partnering with the VP of Development and other teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven relationship-building, business development, and persuasion skills.
• Proven track record in grant development and individual giving initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal, telephone, written, and presentation communication skills with experience in client presentations and business writing.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities; strong organizational skills; maintain confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Drive JA’s corporate and foundation renewal grant efforts, including proposal development, coordination, submission, follow-up, and reporting.
• Help manage and maintain JA’s overall grant tracker, including new and renewal opportunities, deadlines, status, assignments, and next steps.
• Support and help drive Major Gifts, Personal Giving, and the General Campaign, including prospect follow-up, proposals, tracking, donor outreach, and helping move opportunities forward.
• Research, identify, cultivate, and help solicit companies, foundations, and individuals whose interests and priorities align with JA programs and funding needs.
• Meet regularly with current and prospective donors and assist with donor cultivation, stewardship, and follow-up.
• Coordinate day-to-day Development operations and work closely with the part-time Development Admin to ensure priorities, follow-up, processing of all revenue, acknowledgments, data entry, database updates, and routine reporting are completed accurately and on time.
• Assist in preparing Development, campaign, grant, and key account reports and support the Development Committee as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the VP of Development, Director of Development, Programs, Communications, Finance, and other staff to support Program Funding opportunities and help achieve JA’s annual fundraising and revenue goals.

Skills

Relationship-building

Grant development

Donor stewardship

Communication

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Target Incentive Opportunity: 5% of salary (contingent on meeting team performance and individual goals):

Office Location: This position is based in our headquarters in Chicago's West Loop. We provide options for remote and flexible scheduling. We offer a 37.5-hour work week; hours are 8:30am – 5:00pm.

Company Summary:

Junior Achievement is the world's largest and fastest-growing non‑profit economics education organization. Started in Chicago in 1940, the Junior Achievement of Chicago office served over 425,000 students last school year. We are passionate people dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy through experiential, hands‑on programs. See the JA website at www.jachicago.org for more information.

Position Purpose: The Development Manager plays an important role in helping Junior Achievement of Chicago achieve its annual fundraising goals. The position drives JA’s corporate and foundation renewal grant efforts and helps manage the day‑to‑day activities supporting Major Gifts, Personal Giving, and the General Campaign.

The Development Manager also helps manage JA’s overall grant tracking and coordination, working with other staff to keep funding opportunities moving forward.

In addition, the Development Manager provides day‑to‑day guidance for development operations and works closely with the Data Entry Specialist to help ensure timely and accurate gift processing, acknowledgments, donor information, data entry, reporting, and other daily development activities.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Drive JA’s corporate and foundation renewal grant efforts, including proposal development, coordination, submission, follow‑up, and reporting.
• Help manage and maintain JA’s overall grant tracker, including new and renewal opportunities, deadlines, status, assignments, and next steps.
• Support and help drive Major Gifts, Personal Giving, and the General Campaign, including prospect follow‑up, proposals, tracking, donor outreach, and helping move opportunities forward.
• Research, identify, cultivate, and help solicit companies, foundations, and individuals whose interests and priorities align with JA programs and funding needs.
• Meet regularly with current and prospective donors and assist with donor cultivation, stewardship, and follow‑up.
• Coordinate day‑to‑day Development operations and work closely with the part‑time Development Admin to ensure priorities, follow‑up, processing of all revenue, acknowledgments, data entry, database updates, and routine reporting are completed accurately and on time.
• Assist in preparing Development, campaign, grant, and key account reports and support the Development Committee as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the VP of Development, Director of Development, Programs, Communications, Finance, and other staff to support Program Funding opportunities and help achieve JA’s annual fundraising and revenue goals.

Education/Experience:Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Skills/Ability Required:

• Proven relationship‑building, business development, and persuasion skills.
• Proven track record in grant development and individual giving initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal, telephone, written, and presentation communication skills with experience in client presentations and business writing.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities is essential. Good organizational skills. Proven ability to maintain confidential information.
• Must be proficient and experienced in Microsoft Office.

Digital Literacy: All JAC employees are expected to demonstrate the digital literacy needed to work effectively in a modern, technology‑enabled workplace. This includes

• ability to effectively use computers, cloud‑based file storage, digital communication, and collaboration tools.
• proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications like MS Word, MS PowerPoint and MS Excel.
• learning and adapting to new software and technology, troubleshooting basic technology needs, and following appropriate data‑security practices.
• curiosity and an ongoing interest in learning how new and emerging technologies, including AI and automation, can be responsibly applied to improve productivity, collaboration, and effectiveness.

Other Requirements:

• Candidate must have a valid driver’s license and adequate vehicle transportation to meet the responsibilities of the position.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to: sit, walk, occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, continually required to talk or hear, occasionally required to bend, lift or climb, frequently required to lift and carry light weights (25‑50 pounds), and specific vision abilities include: close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust or focus.

The physical demands described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Generic EEOC Statement

Junior Achievement of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

JAC Customized DE&I Statement from policy

Junior Achievement of Chicago is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio‑economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Our diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives are applicable—but not limited—to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; professional development and training; promotions; transfers; social and recreational programs; and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of diversity and equity that encourages and enforces Respect, Teamwork, Inclusion, and Dedication to Community.