Director of Development

Jobtailor

Chicago (IL)

On-site

USD 95,000 - 110,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

Retirement Plan

Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

The Chinese American Service League is seeking a Director of Development to lead fundraising efforts and expand philanthropic support.

This role involves building donor relationships, executing engagement strategies, and collaborating with organizational leaders to enhance CASL’s mission and community impact.

The position is based in Chicago and offers a competitive salary of $95,000 – $110,000 annually with a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

5–7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
Proven track record of managing a fundraising portfolio.
Experience engaging diverse donor audiences.

Responsibilities

Identify and engage prospective donors and partners.
Design and execute donor engagement strategies.
Manage a portfolio of 75–125 prospects.

Skills

Exceptional relationship-building skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Strategic thinking

Data-driven approach

Education

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, or business

Tools

Salesforce or comparable CRM

Job description

Join CASL as a Director of Development and Make a Difference

Are you passionate about connecting people to a meaningful mission? Join CASL as our Director of Development and lead efforts to cultivate donors, corporate partners, and community champions who will help expand opportunities for the communities we serve.

Your Mission

The Director of Development is responsible for building and expanding CASL's philanthropic pipeline by identifying, qualifying, and engaging prospective donors and partners. Focused on the front end of the fundraising cycle, this role strengthens CASL's donor base and long-term fundraising capacity by creating new pathways for philanthropic investment in the organization's mission. Working closely with Advancement leadership, the Director helps ensure a strong and sustainable pipeline of supporters who can advance CASL's work and impact across the communities it serves.

Ultimately, this role expands CASL's philanthropic reach and helps secure the resources necessary to support long-term organizational growth and community impact.

About CASL

Founded in 1978, CASL is the largest and most comprehensive community-based organization in the Midwest, with deep roots in serving Asian Americans and a commitment to welcoming all. With over 45 years of experience, CASL supports individuals and families across four essential areas: health, human services, education, and advocacy. From early learning and senior care to legal assistance, housing support, and citizenship services, CASL helps thousands of Chicago-area residents build healthy, stable, and empowered lives.

Location & Schedule

This role is based in Chinatown, Chicago, with a standard Monday–Friday schedule.

What You’ll Impact

As Director of Development, you will identify and engage prospective donors, partners, and supporters who can advance CASL's mission and long‑term sustainability. Through relationship building, strategic outreach, and prospect development, you will create a strong pipeline of qualified supporters and expand awareness of CASL's programs and impact. Your success will help generate new philanthropic opportunities and strengthen the organization's capacity to serve individuals, families, and communities across Chicago.

Key Responsibilities

Design and execute strategies to identify, qualify, and engage prospective individual, corporate, and community donors aligned with CASL's mission and funding priorities.
Build and manage a discovery portfolio of 75–125 prospects, guiding individuals through the identification, qualification, and early engagement stages of the donor journey.
Leverage board networks, community relationships, peer referrals, events, and research tools to uncover philanthropic opportunities and expand CASL's donor pipeline.
Conduct discovery meetings, introductory conversations, site visits, and other engagement activities to assess donor interest, philanthropic capacity, and alignment with CASL's mission.
Develop personalized engagement strategies and maintain accurate prospect records, assessments, and activity documentation within Salesforce.
Build awareness of CASL throughout the Chicago philanthropic, civic, and community landscape to strengthen relationships and generate new donor opportunities.
Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer, board members, and internal stakeholders to cultivate connections and secure introductions to prospective supporters.
Utilize data, wealth screening, market insights, and portfolio analysis to prioritize outreach efforts and maximize pipeline growth and donor engagement.
Collaborate with Advancement leadership to establish portfolio development goals, monitor prospect movement, and support long‑term fundraising growth strategies.
Support donor cultivation events, engagement initiatives, and stewardship activities that introduce new audiences to CASL's mission, programs, and impact.
Partner with the Advancement Manager to ensure seamless transitions of qualified prospects into active cultivation and solicitation portfolios.
Collaborate with Marketing & Communications and other internal stakeholders to develop compelling donor‑facing materials and foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Note: This job description outlines primary responsibilities but is not exhaustive. Duties may evolve in response to organizational needs, and flexibility will be required.

What You Bring

To thrive in this role, you should have:

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field.
Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, cultivating, and developing donor and/or corporate partnership opportunities.
Proven track record of managing a fundraising or donor development portfolio and meeting or exceeding engagement, pipeline, or revenue goals.
Experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform for donor management, moves management, and reporting.

Skills and Knowledge

Exceptional relationship‑building skills with the ability to engage confidently with diverse donor audiences, board members, corporate executives, and community stakeholders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage prospective donors, facilitate meaningful conversations, and communicate organizational impact effectively.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into donor engagement strategies and fundraising initiatives.
High degree of personal accountability, initiative, and ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong organization and follow‑through.
Data‑driven approach to portfolio management, with comfort using metrics to evaluate performance and inform decision‑making.

Bonus Points For

Advanced degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, philanthropy, or related field.
Experience working in a community‑based, social services, or mission‑driven nonprofit organization.
Familiarity with the Chicago philanthropic landscape, including individual major donors, corporate giving programs, and civic networks.
Bilingual fluency in an Asian language spoken within CASL's service communities (e.g., Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese).
CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) certification or active pursuit of the certification.

Physical Demands

Must be able to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods, with occasional lifting or moving of objects weighing up to 20 pounds.

Environment and Scheduling

Standard business hours, Monday through Friday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), with flexibility to work additional hours as necessary.
Regular local travel is required for donor meetings, cultivation events, community engagement activities, and organizational representation opportunities.
Occasional evening and weekend attendance may be required to support donor engagement, fundraising events, and community activities.

Compensation & Benefits

This position offers a salary range of $95,000 – $110,000 annually, reflective of experience and qualifications.

CASL’s comprehensive benefits package includes: