Director of Development (Individual Donors)

Colum; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia College Chicago is seeking a Director of Development (Individual Donors) to oversee major gift fundraising and donor engagement. You will manage a portfolio of $50K+ prospects, cultivate relationships, and drive revenue growth in support of the college’s mission.

The role requires 5+ years of solo fundraising experience, strong leadership, and CRM expertise (Salesforce/Ellucian/Blackbaud). Occasional travel, in-office work in Chicago, and collaboration across DAR are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred.
• 5+ years of direct individual fundraising experience.
• CRM-based experience with Ellucian, Salesforce, Blackbaud, or similar.
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills with experience developing team members.
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Meet goals and metrics for major gift work, including visits, asks, and revenue.
• Manage a personal portfolio of major gift ($50K+) prospects and donors.
• Conduct regular donor meetings and personalized outreach to deepen relationships.
• Coordinate proposals, reports, and donor communications tailored to donor interests.
• Maintain data-driven portfolio management with accurate donor records and real-time reporting.

Skills

Major gift fundraising

Donor cultivation

Donor stewardship

Leadership/ supervision

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

CRM systems (Salesforce)

Ellucian

Blackbaud

Job description

Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. We constantly aim to reach our full potential as an educational innovator, incubator of new creative practice and generator of real-world success for young creatives. We are in the heart of Chicago, across the street from historic Grant Park, and housed in some of the most iconic buildings in the South Loop.

Columbia College Chicagoisa private urban institution ofapproximately 4,000undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for a(an) DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT (INDIVIDUAL DONORS).

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development (SDOD) within the office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), the Director of Development (Individual Donors) works closely with the SDOD to support long-term revenue growth for the College. The DOD will focus on managing a major gift portfolio by identifying, qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting individual prospects and donors through customized cultivation and solicitation strategies while simultaneously meeting established fundraising goals and metrics.

The DOD must effectively and efficiently manage multiple high-priority initiatives and work independently in a fast-paced environment. The ability to effectively and efficiently self-organize and to make decisions based on the best return on investment will be crucial.

This position is based in Chicago, IL and will be expected to be in office Monday through Friday.This role will also require regional and national travel, as well as occasional evening and weekend work.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Meet identified goals and metrics for major gift work, including annual goals for visits, asks, and revenue raised.
• Build (identify and qualify) and manage (cultivate, solicit, and steward) a personal portfolio of major gift ($50K+) prospects and donors, with support from DAR leadership.
• Conduct regular prospect and donor meetingsandpersonalized outreach to deepen relationships and secure increased support.
• Identify and recommend opportunities for Director, Decanal, and/or Presidential engagement.
• Cultivate and promote prospects for leadership volunteer roles at the college.
• Coordinate compelling proposals, reports, and donor communications tailored to donor interests.
• Maintain a data-drivenapproach toportfolio management,ensuringaccuratedonor records,real-timereporting, andclearmoves management tracking in the CRM.
• Work with the SDOD to ensure effective and efficient management of individual major gift strategies for the College.
• Partner with peer DAR team members to ensure strong stewardship and communication practices,thoughtful event engagement, effective volunteer management, and efficient major gift tracking and reporting.
• Work with school and program leadership across the College to understand philanthropic and engagement priorities.
• Represent the DAR team through interactions with campus leadership, staff, and other colleagues and strive to create successful working relationships in service of philanthropic and fundraising goals and strategies.
• Foster a collaborative, results-driven culture focused on relationship-building and donor-centric strategies.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the College at internal and external events.
• Participate inprofessional development training and maintain peer connections in the field.
• Contribute to DAR-based strategic planning discussions, initiatives, and events.
• Perform special projects and/or other related duties and responsibilities, as assigned or required.

• Bachelor’sdegreerequired;master’sdegree preferred
• At least 5years of direct individual fundraisingexperience
• Ellucian,Salesforce, Blackbaud, or otherCRM-basedexperience
• Strong leadership and supervisoryskills, with experience developingteammembers
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and organizationskills
• Strong project and program management skills, with a keen eye for detail and quality
• Proactive and thoughtful workingstyle
• Commitment to overall team success and the College's mission

Position Minimum Annual Salary: $100,258

Position Maximum Annual Salary: $120,225

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including department budget.

At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work/life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits.

We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement, and real-world experiences.

Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Cover letter required
• Position subject to a background screening
• This is a non-union position
• This is a full-time position
• This position is overtime ineligible

Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.