Director of Strategic Giving

Paycom - ATS; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Employer-paid life and disability

Employee Assistance Program

403(b) retirement plan with employer"-

Generous paid time off

Parental leave

On-site gym

$3,000 ThrivePass wellness benefit

$250 employee referral bonus

Job summary

Greater Chicago Food Depository in Chicago, IL seeks a Director of Strategic Giving to lead donor engagement, portfolio strategy, data-informed decision making, and team leadership. This role requires a decade of major gifts experience and a track record of fundraising success.

You will manage a team of four Relationship Managers, shape multi-year donor strategies, and partner with senior leadership to translate insights into actionable plans that advance the organization's mission.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated major gifts experience (10 years +) within a non-profit.
• Experience managing major donor portfolios at the $25K+ level.
• Strong background in fundraising data analysis, forecasting, and pipeline management.
• Proven people-management experience coaching fundraising staff.
• Experience creating executive-level reporting and translating data into strategic insights.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead donor engagement and major gifts portfolio strategy.
• Oversee portfolio of $25K+ donors and guide relationship managers.
• Translate fundraising data into clear plans and executive reports.
• Develop narratives and insights for senior leadership.
• Coach and mentor a team of four Relationship Managers.
• Collaborate with executives to advance donor relationships.
• Support multi-year strategies increasing donor commitments.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Donor portfolio management

Data analysis & forecasting

Executive reporting

Team leadership

Strategic fundraising

Communication skills

Equity & inclusion in fundraising

Tools

MS Office

Development database

Job description

Job Details

• Location: Greater Chicago Food Depository - Chicago, IL 60632
• Position Type: Full Time
• Education Level: None
• Salary Range: $115,000.00 - $120,000.00
• Shift: Day

Position Summary

The Director of Strategic Giving provides strategic leadership and day‑to‑day management of the Strategic Giving program, with a focus on donor engagement, portfolio strategy, data‑informed decision‑making, and team leadership. This role brings firsthand experience managing significant donor relationships while partnering closely with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to translate data and insights into clear plans, priorities, and results.The Director oversees a team of Relationship Managers and plays a critical role in strengthening donor journeys, improving portfolio effectiveness, and ensuring the Individual Giving program delivers meaningful impact aligned with institutional priorities.

Donor Engagement & Portfolio Strategy

• Manage a portfolio of major donors ($25K+), with a strong understanding of complex donor journeys.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving and Relationship Managers on donor and prospect strategy.
• Ensure alignment between individual donor strategies, relationship management activity, and organizational priorities.
• Provide thoughtful guidance on next steps, focus, and prioritization within donor portfolios.
• Engage Chief Philanthropy Officer and Chief Executive Officer appropriately to advance donor relationships.

Data Analysis, Insights & Executive Reporting

• Develop, analyze, and interpret fundraising data to surface insights and trends across pipelines, portfolios, donors, and campaigns.
• Translate data related to budgets, forecasting, and pipelines into concise, actionable insights that support planning and decision‑making.
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to create clear narratives that accompany data for executive audiences.
• Prepare high‑quality reports and presentations for the Senior Director of Individual Giving and Chief Philanthropy Officer.
• Ensure data is used to shape plans rather than simply being reported.

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage and mentor a team of four Relationship Managers.
• Provide coaching, accountability, and strategic guidance to support strong performance and donor‑centered practice.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving to foster a collaborative, results‑oriented team culture.
• Partner with the Senior Manager, Donor Engagement on the creation and execution of meaningful cultivation and stewardship activities.
• Support professional growth while ensuring consistent execution against goals, strategies, and standards.

Strategic Leadership & Thinking

• Create strategies that support department goals to significantly increase donor engagement and mission support through multi‑year strategies resulting in multi‑year commitments.
• Ask thoughtful, challenging questions that deepen strategic discussion and decision‑making.
• Think broadly and critically about donor engagement, portfolio strategy, and performance.
• Maintain a strong focus on impact, clearly distinguishing between activity and meaningful outcomes.

Core Competencies

• Donor‑centered fundraising
• Strategic thinking and synthesis
• Data‑informed decision‑making
• Team leadership and collaboration
• Executive communication

Qualifications

• Demonstrated major gifts experience (10 years +) within a non‑profit organization, educational institution or other environment of similar complexity.
• Demonstrated experience managing major donor portfolios at the $25K+ level.
• Strong background in fundraising data analysis, forecasting, and pipeline management.
• Proven people‑management experience with the ability to coach and develop fundraising staff.
• Experience creating executive‑level reporting and translating data into strategic insights.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Enthusiastic contributor to the Individual Giving team and the broader Food Depository community.
• Understanding and commitment to embrace equity, diversity and inclusion in fundraising practices.
• Highly organized & detail oriented.
• Adaptable and flexible in fast‑paced environment, able to multi‑task and handle several priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated initiative and willingness to take on new projects.
• Proficiency in MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Development database experience.

Exposure

General office environment; limited exposure to warehouse environment. Interacts with GCFD staff, Board Members, financial donors, volunteers and public. Local travel depending on events; evening and weekend hours are required.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
• Employer‑paid life and disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous paid time off
• Parental leave
• On‑site gym
• $3,000 annual employer‑paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program
• $250 employee referral bonus