Fundraising and Development Manager

Wonder Works Children's Museum; Oak Park, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Wonder Works Children’s Museum in Oak Park, IL, seeks a Fundraising and Development Manager to lead its fundraising program, including annual giving, major gifts, sponsorships, and events, aligning donor activity with the museum's mission to inspire learning through hands-on experiences for children and families.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will develop a comprehensive strategy, manage donor portfolios, supervise the development assistant, and ensure accurate gift tracking and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in related fields.
• Experience with donor cultivation, stewardship, and campaigns.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with donor management software preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and manage annual fundraising campaigns and events.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with individual donors and sponsors.
• Plan donor cultivation and fundraising events with leadership.
• Supervise the development assistant and maintain donor records.
• Collaborate with marketing to align messaging and impact.
• Prepare fundraising reports and forecasts for leadership and board.
• Identify sponsorship opportunities for programs and exhibits.
• Track donations and oversee acknowledgements and stewardship.
• Maintain communications and donor records in the CRM.
• Monitor progress against revenue goals and recommend improvements.

Skills

Marketing experience

Donor cultivation

Fundraising campaigns

Sponsorships

Communications skills

Relationship building

Donor stewardship

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or related field

Tools

Little Green Light

Salesforce

Job description

Position: Fundraising and Development Manager

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Part-Time (15-20 hours/week)

Salary: $30 per hour

Position Summary

The Fundraising and Development Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and growing Wonder Works Children’s Museum’s fundraising efforts to support its mission of inspiring learning and discovery through hands-on, interactive experiences for children and families. This role leads the museum’s annual giving campaigns, major gift cultivation, corporate sponsorships, and special event fundraising, while building lasting relationships with donors, community partners, and foundations.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Manager will develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the museum’s strategic goals, manage a portfolio of individual and institutional donors, oversee donor stewardship and recognition programs, and track fundraising performance against annual revenue targets. The ideal candidate is a relationship-driven, detail-oriented professional with strong writing and communication skills, experience in nonprofit development, and a passion for early childhood education, informal learning, or community-based museum work.

Development

• Design and manage annual fundraising campaigns, including membership drives, capital campaigns, and year-end appeals
• Working with the Executive Director, cultivate and steward relationships with individual donors, board members, and corporate sponsors.
• Plan and execute donor cultivation and fundraising events
• Supervise the development assistant and assist in maintaining accurate donor records and gift tracking in the museum’s donor database (Little Green Light and Veevart)
• Collaborate with marketing and program staff to align fundraising messaging with the museum’s mission and community impact.
• Prepare fundraising reports and forecasts for the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Assist with identifying, cultivating, tracking, and stewarding sponsorship opportunities for exhibits, programs, and events.
• Maintain accurate communication, sponsorship, and donor records within the museum’s CRM.
• Track donations and supervise the preparation of acknowledgements and stewardship communications by the development assistant.
• Prepare reports related to donor engagement, memberships, marketing performance, and event participation.
• Monitor fundraising progress against annual revenue goals and make recommendations to strengthen results
• Identify opportunities to strengthen donor engagement, retention, and long term support.

Community Engagement

• Represent Wonder Works at community events, networking opportunities, and local organizations to increase awareness and build partnerships.
• Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, businesses, foundations, and other potential partners.

Organizational Support

• Coordinate agendas and communications for Leadership Team meetings as needed.
• Maintain organized fundraising and development files.
• Serve as an enthusiastic ambassador for Wonder Works Children’s Museum and its mission.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience in marketing, communications, public relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience with donor cultivation, stewardship, fundraising campaigns, sponsorships, or community engagement.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience using donor management software(Little Green Light, Salesforce, or similar preferred)
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Excellent attention to detail and project management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, board members, donors, and community partners.
• Have a passion for Wonder Works Children’s Museum’s mission, and for creating meaningful learning experiences for children and families.

Work Schedule

This is a flexible part-time position averaging 15-20 hours per week. While a consistent schedule is preferred, flexibility is available, including opportunities for hybrid or remote work when appropriate. As a manager, you will also be required to attend one in-person leadership meeting each week.

The successful candidate should be available during regular weekday business hours for meetings and collaboration and be willing to work occasional evenings or weekends for museum events, fundraising activities, or community outreach.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Work involves extended periods at a computer and occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying moderately heavy materials such as boxes, event supplies, signage, or exhibit materials. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About Wonder Works Children’s Museum

Wonder Works Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching children’s lives through the power of play. Serving families throughout Oak Park and surrounding communities, the museum provides hands-on exhibits, educational programming, community events, and opportunities that inspire curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning.

About Us

Wonder Works is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to changing lives through creative play.

Our Mission

Wonder Works’ mission is to spark curiosity and creativity in all young children through positive play-based learning experiences.