Fundraising & Communications Lead

Germanschoolchicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Health insurance

Paid time off

Training & development

Vision insurance

Job summary

German School Chicago seeks a hands-on Development & Communications Manager to bolster fundraising, expand community engagement, and tell the school’s stories. The role blends strategic thinking with day-to-day execution and offers opportunities for ownership and growth.

The position leads fundraising plans, donor stewardship, and multi-channel communications to support enrollment and community partnerships, with a collaborative approach across teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent level of degree or experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and German.
• Two+ years of experience in development, fundraising, communications, marketing, nonprofit management, or related field.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills for diverse audiences.
• Experience developing content strategies and digital communications across multiple channels.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements fundraising plans including annual fund, grants, sponsorships, major gifts, and events.
• Plans and executes fundraising programs including Gala, donor cultivation, and special events.
• Cultivates and maintains relationships with donors, alumni, parents, foundations, and partners.
• Leads donor stewardship, acknowledgement, reporting, and personalized engagement.
• Produces compelling communications content across print, digital, email, website, and donor channels.
• Identifies grant opportunities and prepares proposals and reports.
• Maintains donor records and tracks fundraising performance in the database.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Communications

Content creation

Bilingual English/German

Project management

Digital fundraising

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Blackbaud

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

CRM systems

Job description

German School Chicago seeks a hands-on Development & Communications Manager to bolster fundraising, expand community engagement, and tell the school’s stories. The role blends strategic thinking with day-to-day execution and offers opportunities for ownership and growth.

The position leads fundraising plans, donor stewardship, and multi-channel communications to support enrollment and community partnerships, with a collaborative approach across teams.