Impact Officer

Project H.O.O.D.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Project H.O.O.D., a Chicago nonprofit, seeks an Impact Officer to lead how we measure, prove, and communicate impact. The role sits at the intersection of program evaluation, donor relations, compliance, and strategic planning, and focuses on collecting stories and telling stories to funders.

You will build measurement systems across departments, convert outcomes into evidence for institutional funders, auditors, and major donors, and help guide growth as we open new facilities and expand

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years in program evaluation, impact measurement, or development in nonprofit/public sector.
• Experience designing outcome frameworks and data collection tools.
• Proficient with CRM and case management platforms; quick learner.
• Strong written and verbal communication for funders and boards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage program evaluation plans across all programs.
• Design data tracking and analysis systems.
• Coordinate donor relations and communications with stakeholders.
• Support audits, accreditations, and reporting requirements.
• Assist strategic planning and expansion forecasting.

Skills

Program evaluation

Data analysis

Nonprofit sector experience

Written and verbal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM software

Case management platforms

Job description

Company Description Project H.O.O.D. is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2012 with a mission to empower individuals to become peacemakers, problem solvers, leaders, and entrepreneurs in their communities. Inspired by the “Rooftop Pastor” Corey Brooks’ 94-day demonstration against gun violence on the South Side of Chicago, the organization focuses on ending violence and building communities one neighborhood at a time. Project H.O.O.D. offers programming that equips youth, adults, and families with resources, skills, and experiences to become successful, healthy, and upwardly mobile members of society. The organization emphasizes empowerment, accountability, and innovation, working at the forefront of transformation in Englewood, Woodlawn, and surrounding communities on Chicago’s South Side.

Role Description: The Impact Officer owns how Project H.O.O.D. measures, proves, and tells the story of its impact. The role sits at the intersection of four functions — program evaluation, donor relations, compliance, and strategic planning — and is organized around two verbs: collect stories and tell stories.

Internally, the Impact Officer builds the measurement systems that let 16 departments across five pillars know whether their work is producing outcomes. Externally, the Impact Officer converts those outcomes into the evidence institutional funders, auditors, accreditors, and major donors require. The position is being created ahead of the opening of the Leadership and Economic Opportunity Center, a period of growth in which evaluation

capacity is the binding constraint on both program quality and fundraising.

Primary Responsibilities

Program Evaluation

• Develop and manage plans for program evaluation across all program areas
• Design systems for data tracking and analysis
• Advise on program plans, logic models, and outcomes
• Recommend and implement measurement tools
• Collaborate with staff to establish best practices and quality standards
• Oversee continuous quality improvement, including monthly outcomes review, biannual reporting expectations, and as-needed action plans for underperforming areas

Donor Relations

• Develop an outreach plan for the existing 20,000-person contact list
• Create systems to grow the list further by collecting contact information from volunteers, event attendees, and
• community members
• Identify mega, major, developing, and prospective donors and assign them to portfolios
• Establish regular communications through personal emails and segmented newsletters
• Work with the graphic designer to develop marketing materials, including the annual report, strategic plan, and general brochures
• Empower staff with background information to effectively host donor visits

Compliance

Prepare for audits and site visits with institutional funders

• Support certification and licensure requirements
• Explore and assess options for accreditation
• Identify research partners and develop project scopes
• Function as liaison between information technology, development, and programs to streamline data tracking and security
• Develop working command of multiple databases, both internal and external

Strategic Planning

• Support the mission, vision, and values of the organization
• Partner with the COO on board expansion, structure, and training
• Lead the ongoing environmental review process and SWOT analysis
• Work with program leaders to establish goal statements and projects
• Advise on organizational structure and decision-making
• Forecast expansion and growth into the new building and nationwide

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; advanced degree in public policy, social work, public health, evaluation, or a related discipline preferred
• Five or more years of experience in program evaluation, impact measurement, research, or development within a nonprofit, public agency, or philanthropic setting
• Demonstrated experience designing outcome frameworks, logic models, and data collection instruments
• Proficiency with CRM and case management platforms, and comfort learning new systems quickly
• Strong analytical skills paired with the ability to translate data into narrative for non-technical audiences
• Experience supporting audits, site visits, or institutional reporting requirements
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to write for funders, boards, and community members with equal clarity

Preferred

• Familiarity with Stand Together Foundation's Customer First Measurement framework or comparable outcome
• methodologies
• Experience building a donor pipeline or segmentation strategy at a growing organization
• Working knowledge of accreditation processes for community-based organizations
• Connection to or experience working on Chicago's South Side