Manager of Leadership Giving

Chicago Public Media; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Chicago Public Media is seeking a Manager of Leadership Giving to lead the day-to-day management and performance of the midlevel program, reporting to the Director of Major and Planned Giving. You will mentor staff, guide donor engagement, and collaborate across the Development team to strengthen pipelines.

This role focuses on expanding donor relationships, monitoring solicitation activity, and ensuring timely stewardship while driving fundraising results in a mission-driven newsroom.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in annual giving, frontline fundraising, development operations, or a related field.
• Knowledge of fundraising strategy and an ability and willingness to implement strategy.
• Goals and results-driven with the ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleagues. Must be able to consistently display tact, diplomacy, and discretion, and maintain confidentiality inside and outside of the organization.
• Exercises excellent judgment and models honesty, integrity, and collegiality.
• Proficiency with constituent management and fundraising software.
• Demonstrates a personal commitment to excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the engagement strategy for CPM’s midlevel program in partnership with the membership team, with an emphasis on identifying major donor prospects.
• Oversee engagement strategy of 700+ midlevel donors in the development pool.
• Coordinate communication calendar with membership team colleagues to ensure cohesive donor journeys.
• Monitor success of CPM’s midlevel program and identify areas of potential improvement in collaboration with the Director of Major and Planned Giving and membership colleagues.
• Supervise and support the Leadership Giving Officer(s), including onboarding, day-to-day management, goal setting, and performance management.
• Conduct regular portfolio and moves management reviews to ensure timely donor engagement, solicitation activity, proposal tracking, and stewardship.
• Set and track on ambitious individual goals for direct report(s), with the aim of advancing donor relationships, upgrading support, and maintaining a high standard across the team.
• Proactively update and track solicitation data and review gift acknowledgments.
• Track plans and outreach in the Development database to ensure transparency and effective pipeline management.
• Participate in the hands‑on, team approach to shaping and executing donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship opportunities. This includes building invitation lists and partnering on donor events, holiday card mailings, etc.
• Actively build knowledge of CPM and relationships with colleagues across the organization by attending events and activities, reading and listening to CPM journalism, and pursuing other avenues for professional learning and growth.

Skills

Annual giving

Frontline fundraising

Development operations

Fundraising strategy

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Judgment and integrity

Fundraising software

Tools

Fundraising software

Job description

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun‑Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission‑driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.

Chicago Public Media is a 100% community‑funded newsroom powered by nearly 97,000 members whose support makes our journalism possible. This sustained community investment helped drive nationally recognized work in 2025, including 29 awards from esteemed organizations, including the Public Media Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

We believe independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and that access to objective, fact‑based news is a right for every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches our community, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 250 professionals.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report .

The Opportunity

The Manager of Leadership Giving responsible for the day-to-day management and performance of the midlevel program on the development team. The Manager serves as a program leader, frontline fundraiser, and mentor, providing strategic guidance and accountability to the Leadership Giving Officer(s) while managing their own portfolio of donors and prospects. Reporting to the Director of Major and Planned Giving, this role works collaboratively across the Development team to strengthen donor pipeline development, improve fundraising effectiveness, and support a high-performing culture of philanthropy.

General Responsibilities

• Lead the engagement strategy for CPM’s midlevel program in partnership with the membership team, with an emphasis on identifying major donor prospects.
• Oversee engagement strategy of 700+ midlevel donors in the development pool.
• Coordinate communication calendar with membership team colleagues to ensure cohesive donor journeys.
• Monitor success of CPM’s midlevel program and identify areas of potential improvement in collaboration with the Director of Major and Planned Giving and membership colleagues.
• Supervise and support the Leadership Giving Officer(s), including onboarding, day-to-day management, goal setting, and performance management.
• Conduct regular portfolio and moves management reviews to ensure timely donor engagement, solicitation activity, proposal tracking, and stewardship.
• Set and track on ambitious individual goals for direct report(s), with the aim of advancing donor relationships, upgrading support, and maintaining a high standard across the team.
• Proactively update and track solicitation data and review gift acknowledgments.
• Track plans and outreach in the Development database to ensure transparency and effective pipeline management.
• Participate in the hands‑on, team approach to shaping and executing donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship opportunities. This includes building invitation lists and partnering on donor events, holiday card mailings, etc.
• Actively build knowledge of CPM and relationships with colleagues across the organization by attending events and activities, reading and listening to CPM journalism, and pursuing other avenues for professional learning and growth.

Qualifications

• Ideal candidates will have 5+ years experience in annual giving, frontline fundraising, development operations, and/or a related field.
• Knowledge of fundraising strategy and techniques and an ability and willingness to implement strategy.
• Goals and results-driven with the ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written. Accountable with an attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills are required to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleagues. Must be able to consistently display tact, diplomacy, and discretion, and maintain confidentiality inside and outside of the organization.
• Exercises excellent judgment and models honesty, integrity, and collegiality.
• Proficiency with constituent management and fundraising software.
• Demonstrates a personal commitment to excellence.

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is$69,000 to $85,000 per ANNUM.

Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Working at Chicago Public Media

At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.

Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged. We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.

At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.

Our benefits include a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.