Senior Director of Development

Jobtailor; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Cure Epilepsy in Chicago seeks an accomplished development leader to advance fundraising strategy and operations in alignment with communications and scientific priorities.

You will partner with senior leaders and the Board to grow philanthropic revenue across major gifts, annual giving, and planned giving, while building a high-performing team and data-driven fundraising culture.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive fundraising leadership experience.
• Proven success growing philanthropic revenue.
• Ability to develop and execute fundraising strategies.
• Experience leading comprehensive fundraising programs.
• Expertise across major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, and events.
• Track record cultivating high-capacity donors and philanthropic partners.
• 7+ years of people management experience preferred.
• Experience building and developing high-performing teams.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong coaching skills.
• Experience partnering with boards, volunteers, and executive leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and strengthen an integrated development organization aligning fundraising with strategic priorities.
• Serve as a strategic member of the senior leadership team supporting organizational planning and growth.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy and shared ownership across staff, leadership, and the Board.
• Partner with the Board to strengthen fundraising engagement and opportunities.
• Develop a multi-year fundraising strategy to diversify revenue across channels.
• Establish annual fundraising goals, metrics, and KPIs for sustainable growth.
• Manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors focusing on cultivation and stewardship.
• Expand annual giving, corporate and foundation partnerships, and planned giving.
• Build systems increasing donor acquisition, retention, and lifetime value.
• Collaborate with CFO on forecasting, pipeline metrics, and dashboards.
• Provide fundraising performance reports and strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Build and inspire a high-performing development team with accountability and learning.

Skills

Fundraising Leadership

Major Gifts

Annual Giving

Planned Giving

Data-Driven Strategy

Board Engagement

Donor Stewardship

Budgeting Forecasting

Project Management

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Advanced Degree Preferred

CFRE Preferred

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT

CRM Platforms

Job description

• Lead and strengthen an integrated development organization that aligns fundraising strategy and operations with communications and scientific priorities.


• Serve as a strategic member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organizational planning, decision-making, and long-term growth.


• Foster a culture of philanthropy and shared fundraising ownership across staff, leadership, and the Board.


• Partner with the Board of Directors to strengthen fundraising engagement, identify new philanthropic opportunities, and support board development activities.


• Promote innovation, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision-making throughout the development function.


• Lead the development and implementation of a multi-year fundraising strategy that grows and diversifies philanthropic revenue across all giving channels.


• Establish annual fundraising goals, performance metrics, and key performance indicators to drive sustainable growth.


• Identify emerging philanthropic opportunities and adapt fundraising strategies to capitalize on changing donor trends and organizational priorities.


• Develop integrated donor strategies that coordinate the efforts of the CEO, Principal & Strategic Gifts Officer, Board members, and development staff to maximize philanthropic outcomes.


• Personally manage a select portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, focusing on strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of key relationships.


• Expand and strengthen annual giving, corporate and foundation partnerships, planned giving, and other revenue-generating initiatives to create a balanced and diversified fundraising program.


• Build systems and strategies that increase donor acquisition, retention, engagement, and lifetime value across the organization’s fundraising portfolio.


• Partner with the Chief Financial Officer to develop and monitor fundraising forecasts, pipeline metrics, and performance dashboards to ensure accurate revenue projections and informed strategic decision-making.


• Provide regular fundraising performance reports and strategic recommendations to the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership team.


• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing development team by establishing a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.


• Establish clear performance expectations and support staff in achieving ambitious fundraising goals.


• Model best practices in donor engagement, fundraising ethics, and relationship management.


• Partner with the Chief Scientific Officer and scientific staff to translate complex research into compelling philanthropic investment opportunities.


• Foster productive partnerships across departments to ensure fundraising strategies are integrated with organizational priorities.


• Serve as an ambassador for CURE Epilepsy, representing the organization with donors, corporate partners, foundations, volunteers, and the broader epilepsy community.


• Identify opportunities to increase CURE Epilepsy's visibility and strengthen its reputation as a leader in epilepsy research.


• Ensure systems, processes, analytics, stewardship, and reporting effectively support fundraising growth.


• Oversee the strategy, financial performance, and execution of CURE Epilepsy's signature fundraising events.


• Promote continuous improvement by leveraging fundraising analytics and industry best practices.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive fundraising leadership experience


• Proven success growing philanthropic revenue


• Ability to develop and execute fundraising strategies


• Experience leading comprehensive fundraising programs


• Expertise across major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, and events


• Track record cultivating high-capacity donors and philanthropic partners


• 7+ years of people management experience preferred


• Experience building and developing high-performing teams


• Collaborative leadership style with strong coaching skills


• Experience partnering with boards, volunteers, and executive leaders


• Data-driven approach to fundraising strategy and decision-making


• Experience developing budgets, forecasts, and performance metrics


• Strong project management and organizational skills


• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT or similar CRM platforms


• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills


• Compelling storyteller with donor-focused communication skills


• Passion for advancing CURE Epilepsy’s mission and research priorities


• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree and/or CFRE preferred

Core Competencies

Demonstrates extensive experience in developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies, with a strong focus on major gifts, annual giving, and planned giving. Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and foster collaborative relationships with boards and stakeholders to drive philanthropic revenue growth.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• 10+ Years Fundraising Leadership Experience


• Proven Success Growing Philanthropic Revenue


• Expertise in Major Gifts and Planned Giving


• Data-Driven Fundraising Strategy Development


• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Fundraising Strategy Development


• Major Gifts Expertise


• Annual Giving Management


• Planned Giving Programs


• Performance Metrics Development
  
• Budgeting and Forecasting


• Project Management


• Data Analysis for Fundraising


• Donor Relationship Management


• Fundraising Event Strategy

Soft Skills

• Collaborative Leadership


• Coaching Skills


• Exceptional Communication


• Compelling Storytelling


• Organizational Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree


• Advanced Degree Preferred


• CFRE Preferred

Industry Keywords

• Philanthropy


• Fundraising


• Donor Engagement


• Nonprofit Leadership


• Epilepsy Research

Tools & Technologies

• Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT


• CRM Platforms