Sr. Director, Membership & Annual Giving

Shedd Aquarium; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision and Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Up to 12 Paid Holidays

Life Insurance

Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance

401(k)

Parking and Transit Subsidies

Employee Assistance Program

Wellness program

Employee Discounts

Employee Tickets

Job summary

Shedd Aquarium seeks a Senior Director of Membership and Annual Giving to lead growth in membership and donor programs. You will drive data-driven strategies, align with fundraising goals, and mentor a 3-person team within the Development department.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, you will help transform philanthropy culture, manage budgets, and collaborate with leadership to advance institutional priorities and donor revenue.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive development experience.
• Proven track record growing membership and annual giving programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve annual and long-term fundraising goals.
• Oversee membership and annual giving programs, enhancing donor engagement.
• Build data-informed growth and retention strategies; align with organization goals.
• Partner with Development leadership on pipeline planning for key prospects.
• Strengthen infrastructure and metrics to track performance and budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Data-driven decisions

Donor relations

CRM: Tessitura

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Tessitura

CRM software

Job description

Title

Sr. Director, Membership & Annual Giving

Department

Development

Reports To

Chief Development Officer

Status

Full-time, Exempt

Salary

$130,000 - $140,000

Location

Hybrid

Position Overview

The Senior Director of Membership and Annual Giving holds primary oversight for growing and sustaining Shedd’s membership and annual giving to help transform the culture of philanthropy and advance donor revenue and participation from individual supporters up to $5k. This role leads with a data-driven approach for membership growth while creating strategies and structure for annual giving, encouraging team members to innovate using their skills and experience, while focusing on successfully achieving or exceeding established metrics and goals. They also serve as members of Shedd’s development leadership team, helping identify and advance shared goals for fundraising and other institutional priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve annual and long-term fundraising goals across direct response campaigns, givingcircles,and philanthropic volunteer engagements.
• Oversee membership and annual giving programs, enhancing donor engagement and retention.
• Build strong data-informed member growth and retention strategies that mix benefit enhancement with strong stewardship and experiential principles; champion them across the organization toensurealignment anddeliveryofgoals.
• Partner with themembers of the Development leadership teamon pipeline planning for key giving circle prospects.
• Strengthen infrastructure and metrics to track performance, auditing, and adapting regularly to meet goals.
• Develop, analyze, and adjust budgets for membership andannualgivingprograms.
• Supervise, guide, and mentor a team of 3, including membership andindividualgivingfundraisers and support staff.
• Provide training, guidance, and performance evaluations to ensure team success.
• Foster a collaborative and motivating work environment aligned with Shedd’s mission and values.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive experience in development
• Proventrack recordof managing successfulmembership and annual givingprograms to grow revenue and donor participation
• Experience managing a multidisciplinary team in a nonprofit or cultural institution, including driving accountability.

Skills, Abilities & Attributes

• Exceptional leadership and strategic planning skills.
• Commitment to transparency.
• Ability toleveragefact-based reporting to drive decisions and recommendations.
• Strong communicationand interpersonal abilities.
• Specific knowledge of membership strategies and understanding of the drivers, levers, and best practices that drive performance.
• Ability to cultivate relationships with major donors and community leaders.
• Proficiencyin fundraising software and CRM systems (Tessitura knowledge strongly preferred).
• Knowledge of current trends in philanthropy and charitable giving.
• Passion for Shedd Aquarium’s mission and conservation efforts.
• High levelof integrity, professionalism, and commitment to excellence.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.

Work Environment

• Flexibility to attend evening and weekend events as required.
• Ability to lift to 20 pounds, sit, stand, stoop, and walk.
• Work environment may include exposure to water, heat, cold, and varying noise levels

Benefits of Working at Shedd

We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization.

• Medical Insurance, including FSA and HSA plan options
• Vision and Dental Insurance
• Accrued Paid Time Off
• Up to 12 Paid Holidays
• Life Insurance
• Parental Leaveand Adoption Assistance
• 401(k)
• Discounted Parking and Public Transit Subsidies
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness program, including Preventive Care Incentive
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Tickets

Reasonable Accommodations

Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at [e-mail].

We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.