VP of Development: Lead Major Gifts & Campaigns

Chicago Children's Museum; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 165,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Job summary

Chicago Children's Museum seeks a visionary Vice President of Development to lead all fundraising activities, campaigns, and donor engagement. You will supervise a talented team, build major gifts pipelines, and partner with the CEO and Board to drive growth and impact across programs and capital initiatives.

The role requires a decade of nonprofit leadership, expertise in grants and gifts, and a strong Chicago philanthropic network.

Qualifications

• Ten years leading development teams and volunteer boards in nonprofits.
• Capital campaigns, major gifts, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations.
• Experience building major gifts programs and growing pipelines.
• Strong network in Chicago philanthropy and comfort with public-facing roles.
• Senior leadership experience and budgeting/forecasting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate the development team and volunteers to meet revenue goals.
• Develop strategic giving plans across major gifts, sponsorships, and grants.
• Oversee fundraising programs from diverse sources with clear revenue goals.
• Collaborate with management to align donor communications with museum priorities.
• Manage Board activities, governance, and fundraising support.
• Represent the museum in external partnerships and donor engagements.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Major gifts program

Donor relations

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Budget analysis

Data analysis

Marketing & digital fundraising

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher

Tools

Raiser’s Edge/RE NXT

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Word

Job description

Chicago Children's Museum seeks a visionary Vice President of Development to lead all fundraising activities, campaigns, and donor engagement. You will supervise a talented team, build major gifts pipelines, and partner with the CEO and Board to drive growth and impact across programs and capital initiatives.

The role requires a decade of nonprofit leadership, expertise in grants and gifts, and a strong Chicago philanthropic network.