Why you should join Block Club:
Block Club Chicago is seeking a talented and passionate Major Gifts Officer to join our development team. Be part of an organization that’s invested in its staff and provides an unparalleled organizational culture to support our impactful community journalism. Our leaders empower their staff to grow and thrive in an ever-evolving media ecosystem that’s fueled by innovative conceptions.
In this role, you will lead our efforts in cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual donors, focusing on securing financial contributions from individuals who are dedicated to supporting investigative and service-oriented local news reporting. This position is ideal for a mid-career development professional with a proven track record of success in individual giving.
Responsibilities:
- Individual Donor Engagement: Develop and implement a comprehensive giving program for high net worth individuals, focusing on identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individual donors for financial contributions.
- Donor Cultivation: Build and maintain strong relationships with current and potential individual donors, ensuring personalized stewardship and regular communication to deepen their engagement with our organization. Set up and facilitate face-to-face meetings and phone calls (when appropriate).
- Donor Prospecting and Solicitation: Identify prospective, high net worth individual donors, and create compelling solicitation strategies and materials to present to them, including tailored proposals and impact reports that resonate with their philanthropic interests and goals.
- Collaboration: Collaborate with the Senior Director, Board of Directors, and other key stakeholders to identify and engage potential individual donors, leveraging their networks and connections to expand our donor base.
- Donor Recognition: Develop and implement recognition and stewardship programs to express gratitude to individual donors and ensure their ongoing support and involvement.
- Fundraising Strategy: Contribute to the overall fundraising strategy by providing insights, recommendations, and expertise in individual giving to help achieve our annual revenue goals.
- Data Management: Utilize fundraising software and systems to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of donor interactions, donations, and ongoing communication.
- Reporting: Generate regular reports and analysis on individual giving activities, progress towards goals, and the overall impact of individual donors on our organization.
Qualifications:
- Proven Success: Minimum of 5 years of experience in development, with a focus on individual giving, and a demonstrated track record of successfully closing significant donations from individual donors.
- Fundraising Expertise: Extensive knowledge and understanding of best practices in individual giving, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to develop and nurture strong relationships with donors, stakeholders, and colleagues.
- Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills to identify and prioritize individual donor prospects and tailor solicitation strategies to match donor interests.
- Excellent Communication: Superior written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling proposals, reports, and other fundraising materials.
- Collaboration: Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams, including executives, board members, and development staff, to achieve fundraising goals.
- Passion for Journalism: While not required, a background or experience in the journalism industry is preferred, with a genuine passion for the role of local news in democracy and community engagement.
- Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, adapting to changing circumstances and priorities with a positive and proactive attitude.
Location:
This position is based in Chicago and requires the person to live in the Chicago area, though working from home is common. There is an expectation of several days of in-person work at our Downtown office to work alongside and collaborate with colleagues.
Compensation:
This position offers a salary range of $80k-$90k, commensurate with experience, plus full benefits, including medical, vision, dental, vacation.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
Block Club believes the diversity of our community is a fundamental strength of our region. Our mission is best fulfilled when we embrace diversity as a value and a practice. We maintain that achieving diversity requires an enduring commitment to inclusion that must find full expression in our organizational culture, values, norms and behaviors. Throughout our work, we will support diversity in all of its forms, encompassing but not limited to age, disability status, economic circumstance, ethnicity, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation.
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted via this form: blockclubchi.co/MajorGiftsOfficer
To report a technical issue with the submission form, contact maple@blockclubchi.org