Director of Development

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Reading Power is on a strategic growth trajectory to responsibly and sustainably increase the number of schools and students that they serve. The mission of Reading Power is to accelerate children's literacy learning and foster a love for reading and writing, envisioning a world where every child has a strong literacy foundation for lifelong learning. The culture at Reading Power is rooted in respect, trust, and a passionate commitment to their mission. With an annual budget growing to $1.9 million next year, Reading Power is guided by a 22-member Board of Directors and supported by 32 staff members and over 375 volunteers who provide one-to-one, high-dosage tutoring to students scoring below the 25th percentile on reading assessments across five districts in the northern suburbs of Chicago.Reading Power is seeking a Director of Development that will lead all fundraising and donor stewardship efforts. This role involves planning, organizing, and directing various fundraising activities, including major gift cultivation and stewardship, foundation grants, annual appeals, special events, and planned giving. The Director of Development is responsible for identifying new revenue streams while maintaining existing ones to enhance fundraising capacity. Over the next three years, Reading Power aims to increase annual funding to meet the growing demand for its services. This position reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and works closely with the Board of Directors, Director of Programs, Director of Operations, Development Manager, and Events Coordinator.Reading Power Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. We strive to recruit and employ the most qualified personnel and provide equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex.Develop and execute an annual fundraising plan with key stakeholders, prioritizing major gift strategies and planned givingOversee grant writing to meet current requirements, pursue new opportunities, and manage foundation relationships and processesBuild and manage a pipeline of prospective major donors, develop individualized donor plans, and maintain a personal donor portfolioExecute the annual golf outing and two new spring fundraising events; identify and implement new events for expansion and community engagementOversee Salesforce data to ensure accurate donor information, analyze metrics to guide strategies, prepare reports, and manage gift entry and acknowledgmentsWrite and execute an annual appeal; work with the Communications Manager on a year-round donor communications strategy, targeting major donors and social media contentHighlight compelling Reading Power stories in donor materials and communications to enhance engagementWork with the CEO, Board, and staff to align fundraising efforts with organizational goals and support Reading Power's missionConduct research to identify new individual, corporate, and foundation prospects to expand the donor base and support fundraising goalsQualifications & Skills

5+ years’ of demonstrated success in individual, foundation, and corporate fundraising; deep understanding of fundraising principles and best practicesPassion for the mission of Reading PowerGoal-driven and results-oriented; committed to increasing organizational capacity with a focus on achieving measurable outcomesProven leadership experience, including the ability to lead teams and cultivate strong relationships with stakeholders, preferredExperience in crafting donor communications, including appeals and grant proposals, preferredFamiliarity with budgeting processes and financial analysisStrong interpersonal skills, enabling effective engagement with a diverse staff, donor base, and volunteer groupsStrong knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Google Platforms, Zoom, donor databases; Salesforce experience a plusGet the latest news and expert opinions delivered straight to your inbox.

#J-18808-Ljbffr