Project Development Director Jobs in Darien, IL (NOW HIRING)

Organization Overview

The Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) is a non-profit organization that recruits, trains, and supports new teachers in underserved communities to ensure every student has a great teacher and a transformative education. Founded in Chicago, IL, AUSL became the first urban teacher residency in 2001. Building on 25 years of transformative impact, AUSL is entering into a period of rapid expansion as we work to address the nation’s critical teacher shortage. As part of AUSL’s Vision 2030 plan, we’re committed to training 500 new teachers a year by 2030. To learn more about AUSL, please visit our website.

Role Overview

The Director of Development will be a member of the Development Team, reporting to the Chief Development Officer. They will act as both a leader within the organization and an outward-facing representative of it. The Director of Development plays a critical role in sourcing, securing, and maintaining funding for AUSL’s projects and programs by managing and growing a portfolio of donors. They will actively steward existing donor relationships towards increased engagement and investment in AUSL’s work, and deepen the pipeline of new donors, with a focus on individuals and corporations, in pursuit of annual fundraising goals.

The successful candidate is detail-oriented, self-motivated, and has a proven ability to independently manage and advance their portfolio. They are also a mission-driven team player who actively champions collective success, readily embracing new responsibilities and cross-functional challenges as our organization grows.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities

• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual and corporate donors and prospects, cultivating relationships that result in five- and six-figure gifts in support of AUSL's mission and strategic priorities;
• Drive day-to-day development operations with rigor and discipline, ensuring strong systems for pipeline management, stewardship, and reporting;
• Demonstrate strong portfolio management by maintaining accurate CRM data, managing donor movement, and executing tailored engagement strategies for donors at each stage of the giving cycle to consistently advance fundraising goals against measurable benchmarks;
• Serve as a thought partner and strategic accelerant for the CDO and Executive Director, supporting high-stakes donor strategy, proposals, and engagement that help organization leaders further AUSL’s philanthropic muscle;
• Prepare the CDO and Executive Director for donor meetings by creating thorough briefings;
• Attend donor meetings with executive leadership, as needed, capturing key takeaways and owning all post-meeting follow-up to ensure seamless relationship continuity;
• Represent AUSL externally at donor meetings, site visits, cultivation events and networking opportunities;
• Support the planning and execution of donor-facing events, including but not limited to the annual Benefit Dinner, and other stewardship events.
• Support the development and refinement of case statements, donor materials, impact reports, and stewardship experiences;
• Partner with the Communications team to ensure donor-facing content is compelling and aligned with AUSL’s brand and messaging;
• Collaborate effectively across AUSL teams and departments to ensure coordinated fundraising execution.

• Hybrid work schedule that provides flexibility for both onsite and remote work, consistent with the operational needs and responsibilities of the role
• Paid time off, sick time and holidays
• Medical Insurance - Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• 403(b) Retirement Savings - Annual Matching
• Flex Spending Account - Medical
• Flex Spending Account - Dependent Care
• Employee Assistance Program
• Parental Leave
• Accidental Insurance
• Perks at Work Discounts
• Annual Professional Growth Plans

• Bachelor’s Degree;
• Five or more years of significant frontline fundraising experience with the executive presence to engage senior donors and a documented history of securing major gifts ($100K+);
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate the work into compelling donor-facing narratives, with strong proofreading instincts and a high bar for quality in all written work products;
• Effective oral communication skills backed by a demonstrated customer service orientation and ability to build relationships with multiple stakeholders;
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy, exercising sound judgment to advance priorities and move work forward without requiring close direction;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously, maintaining rigor and follow-through across each;
• Ability to work as a nimble member of a team, and to answer the call to new responsibilities and requests as the team’s work and organization’s needs evolve;
• Demonstrates AUSL’s core values and thrives in a collaborative environment;
• Experienced in using CRM software - Salesforce or Raiser’s Edge preferred;
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite of programs including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.