Remote Director Development Jobs in Naperville, IL

As a fully remote institution, Bexley Seabury welcomes candidates from across the United States who are near a major airport.

About Bexley Seabury Seminary

Bexley Seabury Seminary is an Episcopalrooted, ecumenically minded theological institution committed to forming leaders who embody the Gospel with clarity, courage, and compassion. At a time when Christianity is often distorted by forces that pull it away from the teachings of Jesus, Bexley Seabury prepares leaders, lay and ordained, who can offer a counternarrative grounded in love, justice, and service.

The Seminary is at a pivotal moment. A new President brings deep relational gifts, a compelling "why," and a commitment to spending more than half of his time in donorfacing work. The Director of Philanthropy will build the architecture to help translate Presidential vision into sustained philanthropic growth.

The Director of Philanthropy (DOP) is the Seminary's senior advancement leader and the President's closest partner in donor strategy, cultivation, and majorgift conversations.

This fully remote, fulltime role will report directly to the President, focusing on major gifts, endowmentlevel commitments, and longterm philanthropic relationships. The DOP will build and manage the majordonor portfolio, develop a strong Presidential portfolio, and create the systems and structures that support sustainable philanthropic growth.

The DOP will travel extensively, both independently and with the President, to meet with major prospects and donors across the United States, with a focus on Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, where the greatest number of historical supporters reside.

While this role will focus on high-level relationships, the DOP will guide the annual giving and alumni relations activities, in coordination with the Dean of Student and Community Engagement. 

The strongest candidates will be seasoned majorgifts professionals who combine strategic sophistication with handson execution. They will be energized by Bexley Seabury's mission to form Gospelcentered leaders who resist distortions of Christianity and reclaim a faith rooted in justice, compassion, and the teachings of Jesus. They will bring both urgency and steadiness: someone who can move quickly to strengthen revenue while building longterm donor relationships grounded in trust.

The ideal candidate understands the Church ecosystem, resonates deeply with the Seminary's mission, and thrives in a small, entrepreneurial environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Presidential Partnership & Donor Strategy

• Serve as the President's primary philanthropic advisor and strategic partner.
• Prepare briefings, talking points, call sheets, and followup plans for donor meetings.
• Ensure the President spends 50%+ of his time in cultivation and solicitation.
• Translate Presidential vision into structured donor strategies and philanthropic opportunities.
• Support the Development Committee of the Board to build their engagement in fundraising and building donor relationships.

2. Major Gifts & Portfolio Development

• Build and manage the Seminary's majordonor portfolio, including alumni, friends, parishes, dioceses, and foundations.
• Develop a curated Presidential portfolio using historical giving data.
• Create individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for highcapacity prospects.
• Establish majorgift tracking systems.
• Write grant applications, as needed.

3. Philanthropic Architecture & Systems

• Build the structures, processes, and reporting systems that support longterm philanthropic growth.
• Implement movesmanagement practices and ensure donor relationships are documented and transferable.
• Translate institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic cases for support.
• Establish early frameworks for legacy giving.
• Oversee the CRM (Bloomerang), gift entry, acknowledgement, and stewardship processes.

4. MissionCentered Donor Engagement

• Use the Seminary's theological and missional language consistently - philanthropy as stewardship, invitation, and partnership.
• Articulate the Seminary's Gospel focus in a donorcentered, invitational way.
• Build relationships rooted in authenticity, trust, and shared purpose.

5. Internal Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely with academic leadership, communications, and community engagement to ensure alignment in messaging and donor experience.
• Collaborate and communicate with recruitment and engagement, through the Dean of Student and Community Engagement.
• Oversee annual giving and alumni engagement roles as the advancement team grows.
• Foster a culture of philanthropy across the Seminary, helping Board members, faculty, staff, and trustees understand their roles in donor engagement.
• Develop and oversee the Development budget.
• Participate and coordinate with the following staff committees:
  • Leadership Team
  • Marketing
  • Financial Aid
  • Alumni Relations
  • Student Life

Required

• 7-10+ years of progressive fundraising experience, with a strong record of securing major gifts.
• Demonstrated success building and managing donor portfolios and closing five and sixfigure gifts.
• Experience partnering with executive leaders on donor strategy.
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and relationshipbuilding skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment.
• Strong organizational discipline and comfort working in a financially urgent context.
• Ability to build systems and donor pipelines.
• Ability to travel extensively to build donor-centered relationships for the Seminary.

Preferred

• Knowledge of the Episcopal Church or mainline Protestant traditions.
• Experience in theological education, higher education, or faithbased nonprofits.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and datadriven fundraising practices.
• Supervisory experience.

Personal Qualities

• Deep resonance with the Seminary's mission and its commitment to forming Gospelcentered leaders.
• A relational, empathetic presence who builds trust quickly.
• A strategic thinker who can also execute with urgency.
• A collaborative partner who thrives in a small, evolving institution.
• A steady, grounded leader who can navigate financial pressure without sacrificing donor trust.

Bexley Seabury Seminary has engaged Capital Development Services (CapDev) to conduct a search for this position. Candidates are required to submit a cover letter, resume and faith statement. All information submitted by applicants will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Additional inquiries may be directed to [email protected].