Perscholashires

Position Title

Director of Development - Chicago

Location

Chicago, IL

Reports To

Managing Director – Chicago Campus

Overview

Per Scholas is seeking a Director of Development to become a member of the Chicago Campus team. You will hold key responsibilities in funder relations, corporate engagement, grant writing, individual giving, and organizational storytelling for a diverse local funding portfolio. The role will specialize in revenue-raising with a primary focus on the Chicago Campus. This position is part of a dynamic team of program professionals and will work closely with the Chicago Managing Director as well as the National Development team to meet our revenue targets and grow our programs throughout the region.

The Chicago campus will expand its impact significantly over the next few years, fueled by a substantial increase in revenue. Guided by a strategic plan, the team seeks to grow enrollment from its current 150 learners to 500 learners annually by 2030 with a local operating budget of $5-5.25 million.

What You'll Do

• In partnership with regional development and campus teams, provide input on and implement a strategic fundraising plan/campaign to meet fundraising goals for Per Scholas Chicago, including identifying and researching new funding sources: corporate, foundation, government, and individual.
• Analyze program data and coordinate with local program teams and fiscal departments to gather all needed information and collateral to prepare and write accurate and compelling letters of interest, grant proposals, reports, and other materials that are responsive to donor guidelines, including assembling required documentation and budgets.
• Organize and attend funder meetings and site visits, including drafting agendas, preparing learners, and taking and distributing notes.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with current Advisory Board members and other stakeholders to ensure continued partnership and support, including conducting personal outreach, developing solicitation materials, and engaging them in relevant events/activities. Support the onboarding of new Advisory Board members.
• Participate in quarterly Advisory Board meetings and prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports as requested by the local campus lead and Advisory Board.
• Prepare slide decks, one-pagers, proposals, and other collateral to support fund development.
• Contribute to accurate and up-to-date development record-keeping in Salesforce and other development systems.
• Collaborate with the Managing Director, Marketing/Comms, and National Development teams to identify and execute brand-building opportunities that enhance local reach and relevance with key stakeholders and the philanthropic community.

What You'll Bring to Us

Professional Requirements

• 5 or more years of relevant fundraising experience, ideally managing external individual and institutional donor relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to build new, substantial funder relationships while strategically nurturing and renewing existing partnerships to drive sustained growth and long-term impact.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent project management skills; able to prioritize, influence myriad stakeholders, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent relationship management skills, with the capacity and willingness to reach out to donors to cultivate and steward them as the organizational representative.
• A results-driven approach with a commitment to outcomes and tracking.
• Ability to gather and interpret data to drive decision-making; donor prospecting experience desirable.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and Google Apps for Business (Docs, Drive, Gmail, Calendar, etc.).
• Availability to travel 5-10%.
• Familiarity with the Chicago and Illinois philanthropic community is strongly preferred.

Personal Characteristics

• You thrive in a creative, inventive, fast-paced startup environment with people who are passionate about their work and mission.
• You are data-driven, result-oriented, and a forward-looking catalyst for social change.
• You have a collaborative and flexible work style. You’re excited to work cross-functionally with other departments and independently.
• You have the ability to take projects from concept to execution with strong attention to detail.
• You maintain effective systems for time management and organization to stay on top of workloads and competing priorities.
• You are an effective communicator with strong oral and written skills.
• You are tech savvy and learn new tools quickly.
• You are interested in workforce development, technology, diversity, organizational growth, and scaling impact.
• You stand behind our mission, believing that individuals from any community should have access to well-paying career positions and that talent should be recognized and recruited from many diverse sources.

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $95,000-$100,000. Final salary offers are determined by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s geographic location, specialized experience, and alignment with the role’s senior-level requirements.

Benefits & Perks

Per Scholas offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and overall quality of life.

Holidays & PTO: Full-Time Per Scholas team members enjoy over 40 days of paid time off each year through a mix of holidays, vacation, and sick/personal time! All employees are eligible for Holiday pay upon hire (a total of 22 holidays annually, including a week off for Independence day and a week before the New Year). Full-Time Benefits Eligible employees also receive 80 Wellness Hours to use for Sick, Safe, or Personal reasons and accrue Vacation at a rate of 8 hours at the beginning of every month, supporting rest, recharge, and work-life balance. Vacation accruals increase with tenure. Part-time employees are afforded time off on a prorated basis and in accordance with local requirements.

Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Benefit eligible employees can choose from multiple medical plans through Cigna or Kaiser Permanente (where available), with options to fit your needs. Eligible employees also have access to a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) that reimburses eligible out-of-pocket expenses, up to $4,000 for individuals and $8,000 for families.

Dental and Vision Insurance: Eligible employees can select from two dental plan options and a vision plan. Employees who waive medical coverage receive employer paid dental and vision premiums.

Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a current 100% employer match on contributions up to 6%, eligible employees are offered entry and full vesting after 90 days with the company.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free, confidential, 24/7 access to counseling, legal support, and financial resources for employees and their household members.

Parental Leave: Eligible employees are offered up to 6 weeks of 100% paid parental leave to support employees as they welcome a new child and bond with their family.

Additional Benefits & Perks: Eligible employees have access to employer-paid life and AD&D Insurance, as well as employer-paid short-term disability coverage, with the option to elect additional life coverage and long-term disability insurance. Flexible Spending accounts are available for healthcare, dependent care, and commuting expenses. Per Scholas also offers a range of voluntary benefits, including Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Legal Services, and Pet Insurance. Additional resources include healthcare concierge support, financial wellness tools, and employee discount programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.