Manager, Individual Giving and Development Events
VOCEL
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Chicago • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $62,500 per year
Job Level
Mid-LevelSenior
Tech Stack
Spring
About the role
- Manage VOCEL’s individual and corporate giving strategy, collaborating closely with the Director of Development and Executive Director to create and execute compelling donor journeys that inspire new supporters and strengthens our relationships with current supporters
- Lead execution of the Development Team’s marketing and mass outreach, driving donor engagement through compelling newsletter emails and inspiring social media posts that resonate with our diverse audience of stakeholders
- Craft new annual campaigns and seasonal giving opportunities to continuously help expand, refine, and strengthen our annual giving strategy
- Collaborate with the Executive Director to refresh and execute a fulfilling, impactful experience for members of Parents for VOCEL and Grandparents for VOCEL, our first donor circles for parents and grandparents who give a minimum of $1,000 annually
- Collaborate with the Development and Program teams to plan and execute individual and corporate volunteer opportunities that connect supporters with VOCEL’s mission, such as our annual Gift of Joy holiday drive
- Work closely with the Director of Development to manage and inform VOCEL’s individual giving and corporate giving portfolios, tracking their engagement to inform solicitation strategy and requests for new, renewed, and increased giving
- Collaborate with the Manager of Institutional Giving and Development Operations to document clear and accurate donor/prospect information, constituent communications and interactions, and all donation details in our CRM, including inputting notes following any staff members’ interactions with individual or corporate donors.
- Work closely with the Manager of Institutional Giving and Development Operations to ensure timely sending of personalized notes of gratitude and tax acknowledgment letters to donors in your portfolios
- Support the Director of Development in crafting compelling solicitation letters informed by detailed research and a responsive, relationship-driven approach to fundraising
- Conduct ongoing, in-depth prospect research to propose new engagement and solicitation opportunities to grow VOCEL’s individual giving and corporate giving portfolios
- Lead the planning and execution of the entire Development Events portfolio — most notably the Annual Fall Benefit Dinner and Associate Board Spring Fundraiser — managing every detail from vendor selection and collaboration, crafting an impactful event program, ticketing and registration, budgeting and revenue tracking, volunteer management, and all post-event communications and campaign reporting
- Collaborate closely with the full Development Team to craft an exceptional Annual Fall Benefit Dinner vision and program that centers VOCEL’s joyful, people-first approach to fundraising events (this event historically raises 20% of VOCEL’s annual budget)
- Develop, and implement new fundraising and stewardship events to engage and nurture VOCEL’s growing donor base across all giving portfolios (individual, corporate, and foundation)
- Serve as the staff liaison for the Associate Board, managing a board of 10-20 smart, curious young professionals committed to deepening their support of VOCEL and understanding of the early education landscape in Chicago
- Support the Associate Board to achieve their annual fundraising and recruitment goals, including the planning and execution of their annual spring fundraiser
- Collaborate closely with the Associate Board Leadership to design and implement a strong board experience for all members that helps create lifelong champions of VOCEL
- Participate in and serve as the primary note taker for quarterly Board of Directors meetings — providing support with meeting set-up, board member welcomes, and as needed, supporting meeting facilitation
- Draft the meeting minutes for the Board of Directors, working with the Director of Development to ensure they’re finalized and signed in a timely manner
- Provide hands-on support for Development and VOCEL Team meetings, events, and engagement opportunities as needed
- Provide ad hoc project and administrative support to the Development Team
- Support internal tracking tools, quarterly reporting, document management systems, and team calendars
- Collaborate across departments – Development, Operations, and Program – as needed to support organization-wide processes that nurture a team-oriented workplace
- Actively serve on a VOCEL Team Culture Committee, attend staff meetings, and participate in other organizational activities and duties as assigned
Requirements
- At least 3 years of nonprofit fundraising experience
- A passion for early childhood education and a deep alignment with VOCEL’s core values: Put People First, Welcome All, Embrace the Child Within, Innovate with Intention, Promote Equity, and Build a Better Tomorrow
- Bachelor’s degree
- Compelling, Donor-Centric Communication: You leverage excellent writing and interpersonal skills to create engaging, impact-driven appeals and communications, building relationships with donors and stakeholders that inspire confidence, openness, and shared vision
- Event & Campaign Management: You have a proven track record in planning and executing successful high-profile events and donor campaigns — with an eye for detail, exceptional donor stewardship, and effective budgeting
- Project Management: You’re highly organized, take ownership, and are able to manage multiple complex timelines and deliverables across teams
- Technical Proficiency: You’re comfortable navigating CRMs, spreadsheets, and data analysis tools to track donor data, monitor fundraising performance, and inform strategic decisions
- Data & Research Mastery: You have a sharp eye for trends and connections with experience in donor research, leveraging the ability to translate data into insights.
Benefits
- Health, dental, and vision insurance (50-60% covered by VOCEL)
- IRA with employer matching
- Technology reimbursement
- Mileage reimbursement
- Generous paid time including: Paid holidays with opportunity to swap holidays for personal/religious observance
- 20 days of elective paid time off per year
- Up to 5 paid sick days
- Up to 5 paid self, family, and community care days
- Flexible “VOCEL Fridays” with most staff finishing their work day by 1:00 pm
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
nonprofit fundraisingevent managementcampaign managementdata analysisdonor researchbudgetingproject managementdonor stewardshipcommunication
Soft skills
interpersonal skillsorganizational skillswriting skillsrelationship buildingattention to detailownershipteam collaborationstrategic thinking
Certifications
Bachelor's degree