Associate Director of Development

Direct Report: Director of Development

Status: Full Time; Exempt with benefits: Blue Cross Medical/Dental/Vision, 403(b) retirement

plan, Holidays, 4 weeks Paid Time Off, 10 weeks paid Parental leave

Salary: $85,280

Alternatives Overview

Our mission is to inspire young people to create a just future through practices that heal individuals, restore communities, and transform systems. Since 1971, Alternatives has modeled innovative alternatives to the status quo in Chicago's youth services field. Our school and community-based therapy, prevention and leadership development programs support young people to individually and collectively address causes of substance abuse, grief and trauma while building social-emotional, career and social change skills. In addition to working directly with young people, we train, coach and advocate for youth-serving institutions like Chicago Public Schools to be restorative and trauma-informed.

Position Overview:

Alternatives is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to fill the role of Associate Director of Development. This role is crucial in overseeing the organization's fundraising strategies, including grant-writing, individual donor cultivation, and event planning. The Associate Director will play a key role in promoting the organization's mission, raising awareness, and enhancing its engagement with donors and stakeholders through impactful events. This position reports to the Director of Development and requires a combination of strategic thinking, exceptional communication skills, and event management expertise.

Responsibilities:

Perform the following from a racial, gender, sexuality, and ability equity lens:

Donor Engagement

• Oversee grant strategy including cultivation for foundations, corporations and government sources;
• Plan and coordinate funder site visits to compellingly communicate the impact of Alternatives’ programs and services;
• Develop stewardship opportunities and relationship building to promote funder engagement and retention;
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, support, develop, and evaluate supervisees; 
• Maintain fundraising data and pipelines, analyze data, and produce reports for the board and Executive Team.

Event Planning and Management:

• Oversee the planning, execution, and evaluation of all events, conferences, community outreach initiatives, and other special events;
• Coordinate event logistics, such as venue selection, vendor management, budgeting, and timeline management;
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure seamless event execution;
• Implement effective event marketing strategies to attract attendees and maximize event impact;
• Measure the success of events through post-event evaluations and implement improvements for future events.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Edit and review external facing documents and communications including newsletters, website, and flyers to ensure language and values alignment;
• Support the cultivation and stewardship of relationships with donors, sponsors, and community partners;
• Represent the organization at networking events, conferences, and other industry-related functions;
• Other duties as assigned. 

The ideal candidate should enjoy working in a dynamic, results-oriented environment in which expectations are high for both the quality and speed of work. In addition, they should have the following background and skill set:

1. Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent education/work experience) minimum 4-5 years professional experience in a non-profit or social-good setting;
2. Previous public and private grant writing experience with proven record of success;
3. Outstanding writing, editing, proofreading, and interpersonal communications skills, with the ability to tailor content for different audiences and platforms;
4. Excellent interpersonal and networking skills with the ability to build relationships with funders, stakeholders, and community partners;
5. Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, and evaluate successful events;
6. Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment;
7. Demonstrated ability and motivation to think critically and strategically;
8. Knowledge of nonprofit industry trends and best practices fundraising. Knowledge of Community Centric Fundraising Principles is a plus;
9. Has an understanding of antiracist fundraising practices, inclusive and asset based language, and accessible communication practices;
10. Flexibility to work evenings and weekends, as required by events and project deadlines;
11. The COVID vaccine is mandatory for all employees to the full extent permissible under applicable law.