Development Officer

Salary: $58k-$65k with $7k-$10k bonus potential

All applicants should submit a resume and cover letter.

Students who attend Chicago Jesuit Academy (CJA) will be the next generation of leaders in the City of Chicago. Talented people who wish to be employed by Chicago Jesuit Academy must demonstrate a past and continued commitment to educational equity, professional development and the Jesuit ideal of being people for others. Strong candidates are disciplined workers, compassionate listeners and tireless advocates for the children they serve. Most importantly, they recognize that Chicago Jesuit Academy will ask them to approach their work as a vocation and make substantial contributions of their time and talents in the service of the students, alumni and families of CJA.

Our ideal Development Officer will play a crucial role in implementing fundraising strategies, cultivating donor relationships and supporting various efforts to ensure the smooth functioning of our Development department. They will be eager to grow in their professional practice and become an integral part of our team’s success. Their sincere commitment to educational equity, exceptional communication, strength in building relationships, meticulous attention to detail and innovative thinking will be essential to our team’s ability to achieve our goals and further the mission of our larger school community. Responsibilities and assignments will increase over time as the Development Officer demonstrates success on initial work and projects. We believe in learning through action, so there will be close collaboration with colleagues as the Development Officer learns to authentically master their contributions to the work of our team.

Our ideal Development Officer will:

Fundraising and Stewardship

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with a portfolio of prospective donors and those making annual donations of $5,000 or more, inviting them to increasing levels of commitment and support
• Serve as a primary writer for grant proposals and foundations’ annual reporting, ensuring consistency, clarity, and alignment with funder priorities.
• Actively research new prospects, identify new connections and engage in new introductions to our work, both for individuals and foundations
• Directly steward financial and other contributions from major donors to achieve the annual fundraising goals of the Development team
• Master an understanding of the programs, framework, mission and outcomes of our student, alumni and partner-school relationships to effectively share with donors
• Solicit and coordinate on-campus visits for the President and fellow team members
• Manage all aspects of your portfolio including oversight and maintenance of donor file systems and processes
• Provide input and insights to further develop the team’s fundraising strategies
• Work with donors to coordinate small events to introduce our work to their networks

Communication

• Consistently engage with donors through clear and compelling communication about how their investment is making a difference in the lives of the students, alumni, families and communities we serve
• Manage major donor renewal cycles, including drafting communications and engaging Board and committee members
• Oversee and execute various donor communication projects per deadlines outlined in the team’s annual calendar

Events

• Support planning and managing annual school or fundraising events, including logistics, outreach and overall management in partnership with donors or fellow staff

Other

• Perform other duties and manage other projects as assigned

The ideal candidate should:

• Have a sincere commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a belief that all children deserve equitable access to a high-quality education
• Possess strong relationship building skills including the ability to ask questions and make inferences that help you understand a donor’s motivation, to navigate challenging conversations across lines of difference and to listen sincerely and effectively
• Have demonstrated written communication skills and a strong ability to produce clear and concise written materials for diverse audiences
• Be goal oriented, motivated by achieving individual and group fundraising goals
• Be detail oriented with exceptional organizational and communication skills
• Have project management skills and be adept at juggling multiple deadlines and stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive final product
• Have a collaborative spirit; be motivated and driven to work with the Development Team to accomplish team goals while also completing independent work
• Be politely persistent
• Be open to working on a project or team undergoing transition and growth
• Actively engage in the life of the school and community

Chicago Jesuit Academy Mission Statement

Mission: Chicago Jesuit Academy is a loving and academically rigorous tuition-free Catholic elementary school for students and families from resilient communities impacted by historical disinvestment. We accompany our students and alumni from enrollment through the start of their careers as they develop their gifts and grow as men and women for others.

Means:

Located in Austin on Chicago’s West Side, CJA admits students to all grades in our lower and middle school without regard for their race, ethnicity or religion, and CJA enrolls 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-grade students without regard for their past levels of academic achievement.

We use small class sizes, extended school days and an 11-month school year to give personal care to our students and help them develop as whole persons.

We accompany our alumni on their unique paths to meaningful employment and support them throughout high school, their post-secondary education and the start of their careers, always welcoming them back as leaders at CJA and in the broader community.

CJA students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteers and benefactors listen to and learn from one another and make disciplined sacrifices to accomplish our shared mission.

We partner with other schools and the broader community to create access to better educational resources, confront systemic racism and remove obstacles to educational equity.

We call one another to find God in all things and be men and women for others who are open to growth, loving, religious, seeking intellectual excellence and committed to doing justice.

Chicago Jesuit Academy, in accordance with our Jesuit tradition, is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the CJA community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected identity.

All applicants should submit a resume and cover letter.