Chief Development Officer

Position: Chief Development Officer 

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Classification: Full-time, exempt 

Background 

Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) is a non-profit organization that empowers and unites youth from diverse backgrounds to find their voice and celebrate their common humanity through the power of music. Founded at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement on the South side of Chicago, the organization has grown from one choir to a vast network of school-based and after-school programs serving thousands of youth ages 6 through 18 from every zip code of Chicago. 

Uniting Voices is a civic treasure and model for culturally responsive music education. Since 1956, the organization has built programs that reflect the racial and economic diversity of Chicago. 80% of the youth it serves are from low to moderate income households and the vast majority of students participate free of charge. High school seniors enrolled in Uniting Voices Chicago programs have a 100% high school graduation and college acceptance rate, and go on to become global ambassadors who embody the core values of education, expression and excellence in a wide array of professional fields. As a national and international touring ensemble, Uniting Voices has performed for dignitaries such as former President Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and former Chinese President Hu Jintao and with artists such as Karol G, Chance the Rapper, Bobby McFerrin, Common, Yo-Yo Ma, and Andrea Bocelli.

Position Description

As a member of the leadership team, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) will craft the fundraising strategy to grow annually by approximately 5-10% and meet Uniting Voices goal of expanding annual philanthropic support to $4.5 million by fiscal year 2029.  This person will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work closely with the President and Board of Directors. The CDO will be focused on supporting the growth and stewardship of the organization’s vibrant and engaged individual donor and foundation funder community. They will also foster a culture of philanthropy within the organization and work collaboratively with leaders to assure that Uniting Voices culture, systems and procedures support and institutionalize philanthropy and fund development throughout the organization. Leading a development team of five staff, the CDO will execute fully integrated plans across all fundraising avenues.

The ideal candidate has strong strategic planning skills and is capable of developing and implementing clear goals, systems and priorities.  They must be hands on with experience developing collaborative relationships, internally and externally, and with the ability to translate Uniting Voices mission into resource development opportunities.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership 

• Partner with the Board, President, Chief Operating Officer and other senior organizational leaders in setting fundraising strategy and goals that align with Uniting Voices’ mission, vision, values and plans
• Drive development efforts and planning for the organization and invest a culture of philanthropy into the entire organization
• Further mature the structure, systems and goals for the implementation of development efforts
• Establish/evaluate performance measures, monitor results and assist the senior team and Board to evaluate on an ongoing basis the effectiveness of the development program
• Staff the development committee of the Board and others as assigned
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives

Relationship Management and Donor Stewardship

• Maintain portfolio of Uniting Voices highest net worth donors and key foundations and corporations serving as the primary leader responsible for stewarding these relationships
• Cultivate new philanthropic, community and political relationships using a wide range of acquisition strategies to expand the base of supporters and contributors at all levels and meet development goals
• Manage interdepartmental/cross-functional coordination and communication between Development, Marketing and Communications, Finance, and Program Teams, to capture and communicate the organizational ‘story’ and assemble resources to support fundraising efforts
• Represent the organization at key donor and foundation meetings and events, and partner closely with and support the Board, President and other senior leaders to execute a robust solicitation schedule

Team Development & Management

• Lead and nurture a best-in-class performing development team with a high level of professionalism and dedication
• Lead the development team to implement fundraising plans that outline monetary and activity goals targeting all donor levels and for all areas of support including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation support, special events and alumni relations
• Increase the effectiveness, productivity, and collaboration of the team by serving as a coach and mentor, promote diversity and inclusion, and motivate team members with energy and passion 

Qualifications 

Ideal candidates for the Chief Development Officer role will possess the following skills and attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline preferred with at least 8 years of increasingly responsible managerial experience
• Demonstrated experience with multiple categories of giving such as major gifts, events and campaigns, individual, foundation and corporate support, planned giving, and in-kind partnerships
• Proven success securing five-figure gifts and building and stewarding relationships with major individual donors, foundations, corporations and other potential donors
• Evident experience and success building a development infrastructure to achieve strategic and annual goals
• Impeccable judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive information
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills with experience in development and marketing related writing
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to project professional competence, leadership capability and personal maturity
• Ability to present in a professional manner and to inspire and generate enthusiasm among donors, volunteers and staff
• Excellent team building, facilitation, and organizational skills, with the ability to multi-task 
• Experience or interest in the arts, preferably music
• Passion for the Uniting Voices mission and program

OTR” Life Experience: We know that many of your most character-building experiences -- where resilience, grit and grace were required to persevere -- do not show up neatly on a resume. So, we want to hear some of those “OTR” (“off the resume”) moments for you. In order to be on the Uniting Voices team, EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is not a nice-to-have...it’s a must. So, show us your EQ.

What it’s Like to Work at Uniting Voices: Sincerely, we’re a family. We get it done while having fun. We’re all working toward a colorful, peaceful and equitable future - and that feels good. We share a passion for music and the vast potential of young people. 

In addition to work you can believe in, Uniting Voices offers the following perks:

• Unlimited paid time off, including 8 state holidays and company-wide two week winter break.
• Half-day Fridays out of respect for the work we do on evenings and weekends.
• An array of health insurance options with generous subsidy of premiums. We also offer vision, dental, short and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• A retirement plan with matched contributions up to 3% after a year of employment. We’re invested in your future!
• A pre-tax commuter program that allows you to save on public transportation and parking.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should send a resume and cover letter to jobs@unitingvoiceschicago.org, with the job title in the subject line. 

Uniting Voices is an equal opportunity employer that actively pursues candidates of diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to providing diversity, equity, and inclusion training to all employees, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, nationality or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy status, marital status, age, medical condition, disability, or veteran status in admission or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.