Director, Development

For 30 years, Per Scholas has been on a mission to drive mobility and opportunity in the ever-advancing technology landscape by unlocking the untapped potential of individuals, uplifting communities, and meeting the needs of employers through rigorous tech training. By teaming up with dynamic employer partners, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we're forging inclusive tech talent pipelines, fulfilling an ever-increasing need for skilled talent. With national remote training and campuses in 20+ cities and counting, Per Scholas offers no-cost training programs in the most sought-after tech skills, spanning Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more. To date, 30,000+ individuals have been trained through Per Scholas, propelling their professional trajectories into high-growth tech careers with salaries three times higher than their pre-training earnings. Learn more by visiting PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

• →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.

• 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.

If you have any questions about this role, please feel free to email our Talent team at jobs@perscholas.org. We look forward to viewing your application!

• 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.

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.

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.

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