Feb 24th, 2025
Connections for the Homeless
Development Manager - Annual Giving
( illinois | Hybrid )
About the Organization
Connections was founded 40 years ago by rebellious religious leaders and community volunteers committed to providing support, with dignity and compassion, to individuals and families who were homeless. This same commitment is the heart of who we are today. We serve people of all ages who are homeless and those who are on verge of losing their home. And, the program that launched our founding in 1984, Hilda’s Place, has grown to provide shelter to the homeless 365 days a year, now at the Margarita Inn.
Connections for the Homeless partners with the community to provide comprehensive, compassionate, well-resourced, and effective programs in an exceptional workplace. We are the agency in the northern suburbs delivering essential services to people facing homelessness and housing insecurity.
Driven by our core values, we prevent homelessness through financial assistance to households facing eviction, provide emergency shelter for people in crisis, secure permanent housing for individuals and families, and organize our community through advocacy efforts.
We build supportive relationships with our participants that make it possible for us to prevent and end homelessness, one person at a time.
Job Description
Position salary range: $50,000 - 75,000
Position reports to: Senior Director of Development
Specific Duties:
Planning and Strategy (25%)
Develop and keep a comprehensive annual fund calendar that lays out multiple appeals (digital, print and other) that clearly shows schedules for appeal development and design, production, distribution and post appeal analysis.
Create solicitation appeals and recognition plans for returning donors, first-time donors, and lapsed donors as well as marking donor benchmarks (example: 5, 10, 15-year donors).
Perform quarterly evaluation of appeal efforts and generate a comprehensive annual plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
Track trends in annual giving to inform strategy for outreach, retention and acquiring new donors.
Design and implementation (25%)
Manage multiple direct mail and electronic appeal solicitation campaigns with a high degree of customization and emotional appeal; set parameters and execute list generation and segmentation; oversee print, mail and fulfillment timelines with outside vendors.
Using data from multiple platforms (i.e. Constant Contact, Volunteer Hub and Donor Perfect) to create appeals that function across multiple channels (i.e. print, social and email) simultaneously.
Write compelling fundraising copy to solicit and steward annual giving prospects and donors.
Personalize donor correspondence including targeted outreach and solicitation and stewardship.
Manage twice annual phone call “thank-a-thons” for staff and volunteers.
Develop plans to grow monthly giving programs, develop special appeals, and peer-to-peer fundraising.
Reporting and Analysis (25%)
Monitor, report, and analyze outcomes of solicitation campaigns.
Analyze donor trends and tendencies to maximize annual fund ROI.
In collaboration with the Major Gifts Officers and Senior Director of Development, identify, qualify, and recommend prospective donors inclined to make major gifts.
Produce and execute strategies for list segmentation, donor reports, and post campaign analysis.
Recording Data Accuracy (15%)
Work closely with the Operations Team to oversee and ensure the integrity and quality of the donor database.
Ensure that all donor communications are recorded, including donor solicitations, acknowledgements, and touchpoints.
Work closely with the Operations Team to ensure that gifts are correctly recorded and acknowledged.
General Development Responsibilities (10%)
Collaborate with development team members to shape and execute donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship opportunities for all supporters.
Assist with donor events and other activities upon request.
Engage, as needed, in producing and editing materials, such as briefings, collateral, solicitation letters, articles, newsletters, and reports.
Build relationships with participants, staff, key volunteers, community members, agency supporters, and board
Adhere to the Code of Conduct and Core Values of Connections for the Homeless.