Senior Director, Development

One Million Degrees accelerates community college students’ progress on career pathways to economic mobility.

Over 60% of students who start community college do not complete a degree or successfully transfer to a four‑year institution. However, 84% of jobs in the US require skills training beyond high school. OMD’s holistic support model is designed to support community college students as they work toward degrees and careers. From tutors and coaches to financial assistance and professional development, OMD helps community college students succeed in school, work, and life, transforming their futures and the futures of those around them for generations.

The OMD student support model is rooted in evaluation and evidence: a randomized controlled trial conducted with the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab shows that OMD scholars are 70% more likely to enroll, 94% more likely to persist, 73% more likely to earn a degree.

Currently, OMD serves scholars in all 7 of the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and is scaling to reach over 3,000 community college scholars by 2026. In addition to its unique partnership with CCC, OMD partners with employers across industries to build on‑ramps to in‑demand jobs through internships and apprenticeships. Alongside this direct service work in Chicago, OMD is also experiencing rapid growth working with higher education institutions and additional partners across Illinois and nationwide, supporting them to build holistic student support models.

Through this growing body of work, OMD continues to have a profound impact in Chicagoland while becoming a national model for sustainable, scalable, and systemic change.

• Equity: We address historical and existing systemic inequities by taking a holistic approach to supporting students on their path to economic mobility.
• Excellence: We hold ourselves to a high bar and provide exceptional support so that students are empowered to achieve their ambitions.
• Community: We unite around putting students first, collaborating with partners, and celebrating our collective wins.
• Learning: We each adapt to a changing world and refine our approach to support students, community members, staff, and stakeholders along the way.
• Amplify: We advocate for our students and share what we’ve learned as leaders in the field.

One Million Degrees seeks an experienced, entrepreneurial, and mission‑driven Senior Development Director to architect and execute fundraising strategies to fuel OMD’s evolution—designing innovative approaches that blend traditional philanthropy with fee‑for‑service partnerships as we continue to shift our revenue model and scale our impact. In close partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer, this leader will be at the forefront of OMD’s transformation, building on strong revenue growth over the past five years to secure new pathways to sustainability while maintaining the deep partnerships in Chicago with foundations, individuals, and employers that have been foundational to our success.

The ideal candidate brings sophisticated fundraising expertise paired with an enthusiasm for building and cultivating a strong, collaborative Development team. You will play a key role on the Advancement leadership team, partnering with Mar Com, Workforce, and Partnerships teams to create career opportunities for scholars, elevate community college student voice, and evolve OMD’s economic model. You are excited to lean on your experience cultivating major gifts from national foundations while simultaneously stewarding OMD’s long‑time individual donor base through meaningful, student‑centered events.

You are a relationship architect who sees partnerships everywhere: in foundation program officers, community college leadership, workforce boards, and corporate partners alike.

You believe fiercely in the power of community college to change lives and create economic mobility, and you’re energized by the challenge of building a revenue model as innovative as the students we serve. Grounded in OMD's commitment to social and racial justice, you design fundraising strategies that center equity and open doors for scholars.…