Chief of Development Officer

Description About Noble

Noble is Chicago’s highest-performing and largest network of public charter schools. Our 17 campuses and 1,600 employees currently serve 12,000 students, 98% of whom identify as persons of color, 90% as low-income, and 81% as first-generation college attendees. Noble’s mission is to ensure that all students have equitable and positive school experiences that equip them to complete college and lead choice-filled lives.

We are proud to be recognized nationally for college access and persistence. Noble supports more than 31,000 alumni, with 98% of students accepted into college and nearly 94% choosing to enroll.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is the senior leader responsible for building, leading, and sustaining a best-in-class fundraising function for a large-scale public education system. Reporting to the President and working in close partnership with the CEO, Board of Directors, senior leadership team, and school principals, the CDO owns Noble’s comprehensive development strategy and is ultimately accountable for results.

This role exists to do three things exceptionally well:

• Set and execute a bold, multi-year fundraising strategy aligned to Noble’s mission, strategic plan, and long-term financial sustainability.
• Personally lead high-stakes fundraising—cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding transformational gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and the public sector.
• Build and manage a high-performing development team—with strong systems, disciplined execution, clear accountability, and deep bench strength.

The CDO is not a first-time fundraiser. This leader brings seasoned judgment, pattern recognition, and credibility earned through experience leading complex development efforts y are strategic and analytical, yet comfortable in the work—in donor meetings, campaign strategy sessions, boardrooms, and team coaching conversations. They are equally skilled at setting direction and rolling up their sleeves.

• Own Noble’s comprehensive fundraising strategy, including annual fundraising, major gifts, grants, institutional giving, capital campaigns, and special initiatives.
• Translate Noble’s strategic priorities into compelling, fundable narratives and fundraising strategies.
• Set clear, ambitious revenue goals; build multi-year pipelines; and ensure consistent progress toward targets.
• Use data rigorously to manage performance, assess return on effort, and continuously refine strategy.

• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, with responsibility for closing transformational six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts.
• Lead cultivation and solicitation strategies for long-term sustained giving.
• Serve as a primary external ambassador for Noble with donors, foundations, civic leaders, and partners.
• Partner closely with the CEO, President, and Board to prepare, support, and leverage their relationships for fundraising success.

• Build, lead, and retain a high-performing development team with clear roles, strong management, and a culture of accountability and growth.
• Establish best-in-class systems, processes, and rhythms for fundraising execution, forecasting, and stewardship.
• Coach and develop team members and emerging leaders; hire exceptional talent aligned to Noble’s mission and standards.
• Ensure strong collaboration across Development and the Communications, Finance, Operations, Academics, College, and campus teams.

• Serve as a trusted partner to the Board and Development Committee, providing clear reporting, insight, and strategic guidance.
• Design and support meaningful Board engagement in fundraising, including goal-setting, portfolio development, and solicitation.

• Partner with Communications to ensure consistent, compelling messaging that advances development priorities.
• Oversee the creation of high-quality proposals, case statements, donor materials, and stewardship experiences.
• Ensure donors experience Noble as thoughtful,…