Associate Director of Development & Communications

Associate Director of Development & Communications

The Associate Director of Development & Communications leads the integration of fundraising strategy and communications at Nonviolence Chicago. This role owns the fundraising and communications pipeline at a systems level, ensuring that donor engagement, campaigns, stewardship, and messaging are coordinated, measured, and aligned to revenue goals. This role ensures that marketing, storytelling, engagement campaigns, and donor communications operate as direct functions of development strategy.

The Director translates programmatic impact into compelling narratives that drive revenue growth, strengthen donor retention, and expand Nonviolence Chicago’s philanthropic base.

Working cross-functionally with program leadership, finance, and data teams, the Associate Director aligns messaging, metrics, and engagement tactics with organizational fundraising priorities. This position is primarily “behind the scenes” internal-facing, focused on building systems, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring development-centric decision making across communications channels.

• Develop and lead an integrated annual development and communications strategy aligned with revenue goals.
• Oversee appeals calendar (major gifts, lapsed, acquisition, stewardship).
• Maintain visibility across the donor pipeline and ensure timely coordination of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities in partnership with development staff.
• Ensure external messaging reinforces donor cultivation and fundraising objectives.
• Guide brand positioning to support philanthropic growth.
• Ensure site visits, convenings, events, and stewardship experiences are aligned with cultivation and solicitation objectives.

• Serve as lead writer for donor appeals, stewardship reports, and campaign messaging.
• Translate impact data into donor-centered narratives.
• Oversee creative direction of marketing materials with a fundraising lens.
• Ensure alignment between grant messaging and individual donor communications.

• Establish KPIs linking communications performance to revenue outcomes.
• Oversee reporting dashboards tracking engagement and retention trends on communications channels.
• Analyze campaign performance and recommend strategic adjustments.
• Partner with Development Officer on CRM and Comms channel optimization and segmentation strategy.

• Build strong relationships with program leadership to surface compelling impact stories.
• Collaborate with data team to ensure accurate reporting.
• Support leadership in advancing strategic priorities through donor communications.
• Serve as thought partner to Vice President of Development & Communications.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required;
Master’s preferred.

5–8 years of progressive experience in development, communications, or nonprofit leadership.

Demonstrated success linking communications strategy to revenue growth.

Exceptional writing and storytelling skills.

Experience managing analytics dashboards and campaign reporting.

Passion for Nonviolence Chicago’s mission.

Microsoft Office Suite.

Common social media management tools:
Hootsuite, Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat, bit.ly , Tik Tok.

Email Marketing platforms, i.e. Mail Chimp.

Experience with Little Green Light or other CRM, preferred.

Video and Photography shooting and editing; a plus:
You Tube, Vimeo.

Compensation is commensurate with years of related experience, position requirements, and candidate qualifications. The average salary for the position is up to $78,000.

Competitive benefits package available, including Health, Life, and 401K.

Institute for Nonviolence Chicago provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.