Individual and Major Gifts Officer Chicago Humanities

ORGANIZATION

Chicago Humanities connects people to the ideas that shape and define us and promotes the lifelong exploration of what it means to be human. Chicago Humanities fosters curiosity, celebrates creativity, explores the boundaries of contemporary knowledge and culture, and challenges us to see ourselves and the world anew. Collaborating with nearly 40 of Chicago’s major cultural and educational institutions, Chicago Humanities produces roughly
100 events annually and partners with nearly 40 venues around Chicago, as well as stewards a vibrant online home for the humanities. Chicago Humanities has an international reputation for innovation and creativity, featuring an exceptional roster of writers, scholars, performers, and visual artists in its programs and online.

Chicago Humanities seeks an experienced, relationship-oriented Individual and Major Gifts Officer to join its Development team. This position will play a key role in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors whose philanthropic support advances the organization’s mission and programs.

The Individual and Major Gifts Officer will manage a portfolio of approximately 125 households currently giving $3,000+, with a focus on donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more. The Officer will develop and execute individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies, deepen relationships with existing supporters, identify new major-gift prospects, and work closely with organizational leadership and colleagues across Development to increase philanthropic revenue.

The ideal candidate is a confident fundraiser and thoughtful relationship manager who can balance strategic portfolio management with personal, high-touch donor engagement. They will bring strong writing, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, as well as an enthusiasm for Chicago Humanities' mission and programming.

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 125 individual and household donors and prospects, prioritizing those with capacity and inclination to make gifts of $25,000+.
• Develop and execute individualized moves-management strategies for donors at varying stages of the giving cycle.
• Build meaningful, long-term relationships with donors through personal meetings, calls, correspondence, events, and other forms of engagement.
• Qualify new prospects and develop strategies for moving them into the major-gift pipeline.
• Develop and present compelling proposals for major gifts, including multi-year and program-specific opportunities.
• Personally solicit major gifts and partner with senior leadership, board members, and other staff on solicitations when appropriate.
• Maintain consistent and thoughtful stewardship of donors following their gifts, ensuring that supporters understand the impact of their philanthropy.
• Track portfolio activity, next steps, solicitations, and results in the organization’s CRM.

• Contribute to strategies designed to increase retention, renewal, upgrading, and acquisition of individual donors.
• Identify opportunities to move annual donors into higher levels of support.
• Collaborate with colleagues on donor communications, appeals, events, and other engagement opportunities that support individual giving.
• Analyze giving history, engagement, and prospect information to identify opportunities for increased support.

• Work collaboratively across the Development team to coordinate donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Partner with program and events staff to create meaningful opportunities for donors to engage with Chicago Humanities' work.
• Attend Chicago Humanities programs and donor events, representing the organization and engaging with current and prospective supporters.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, senior leadership, board members, and other key stakeholders on donor relationships and major-gift strategies.
• Prepare donor briefings, meeting materials, proposals, reports, and other materials as needed.

• Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions,…