Director of Strategic Engagement

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war‑torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.

World Relief seeks a Director of Strategic Engagement for the Chicagoland U.S. Office that will guide local office fundraising strategy while ensuring alignment and collaboration with World Relief’s corporate‑wide initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in fundraising, a history of compelling communications, a collaborative leadership approach, and a strong results orientation.

This position has a hybrid schedule of 3 onsite days and 2 remote days each week, with some evening and weekends required.

• Strategic Leadership

  Provide internal missional and fundraising thought leadership for local fundraising staff and externally facing staff. Work alongside Executive Director & Leadership Team to establish both annual and multi‑year fundraising goals. Lead the local Development Team to create and execute the annual fundraising and communications plans to reach financial goals, including long‑term goals and multiple short‑term projects with clear timelines, responsibilities, and accountabilities.
  
  Actively serve on Chicagoland’s Leadership Team, providing leadership input into regional vision and strategy, and aligning local direction with World Relief’s overall strategy.

• Team Leadership

  Create metrics for success across all fundraising activities, using results to adapt strategy throughout the year. Proactively review metrics as well as feedback from stakeholders to determine what is working and what can be improved for all initiatives, including events, campaigns, and products. Provide coaching and supervision to local fundraising staff and volunteers, investing in the development of both individual and team performance.
  
  Ensure team utilization of Raiser’s Edge NXT for recording donor communications and information. Foster an environment where all team members can bring their ideas to the table, ensuring the best solutions to challenges.

• Strategic Donor Engagement and Growth

  Drive new lead generation focused on major and midlevel donors. Grow and manage a portfolio of major donors. Foster long‑term, trust‑based relationships by ensuring donors feel valued through personalized engagement, consistent communication, and meaningful recognition of their impact. Partner with positions that report nationally, including Strategic Partnerships Officer (Mid‑level Giving) and Strategic Partnership Director (Major Giving) to ensure coordinated relationship management and cultivation.
  
  Collaborate with program teams and communications staff to connect donors with mission outcomes, and create opportunities for shared learning and deeper partnership in advancing organizational goals.

• Communications

  Oversee the planning and implementation of a communications plan and calendar for World Relief Chicagoland. Coach Communications Team to ensure alignment, branding, messaging, tone, and voice are consistent with World Relief’s values and posture. Ensure alignment across external channels of World Relief Chicagoland including Church Mobilization and Volunteer Mobilization. Represent World Relief Chicagoland in news, radio, and newspaper interviews and oversee quality representation among expertise of staff.
  
  Oversee the cultivation of stories to ensure impactful and ethical storytelling.

• Advisory Board Development

  Work alongside Executive Director to develop and launch an advisory board for World Relief Chicagoland. Work with…