Director of Development; IJS

The Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) seeks to revitalize Jewish life by teaching spiritual practices that cultivate mindfulness on the individual and communal levels, so that we can act with enriched wisdom, clarity, and compassion. We teach the core practices of Jewish mindfulness meditation, tikkun middot (the cultivation of ethical character traits), Torah study, prayer, and singing and yoga as embodied practices.

These practices provide participants with valuable skills for effective leadership while creating opportunities to deepen their inner lives and connect meaningfully with the Divine. We utilize traditional and contemporary forms of authentic Jewish practice to enrich everyday life with Jewish wisdom, link the search for inner wholeness with tikkun olam (repair of the world), and create a vibrant, enduring Judaism now and for generations to come.

Founded In 1998, IJS now directly impacts the lives of hundreds of Jewish leaders annually through our immersive, cohort-based programs, andreaches thousands more through our online offerings and open retreats. Participants routinely describe the Institute’s work as "life-changing," and many alumni are motivated volunteers and supporters.

Reporting to and working closely with the Executive Director, the Director of Development leads the Development Team, which includes the Foundations Relations Manager and the Development Associate, to engage individual and institutional funders in supporting the work of IJS. The Director of Development also provides staff support for the Board of Directors of the Institute, and works in close partnership with the Board Development Committee.

IJS’s current development budget is $1.2 million, divided roughly evenly between individual and foundation support. The organization also generates $1 million per year in program revenue. By FY23, the development budget is anticipated to include at least $1 million in annual fundraising from individual donors, with a significant increase in donors at the twenty-five, fifty- and one hundred thousand dollar levels.

This position is both strategic and tactical, as it is responsible for updating, managing, and executing the IJS annual development plan. The ideal candidate has a clear grasp of all core components of development, with particularly strong experience in individual giving, including major gifts, stewardship and annual giving campaigns (direct mail and digital). This role requires experience with development operations, including CRM management and budget-building.

The Director of Development will interface frequently with donors, will be the primary steward for gifts below $10,000, and will be a partner to the Executive Director in prospecting, developing, and stewarding all major gifts.

This position is geo-flexible with a preference for candidates located in New York or Chicago. IJS offers a competitive benefits package. Salary for this position will be $110,000-$120,000 commensurate with experience.

The Director of Development can expect her/his/their work to include:

• Contribute positively to organizational culture and reflect the Institute’s values
• Actively engage with IJS staff and program participants to truly understand IJS’s mission and vision and to gather stories from participants for development communications
• Manage and execute the IJS development and stewardship plans to achieve annual revenue goals
• Update existing development and stewardship plans with new ideas, industry best practices, and data-driven analysis
• Ensure a robust gift pipeline big enough to hit annual revenue goals by actively managing prospective and current individual donors and working with the Foundation Relations Manager…