Ride Illinois, a nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization, is seeking a part-time, home-based Development Manager (20 – 25 hours per week) to help drive its fundraising efforts during an exciting period of organizational growth. Reporting to and in partnership with the Chief Operations Officer, the Development Manager will develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan with goals of increasing and stewarding membership, individual giving, corporate sponsorship, and support from foundations and other sources. As a new position within Ride Illinois, the Development Manager will have the opportunity to recommend changes to existing resource plans and implement new strategies to achieve fundraising goals.

Ride Illinois is seeking a highly motivated, self-directed candidate with excellent writing and organization skills to handle the following responsibilities:

Membership and Individual Giving

• Manage two annual membership campaigns (direct mail and online) from planning through fulfillment, creating messaging and materials, and implementing strategies to significantly grow and strengthen the organization’s membership and individual giving.
• Collaborate with staff to develop print, digital, and social media content to support fundraising activities.
• Manage the stewardship of all gifts, including managing donor and member data in database, and donor and member communications.
• Provide detailed reports about fundraising progress to the COO and the Board on a regular basis.
• Direct efforts to develop broader brand recognition via fundraising outreach and promotional materials.

Corporate Sponsorship and Support

• Develop new and foster existing corporate sponsor relationships. Seek new opportunities and implement strategies to expand Ride Illinois’ event sponsorships for its annual bike tour and annual Illinois Bike Summit.
• Develop and write strategic partnership proposals that persuasively communicate the organization's mission, vision, and programs to potential funders as needed.
• Manage the stewardship of corporate gifts and oversee the delivery of corporate sponsorship benefits.

Support from Foundations and Other Sources

• Support COO and Chief Programs Officer in foundation and grant funding efforts, including researching new, potential foundations and grantors and helping to research, write, and submit grant applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and at least 3-5 years of experience in a nonprofit fundraising environment, preferably with focus on membership and individual giving.

• A demonstrable track record of meeting and exceeding fundraising goals, particularly in increasing membership and retention. Proven success in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individual donors, corporations and foundations for support is essential.

• Highly developed skills in writing and competence at crafting proposals, donor correspondence, and other kinds of materials. Ability to communicate the organization’s mission and interests to a broad audience is essential.

• Knowledge and experience in creative uses of in-person, direct mail, online, and social media solicitations.

• Highly entrepreneurial; resourceful and flexible, and experience producing results while working within a tight budget.

• Self-starter with high degree of initiative, enthusiasm, and ability to work independently and remotely; ability to effectively manage time and prioritize projects.

• Ability to be a passionate and effective advocate for Ride Illinois, its mission and vision.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and experience using donor database systems, preferably Blackbaud’s eTapestry.

• Some experience with Wordpress (website), Constant Contact (email), and Adobe Creative Suite (graphic design) experience is helpful, but not required

The Development Manager will work remotely out of his/her own home office in Illinois, and will have the ability, for the most part, to set his or her own weekly schedule. The candidate must be able to travel for occasional in-person meetings in the Chicagoland area (minimum 4 times a year).

Funding for this position is guaranteed for 1 year (through March 2017), with the possibility of renewal and increase of hours based on performance and funding growth.

To apply, please send your cover letter, resume, salary history, and two samples of your work (i.e. donor proposals, thank you letters, or other campaign materials) by e-mail in PDF format to: jobs@rideillinois.org

Please reference Development Manager Position in subject line. 

For best consideration, please submit your application by Friday, February 26, 2016. 

Ride Illinois is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving bicycling conditions throughout the state. We are the advocate for all Illinois bicyclists, promoting bicycle access, education, and safety. We work for bike-friendly roads, favorable legislation, and education on sharing our roads safely so everyone can get out and Ride Illinois. Learn more at rideillinois.org.