Position Type:
Network Team

Date Posted:
2/14/2022

Location:
Charter Managment Organization

Closing Date:
Until Filled

About LEARN

Founded in 2001, LEARN is a network of high-performing college preparatory, tuition-free public elementary and middle schools with the mission of providing children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. There are 11 LEARN Schools serving 4,100 students in grades PK-8 across Chicago, Waukegan, North Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

It is our goal to create an environment, on every campus, in which our staff members feel supported, respected, and appreciated. Our staff work together at each school and across the network to share ideas, problem solve, and innovate to move our schools and students beyond the expected.

LEARN and our amazing educators, have received numerous recognitions for making an impact in public education, including the 2018 Chicago Magazine's Top Elementary Charter Schools and the 2018 Illinois Network of Charter Schools Principal of the Year Award.

LEARN's mission remains crystal clear: to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. LEARN is currently looking for hard-working and passionate professionals that are dedicated to transforming public education.

As we celebrate 20 years of bringing education equity to children and families in underserved communities, we are setting an ambitious goal. LEARN's 2020 Strategic Plan calls for increasing our 4 year university graduation rate from 31% to a groundbreaking 50% by 2035. We are committed to improving every facet of our organization including expansion of our PreK program, increasing academic rigor across all grades, and launching a new Alumni Support Program in order to achieve this goal. To support this ambitious goal, we are raising a $20M 20th Anniversary Fund over the next five years.

About the Opportunity

LEARN Charter School Network, one of the nation's premier elementary charter school programs, seeks a high performing, sales oriented executive to serve as its Director of Development. The successful candidate will be detail oriented, with a proven track record of building strong donor relationships and meeting or exceeding annual fundraising goals. They will have successfully solicited major gifts and led a team responsible for donor tracking, gift administration, annual appeals, and foundation, corporate, and individual giving. The Director of Development will report to the Chief Development Officer and will work closely with the President, Senior Staff and LEARN's Board of Directors.

JOB FUNCTIONS

• Oversee and strengthen all aspects of individual, foundation and corporate giving programs and aggressively research, pursue, and secure new funding.
• Cultivate and solicit a portfolio of current and prospective funders.
• Create and manage a proactive system for donor stewardship and engagement.
• Lead the writing of high-quality donor proposals and reports, as well as other donor communications.
• Oversee fundraising activities in support of LEARN's $20 million campaign, including event coordination, site visits and donor meetings, corporate engagement and volunteer coordination.
• Provide staff support to the Executive Team, Board of Directors, Development Committee and Campaign Chairs in regard to fundraising activities.
• Manage a Development Coordinator, who oversees gift processing, salesforce implementation, prospect research and general fundraising support.
• Oversee board and financial reporting, as needed.
• Supervise the recruiting, support and stewardship of LEARN's Auxiliary Board.
• Manage the office budget including analytical reporting and income forecasting.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 5 years of successful development and/or sales experience.
• 2+ years of management experience.
• Ability to design, implement and direct fundraising initiatives, including individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies;
• Strong presentation skills to persuasively convey the mission of LEARN to diverse groups;
• Ability and personality to work collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external constituents including donors, board members, leadership and school staff,
• Notable administrative skills as evidenced by knowledge of planning, finance, budgeting, and development information systems;
• Excellent oral and written communications skills;
• A high degree of initiative and energy;
• Creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit and flexibility; and
• Passion for the mission of the school and a philosophy aligned with the school's mission, values and strategic directives.
• A bachelor's degree is required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• High degree of integrity and ethics.
• Well-developed analytical and problem solving abilities.
• Maintains a high level of energy and a consistent positive attitude.
• Ability to express themselves effectively and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated leadership and management ability.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects, adhering to strict timelines.
• Good negotiation and presentation skills.
• High degree of initiative and independent judgment.
• Able to create and write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to develop and manage budgets.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files. Willingness to travel by personal vehicle to communities served by LEARN. In-frequent day and overnight travel by air (including international) as required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Majority of work is performed in a general office environment. Position requires availability for extended hours plus non-traditional hours required to perform job duties. Also requires participation and attendance at organization sponsored events and meetings.

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of LEARN Charter School Network. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.

For applicants who apply after 11/1/21, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a valid medical or religious exemption required.