Development Specialist

Position Details

Title: Development Specialist

Reports to: CEO, with ongoing collaboration and coordination with the Program Director

Supervisory responsibility: None currently

Status: Full-time

Location: Chicago area; primarily remote

Salary range: $60,000 to $65,000 annually

About Female Strong

Female Strong is a Chicago-based nonprofit that offers hands-on programs, mentorship, and real-world experiences designed to build confidence, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills in middle and high school girls. Through Female Strong Camps, the YEA! Chicago Entrepreneur Girls Program, and other career exploration and leadership experiences, girls strengthen skills such as strategic thinking, public speaking, financial management, problem solving, resilience, and teamwork while discovering what is possible for their futures.

With a vision of building a community one million strong by 2035, Female Strong is expanding the opportunities, relationships, and support that help girls find their voices, pursue their aspirations, and grow into confident future leaders.

Position Summary

The Development Specialist is a fundraising professional responsible for developing and executing Female Strong's long-term fundraising strategy and coordinating day-to-day development activities. Working closely with the CEO and Program Director, this position advances individual giving, new donor development, donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate sponsorships and partnerships, and fundraising campaigns and events.

The Development Specialist will collaborate with Female Strong's Operations Coordinator and consulting Grant Manager. The Grant Manager retains primary responsibility for grant strategy, proposals, reports, submission deadlines, and the grants calendar. The Development Specialist will help coordinate internal information and support funder stewardship and follow-up when needed.

This position is well suited to a proactive relationship builder who enjoys strategy development, donor engagement, and the detailed follow-through required to move fundraising work forward. Occasional evening and weekend work is required for events, donor meetings, and selected organizational activities.

Primary Responsibilities

Donor Development and Stewardship

• Build and manage relationships with assigned donors and prospects through research, personalized outreach, meetings, solicitation, recognition, and timely follow-up.
• Partner with the CEO, Program Director, and board members on cultivation strategies, donor introductions, renewals, increased gifts, and special initiatives.

Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships

• Identify, cultivate, and steward corporate sponsors and community partners; coordinate outreach, proposals, meetings, recognition, and sponsorship fulfillment.
• Represent Female Strong at donor, sponsor, and community meetings and events as needed.

Campaigns, Appeals, and Events

• Work with the CEO, Program Director, and Marketing consultant on the strategy, calendar, and execution of the annual fund and seasonal campaigns.
• In collaboration with the Marketing consultant, write solicitation letters, digital appeals, donor updates, and other fundraising communications; support related social media content.
• Coordinate the fundraising components of events, including sponsor and guest outreach, donor communications, on-site support, recognition, and follow-up.
• Track campaign and event results and recommend adjustments based on response and donor feedback.

Prospect, Pipeline, and Data Management

• Research prospective donors, sponsors, and partners and maintain clear pipelines, relationship histories, next steps, and follow-up schedules.
• Collaborate with the Operations Coordinator to maintain accurate donor and prospect records, acknowledgments, segmentation, reporting, and fundraising workflows in Neon CRM.
• Convert introductions and event attendees into qualified prospects and active donor relationships.
• Prepare prospect profiles and fundraising updates for the CEO, Program Director, and volunteer board leaders.
• Maintain the development calendar and use fundraising data to support donor strategy and decision-making.
• Review fundraising data for accuracy and use it to support donor strategy, campaign decisions, and reporting.

Grant Collaboration

• Support the consulting Grant Manager and Program Director by coordinating internal information, data, impact stories, funder communications, and stewardship as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Three to five years of paid experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience cultivating donor relationships and participating in direct solicitations.
• Experience with individual giving, donor stewardship, fundraising campaigns, sponsorships, or corporate partnerships.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and relationships.
• Experience working with volunteer leaders, committees, or boards is preferred.
• Experience using a donor database or CRM; familiarity with Neon CRM is preferred.
• Access to a reliable car for required travel to donor and sponsor meetings, program activities, and events throughout the Chicago area.
• Ability to attend occasional evening and weekend events and meetings in the Chicago area.
• Commitment to Female Strong's mission and to providing an excellent experience for donors, volunteers, and partners.

Measures of Success

• Growth in revenue. 
• Improved donor retention, engagement, and movement toward increased giving.
• Growth in qualified prospects and corporate and community partnerships.
• Timely campaigns, donor follow-up, acknowledgments, and sponsorship fulfillment.
• Accurate CRM records, useful pipeline reporting, and clear next steps.
• Effective collaboration with the Female Strong team and volunteer leaders.

Compensation and Benefits

• Annual salary of $60,000 to $65,000, based on experience.
• 12 PTO days and 12 paid holidays.
• Medical coverage through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
• Dental coverage through Guardian.
• Eligibility for a health savings account.

Female Strong Core Values

• We Get It Done
• We Have a Growth Mindset
• We Serve to Inspire

Female Strong is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on organizational needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.