Director, Institutional Partnerships

ROLE TITLE: Director, Institutional Partnerships

POSITION REPORTS TO: SMD, Development 

PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, April 7th. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

LOCATION: Must live in Greater Chicago area - hybrid role with most time working remotely from a home office. Occasional in-person meetings in at our local office (227 W. Monroe) and some travel to engage with donors required.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

All prospect & donor management roles on Field Fundraising teams are responsible for cultivating, stewarding, and managing a portfolio of donors in the Greater Chicago area who share our commitment to ensuring that all children have access to an equitable and excellent education. As a member of the Field Fundraising team, you will be a part of a team-based effort charged with developing and executing on a long-term vision and strategy to achieve our development goals for both public and private funding. In your role, you will partner with Executive Directors, regional advisory board members, and other front-line fundraisers to maximize giving, playing a key role in new donor strategy and acquisition over the next 3-5 years.

Reporting to the SMD, Development, you will be charged with raising $1-5 million or more from a portfolio of donors which may include both public and private funding. You will work directly with the Executive Director or other field fundraisers to cultivate and steward your portfolio of donors, and ensure the primary solicitor is well-positioned to engage with donors across fundraising streams and at all stages of the donor life cycle. We are looking for a true team player who can make a significant contribution across a local fundraising landscape. In partnership with the local Executive Director, the VP, Field Fundraising and other fundraisers in local markets, you will be a key contributor in developing and executing the strategy to acquire, cultivate, retain, and diversify your portfolio of donors (including public and private donors).

WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Portfolio Strategy & Planning (15%)

• Translate regional fundraising priorities into a clear corporate and institutional strategy that drives revenue growth

• Refine and execute an existing corporate strategy, identifying opportunities for deeper engagement and expansion

• Identify gaps across corporate accounts, donor networks, and pipelines

• Manage and grow a portfolio of 40+ corporate accounts, including ~60 stakeholders and 3 donor networks, with a focus on relationship ownership and revenue generation

• Serve as a frontline fundraiser for gifts $25K and under, building and sustaining relationships with key decision-makers

• Support senior leaders (ED/SMD) on strategy and execution for five and six-figure gifts

• Navigate shared ownership across accounts while strengthening core relationships

• Develop tailored proposals and grant materials for corporate and institutional partners

• Partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to advance high-value relationships

• Collaborate with the Executive Director on top corporate partnerships and prospects

• Prepare and support leadership for key donor engagements

• Align with regional staff and board members to unlock new opportunities

• Design and execute engagement opportunities that move donors along the giving continuum

• Lead mission aligned, donor-facing experiences (e.g., events, site visits, corporate briefings) tied to cultivation and stewardship goals

• Use data and systems to track performance and inform strategy

• Maintain accurate records in donor database 

• Monitor portfolio health and adjust approach based on insights

• Support regional execution and contribute to team effectiveness

• Partner with regional staff to ensure PSA fee collection

• Contribute to team priorities and organizational initiatives

YOUR EXPERIENCE

Your areas of knowledge and expertise that matter most for this role (minimum qualifications): 

• Relationship Building and Management 

  • Build strong relationships with prospects and donors and/or support the primary relationship holder/solicitor through a comprehensive relationship management plan

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with a variety of internal and external constituents 

  • Ability to manage up and laterally to influence development teammates, regional staff partners, and Board members in service of donor stewardship and solicitation

• Fundraising and Development 

  • Have a solid foundation in best practices of development and fundraising 

  • Experience stewarding a portfolio of donors/funders from various funding streams 

  • Contribute to complex fundraising and relationship management initiatives   

  • Track record of meeting individual revenue goals

• Portfolio Management

  • Leverage the market vision and overarching strategy to determine the specific approaches and strategies for your portfolio, stewarding a portfolio of local donors and executing on strategies in service of maximizing revenue to Teach For America as an enterprise

  • Monitor progress against the portfolio to ensure continuous donor movement through the donor life cycle

Prior experience

• Required:  At least 4+ years of related experience in development and fundraising context, with direct experience with grant/proposal writing and corporate fundraising

• Required:  Track record of meeting and exceeding ambitious goals managing and/or supporting the management of a portfolio of donors 

• Bachelor’s degree

• Preferred:  Teach For America development experience 

Work Demands

• Must reside in the Greater Chicago area

• Occasional weekend or evening work hours required

• Some travel to engage with local donors required  

YOUR FUTURE TEAM

The Revenue and Development team at Teach For America inspires donors and champions to contribute to shaping the future of our country by investing in Teach For America’s work with students nationally and regionally. We aim to source investments that fuel our work and impact with a revenue growth trajectory to raise $300 million annually. This role will be an essential part of the Field Fundraising arm of the Revenue and Development team, maximizing the contributions of local donors across multiple regions of the country.  

YOUR COMPENSATION

The applicable salary range for each U.S.-based role is based on where the employee works and is aligned to one of 3 tiers according to a cost of labor index in that geographic area. Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of job-related factors, which may include education, training, experience, location, business needs, or market demands. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. The expected salary ranges for this role are set forth below. These ranges may be modified in the future.
Tier B (Greater Chicago–Northwest Indiana):  $81,000 - $110,500

You can view which tier applies to where you plan to work here.