Director, Development & Fundraising

About the Role

At the Chicago Bulls, we believe our business is built on a connection to the city and our fan base, and it is important that we use our resources and influence to make a positive impact. The Director of Development & Fundraising for Chicago Bulls Charities (CBC) will build, maintain, and expand existing philanthropic initiatives to bolster our ability to provide resources to our community through grantmaking, programming, and special projects. Working alongside the Manager of Community Engagement & Fundraising, you will have day-to-day responsibility for the team’s fundraising, development, and grantmaking efforts, including annual fundraising events and donor stewardship.

The mission of Chicago Bulls Charities and Community Engagement is to unite Chicago through the lessons of basketball, the power of opportunity, and the strength of community. As a member of the CBC team, you will collaborate with other departments across the organization to develop and execute innovative development activations that support our impact priorities and help achieve the goals of the team, NBA, as well as nonprofit and civic partners.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising Leadership
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy, leveraging yearly events, individual and corporate donations, to broaden the organization’s ability to raise funds to support the Bulls charitable endeavors.
  • Establish annual fundraising goals and objectives, budgets, and track performance metrics.
  • Lead the annual CBC marquee fundraising event “Evening with the Chicago Bulls,” showcasing the community work of the Chicago Bulls and providing an interactive experience for CBC supporters.
  • Lead the planning and execution for the annual Chicago Bulls Charities themed home game in partnership with the Game Entertainment and Marketing teams and Manager, Community Engagement & Fundraising.
  • Manage relationships and activities with CBC Business Advisory Board.
  • Build and manage a portfolio of individual donors, prospects, and philanthropic partners. Lead donor communications, impact reporting, and relationship management activities.
  • Lead aspects of CBC in-game fundraising, including the 50/50 raffle program and player memorabilia and novelty items sales with Manager, Community Engagement & Fundraising.
  • Pilot new fundraising opportunities throughout the season.
  • Partner with the Chicago Bulls Digital Marketing and Product teams and with external service providers to ensure that online fundraising and digital processes are working properly to optimize fundraising capabilities.
• Grantmaking and Special Projects
  • Serve as the organization’s primary contact for the McCormick Foundation and all grant recipients for the annual CBC grant process.
  • Coordinate with CBC board to select, review, and approve grantees.
  • Support the Executive Director with the annual CBC board meeting.
  • Research and evaluate new nonprofit organizations to be considered for support.
  • Support the Executive Director with managing NBA Foundation grantmaking in the Chicago market.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Provide support with storytelling and promoting CBC work within the league, community, and the organization.
  • Support various Chicago Bulls community outreach initiatives.
  • Assist with Community Engagement and CBC game day activations.
  • Handle Community Engagement and CBC department administrative activities.
  • Represent the team at events and in external and internal meetings.
  • Support related hospitality events as needed.
  • Manage 1-2 full-time staff who will oversee the 25+ seasonal part-time staff who implement game-day fundraising activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 7+ years of progressive fundraising, development, sponsorship, or nonprofit leadership experience.
• Experience leading full-time staff, including assigning projects, providing ongoing coaching, and conducting performance evaluations.
• Experience within professional sports, collegiate athletics, sports foundations, or community development organizations.
• Experience managing fundraising events and donor engagement programs.
• Experience with donor management and CRM systems.
• Ability to develop positive relationships internally, operate in a manner that reflects the Bulls’ collaborative-based culture, and thrive within a rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts, sponsorships, and philanthropic partnerships.
• Strong knowledge of trends and standard methodologies in the nonprofit sector, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Impact, and Cause Marketing.
• Experience developing and implementing processes to track and measure philanthropic impact.
• Strong working knowledge of the Chicago area and the region’s corporations and nonprofit community.
• Ability to communicate articulately and confidently both verbally and in writing with individuals at every level of the organization.
• Ability to anticipate obstacles and build solutions in a timely manner.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to prioritize.
• Ability to lead meetings and handle multiple priorities.
• Great teammate with positive energy.

Pay

The base salary range for this role is $100,000 - $125,000 annually plus a discretionary bonus. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits

• Healthcare, dental, and vision coverage.
• 100% paid premium for basic employee life insurance and disability coverage.
• 401(k) with employer match plus annual discretionary contribution.
• Flexible spending account for healthcare and dependent care as well as commuter benefits.
• Paid time-off including unlimited vacation, sick, holiday, days of significance, and parental leave.
• Complimentary home game tickets, parking, and gym access.
• Complimentary snacks, lunch, and dinner (if working games/events).
• Pet Insurance.

The Chicago Bulls offer workplace flexibility. Full-time remote work is not an option for this role, and interested applicants should be currently located in or prepared to move to the Chicagoland area.