Managing Director - Chicago

Minimum Experience: 10-15 years of experience as a nonprofit executive, corporate leader, relationship manager, nonprofit fundraiser, or any combination of the above. Nonprofit fundraising experience is strongly preferred.

Requested Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. MBA, comparable graduate degree, or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

Type of Position: full time

Compass Overview: Compass Pro Bono forges lasting ties between local nonprofits and local business professionals to empower thriving, equitable, resilient communities. Compass Pro Bono believes that thriving, equitable, resilient communities are ones in which the local business and local nonprofit sectors are deeply interconnected. We believe that local nonprofits play a critical role in community well-being, and that local business professionals can play a critical role in local nonprofits’ success. We envision a world in which nonprofits consistently have access within their own communities to the business strategy resources they need to thrive, and in which business professionals are empowered to seamlessly leverage their business acumen to sustain the nonprofits serving their communities. Our programs include: curated 2, 4, and 8 month pro bono consulting projects, nonprofit board matching and placement, and an annual excellence in nonprofit leadership summit.

Position Overview: Are you the unique combination of a strategic thinker and hands-on doer with entrepreneurial energy? Are you a resource magnet who knows how to operate? Does gathering and generating funds to drive social impact excite you? Do you hunger to make a lasting difference in the greater Chicago metro specifically? Does the thought of being a highly visible figure in, and integral contributor to, the viability of the regional nonprofit sector thrill you? Do you get energized by talking to business people and nonprofit leaders, figuring out what makes them tick, and connecting them via meaningful volunteer and philanthropic opportunities? Do you thrive when juggling a variety of projects and when no two workdays are alike? Are you a highly-driven people person with a can-do, customer-service orientation? Do you want to work with a fantastic team at a high-performing social impact organization? If you’re shouting “YES!”, then this is the position for you!

Your mission: Expand Compass Pro Bono’s operations, funding, and reputation across the Chicagoland region – establishing it as the go-to capacity and organizational-resilience- building partner for local nonprofits, the go-to partner for both companies and business professionals eager to make a meaningful difference in the community, and the go-to investment of choice for philanthropists who want to ensure a sustainable, thriving regional social sector.

This role is part builder, part fundraiser, part nonprofit and volunteer recruiter, part brand ambassador, part hands-on relationship manager, part Board whisperer, part program manager, and part growth strategist.

To be successful in this role, you will: be comfortable working in Slack, G-Suite, and Salesforce (or in comparable digital platforms and tools); be comfortable asking corporations, foundations, and philanthropists for funding to support a social mission; successful with simultaneously attending to the (often-competing) demands of local nonprofits, skilled volunteers, and funders; be adept at facilitating a nonprofit Board; and be both at ease with, and effective, in a remote work environment.

The position is based in Chicago. The Managing Director will work remotely, with occasional travel 2-3x/year to Washington, D.C. The Managing Director will need to attend and/or facilitate frequent evening and weekend in-person and virtual events in Chicagoland, with notice. The position currently reports to the CEO, works closely with national staff, collaborates closely with the Executive and Managing Directors in other Compass Pro Bono metros, and staffs the Compass Chicago Board.

Responsibilities: As the public face, and leader, of Compass Pro Bono in the Chicagoland region, the Managing Director is responsible for establishing and executing on a strategic vision to scale Compass Chicago. That includes: 1) expanding Compass Pro Bono’s brand presence in Chicago;

2) recruiting, cultivating, and stewarding Chicago volunteers and nonprofits, 3) driving high-quality programming that meets the needs of Chicago’s nonprofits, and 4) fundraising to ensure the sustainability of Compass Pro Bono Chicago.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Raise a minimum of $600,000 (total) from sources in Chicago in your first 2 years, then grow annual fundraising year over year to support program needs and growth
  • Steward existing foundation donors, corporate sponsors, and individual major gifts
  • Cultivate new individual major gifts, foundation grants, & corporate sponsorships
  • Steward, staff, and ultimately recruit new members to Compass Chicago’s Board. Ensure 100% of Chicago Board members follow through on their financial pledges and actively leverage their networks on behalf of Compass Chicago
  • Maintain timely, clear records of all development efforts in Salesforce
• Implement Compass Chicago’s 3-year strategic plan (currently finishing year 1)
  • Conduct the volunteer, nonprofit, and donor outreach, cultivation, and stewardship necessary to achieve plan year 2 and 3 targets.
  • Collaborate with the Board Chair to set and support execution of Board-level strategic initiatives in pursuit of those goals
  • Staff the Chicago Board and its committees, including participating in committee meetings
• Expand Compass Pro Bono’s brand recognition, reputation, and impact across the Chicago region via
  • Attending at least 5-10 regional volunteer, corporate, and/or funder/partner events / year
  • Securing at least 2-4 speaking engagements or earned media hits/year in Chicago in forums where CSR professionals, corporate leaders, local nonprofits, or skilled volunteers congregate
  • Raising awareness of Compass Pro Bono’s full suite of services and programs to Chicago nonprofits and potential Chicago volunteers via multiple direct outreach channels (e.g. business school alumni clubs, nonprofit coalitions, etc…)
  • Gathering stories and reports about Compass Chicago’s programming and impact for use in Compass Pro Bono’s fundraising and marketing efforts
• Be the Compass Pro Bono point person for Chicago nonprofits and volunteers
  • Recruit, cultivate, and steward Chicago nonprofits and volunteers for all Compass Pro Bono programs (~50 nonprofits & 120-150 volunteers/year currently)
  • Conduct ~50 30-minute scoping calls with Chicago nonprofits/year
  • Lead 3-5 information sessions for Chicago nonprofits and 8-15 information sessions for Chicago volunteers/year
• Ensure 100% of Compass Pro Bono programming in the region meets or exceeds Compass Pro Bono’s quality standards
• Implement On Track in Chicago, including:
  • recruiting 10-20 nonprofit applicants and 60-100 volunteers per cohort,
  • facilitating the Client Selection Committee for each cohort,
  • curating On Track project team and project advisor matches for each selected nonprofit,
  • Delivering the required orientations and trainings for On Track nonprofit and volunteer cohorts,
  • checking in monthly during On Track project cycles with both nonprofits and volunteer team leads, and
  • reviewing Mid-Project and End-of-Project survey data, and troubleshooting any concerns raised by volunteers or nonprofits in real-time
• Collaborate with Compass Pro Bono’s On Demand, On Board, low bono strategic planning, and low bono AI leads to source, solicit, and hand off Chicago nonprofits and volunteers suitable for those programs
• Contribute to the continued evolution of Compass Pro Bono’s programming by
  • Participating in cross-Compass initiatives to improve volunteer and client recruitment, selection, training, and support; program service lines; program delivery; program data management; and program reporting,
  • Informing Compass Pro Bono’s nonprofit and volunteer marketing collateral, application forms, info session decks, and training decks and guiding their last-mile adaptation for Chicago,
  • Leading occasional general information sessions (on Zoom); and
  • Informing Compass Pro Bono’s evolving strategy for using data for continuous program improvement

Qualifications:

• Passion for Compass Pro Bono’s mission
• Demonstrated expertise and success in nonprofit fundraising, strategic visioning and execution, and nonprofit Board management
• Strong relationship-building and relationship-management skills
• Self-starter with proven ability to stay on top of multiple requests and deadlines while working remotely
• Ability to regularly be “out in the community” actively relationship-building on behalf of Compass Pro Bono
• Team player who enjoys collaborating with colleagues
• Proactive problem-solver with the drive to take initiative and the judgment to know when to seek guidance and support
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English, in writing, verbally, and visually
• Excellent judgment and discretion with handling sensitive or confidential information
• Experience as a skills-based volunteer, or volunteering with or working in a nonprofit or social impact organization strongly preferred
• Experience with G-Suite, Slack, Salesforce, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and/or Bliro a plus

Compensation:

Full-time starting salary for the role is $115,000. Compass Pro Bono’s current benefits package includes: significant schedule flexibility; a generous paid leave package that includes flexible PTO, federal holidays, and up to 10 fixed mental health days each year during which the entire organization closes; medical, dental and vision benefits; a 401K plan with a 1% employer contribution; and employer-funded short- and long-term disability insurance.

Compass Pro Bono Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

At Compass Pro Bono, a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace is one where all employees and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, or disability, feel valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory culture and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.

To apply:

Submit a resume along with a brief cover letter (or video or audio recording) explaining your interest in, and fit for, the position to jobs@compassprobono.org. Please include the position title in the email subject line.

Compass Pro Bono’s current benefits package includes: significant schedule flexibility; a generous paid leave package that includes flexible PTO, federal holidays, and up to 10 fixed mental health days each year during which the entire organization closes; medical, dental and vision benefits; a 401K plan with a 1% employer contribution; and employer-funded short- and long-term disability insurance.

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