Director of Development - Chicago

Common Threads seeks a highly motivated Director of Development to oversee the organization’s development division. This position will lead the organization’s fundraising strategy, execution, and performance management for individual, foundation, corporate, and government giving.

The Director will manage a team that consists of two fundraisers, a grant writer, and an individual giving / board engagement manager. Development Manager oversees their portfolio of foundation, corporate, and government accounts. The Director will be responsible for overseeing these managers to ensure fundraising and growth goals are obtained in all verticals via new and existing opportunities.

Projected Start Date : January 5, 2026

Responsibilities :

Leadership & Strategy (20%)

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy
• Work closely with leadership to set and meet fundraising goals, and manage up-to-date revenue projections
• Prepare the CEO and Development team for cultivation, solicitation, and / or stewardship conversations / activations, as needed
• Collaborate with the entire Growth division (consisting of development and marketing / communications) to develop effective donor communications and materials, as well as the creation of key development collateral, such as community impact reports and other documents, as needed
• Monitor and analyze data, and use insights to help direct organizational strategy
• Collaborate with Programs and Evaluation staff to propose programs and projects that meet funder interests while advancing organizational goals
• Participate in market-specific and national working committees related to nutrition equity
• Represent Common Threads internally and externally, articulating mission and programs to diverse funding and community audiences through individual conversations and group presentations
• Monitor philanthropic trends and lead / initiate strategy meetings on potential mission-related special project directions

Management (20%)

Development division (foundation, government, and corporate giving)

Grant Management (20%)

Individual Giving & Major Gifts (25%)

Event Support (15%)

The above statements are intended to describe the essential job functions of this role and are not an exhaustive list of all duties performed by personnel occupying this position.

Qualifications :

Other Requirements :

Compensation : Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, geographic location, and organizational pay structure.

About Common Threads :

Common Threads is a nonprofit that teaches children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage health and wellness. We are national in scope, with strong roots in each of our 8 major program locations, reaching 30,000 children, parents and teachers in 2024-2025. We equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious and appealing food choices wherever they live, work, learn, and play. We believe that adequate and healthy food contributes to wellbeing. For more information, visit www.commonthreads.org or Common Threads’ social media accounts (@CommonThreadsOrg on Instagram and @CommonThreadsUS on Twitter).

Physical Demands :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands / fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Common Threads’ EEO Statement :

Common Threads provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Common Threads complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Common Threads expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Common Threads’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.