Gift Officer, Individual Giving

WHO WE ARE

At Make-A-Wish® Illinois, we are more than a great place to work : our work is life-changing. Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Nearly 40 years ago, the inspiration for Make-A-Wish began with one little boy’s with to be a police officer. Today, together with our volunteers, donors, staff and supporters, Make-A-Wish Illinois has granted more than 18,000 life-changing wishes and transformed countless lives.

We typically serve over 700 children per year with the goal to double our impact across our communicates. The diversity of our team of staff and volunteers, and our board, are of critical importance for us as it positions us to reach every child eligible for a wish with an equitable, high quality and impactful wish experience.

The Illinois chapter of Make-A-Wish is one of the largest chapters in the Make-A-Wish enterprise. It has a reputation for being an innovator and often is a collaborator on national opportunities, co-creating solutions for all chapters to adopt.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Individual Giving Director, the Gift Officer, Individual Giving will play a key role in helping the Development team reach revenue goals in support of Make-A-Wish Illinois’s mission to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The Gift Officer, Individual Giving will significantly grow mid-level, annual fund giving by qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding prospective and existing individual donors.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• In collaboration with colleagues across the organization, work with individuals to fulfill their interest in giving, increasing their connection to and engagement with the Make-A-Wish mission.
• Manage a portfolio of individuals, including both prospects and donors, with the goal of upgrading annual gifts and building the major and planned gift pipelines.
• Achieve performance metrics and funding goals, set annually
• Utilize and maintain database system and processes to plan, track, and prioritize prospect / donor activity
• Learn and embrace the working structure between Make-A-Wish America and the Illinois Chapter
• Engage current Make-A-Wish volunteers and friends to develop donor relationships
• Staff and support the implementation of donor engagement opportunities at events (including Wish Ball, MAWI’s black tie gala), wishes, and through stewardship
• Represent and travel to all regions of the state to proactively prospect and engage with donors at fundraising events, meetings, and activities
• Perform other duties as required or assigned

Requirements

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Required Skills and Abilities :

• Self-motivated
• Drive to achieve and surpass goals
• Proven record of relationship building and successful gift solicitations
• Organized and detail oriented
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and customer relationship management (CRM) systems

Education and Experience :

• 3 or more years individual fundraising experience
• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)

Benefits

WHAT WE OFFER

Hiring Range : $70,000 - $75,000

Work Style :

Hybrid : 2 days in office, 3 days remote

Benefits :

• Comprehensive benefit package : Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical, Vision, Dental, and Wellness
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Options
• Medical Leave Bank
• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D Insurance
• Additional Insurance Plans : Accident and Pet Insurance through SPOT Pet
• Additional Benefits : Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Commuter Benefits
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with 25% match on 1st 6% of contributions
• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Milestone Benefit Program
• Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets
Time Off :
• 15 PTO days
• 15 PTO days
• 8 Sick Days
• 8 Paid Holidays
• 1 Employee Appreciation Day per year
• 4 Professional Development Days for continuous learning and growth
• 1 Make-A-Wish Volunteer Day per year

HOW TO APPLY

We know interviewing can be challenging, so our goal is to make it as positive of an experience as we can, which includes keeping you informed across the process.

Here’s what you can expect if invited to participate in the interview process :

1) 30-minute Human Resources video screen (typically less than 30-minutes to complete)

2) 60-minute virtual interview with the Hiring Manager

3) 60-minute onsite / in-person panel interview with team members

4) 90-minute onsite / in-person panel interview with leadership

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Make-A-Wish Illinois is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.