THE ORGANIZATION: PAWS Chicago is a national leader in the No Kill animal welfare movement, committed to building No Kill communities, starting with Chicago. Founded in 1997 when more than 42,000 pets were killed in Chicago, PAWS’s robust programs have reduced the homeless pet euthanasia rate in Chicago by more than 90%. In 2023, PAWS saved 98.62% of the animals in our programs.
PAWS’ mission is to build No Kill communities that respect and value the life of every cat and dog; to end the overpopulation of stray and at-risk animals through solutions, practices, and education; and to transform animal welfare by setting higher standards in the way animals are treated and by developing a sustainable, solutions-based model. PAWS’s innovative Adoption Center, state-of-the-art Medical Center, and high-volume spay/neuter clinic work synchronously to address the needs of stray and at-risk pets citywide.
JOB DESCRIPTION: PAWS Chicago seeks a Senior Development & Community Engagement Officer with experience managing annual fund campaigns and major gifts, creating written proposals and reports for major donors, managing a portfolio of five-to-seven-figure donors, leading team projects, managing donor stewardship events, and researching, cultivating, and stewarding individual and family foundation funders, who is passionate about animal welfare and supporting PAWS Chicago’s mission. This role will require strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, with a high level of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and a team player mentality. A successful candidate will have sharp attention to detail and be a self-starter adept at proactively managing team projects to meet multiple deadlines. They will report to the Vice President of Development & Community Engagement and work closely with the Development, Communications, Data, Finance, and Operations Teams.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: The crucial role of the Senior Development & Community Engagement Officer will support PAWS mission and help us reach our fundraising goals by leading the Individual Giving Team’s annual fund, planned giving, and donor stewardship events along with managing their own portfolio of major donors. This person will support the Vice President of Development & Community Engagement in strategically managing major individual and family foundation funders, identifying and researching donors with the capacity to increase their support, and developing compelling proposals and reports for donors that align their interests with PAWS mission and organizational needs. Special projects and tasks as expected include, but are not limited to:

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum of 5-7 years of non-profit development experience, 2-3 years of which being in major gift and portfolio management with a proven track record of securing funding
• Ability to occasionally work outside of normal business hours as needed
• Strong attention to detail, hyper-organized, proactive planner, ability to manage multiple projects and complete tasks in a timely manner
• Strong project and team management skills, able to prioritize appropriately, work collaboratively across departments and manage up to VP and CEO to keep projects on track
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills, collaborative mindset, diplomatic, strong verbal and written communicator
• Deadline-driven, self-motivated and an enthusiastic approach to one’s work
• Knowledge of Chicago institutional funders, research tools, and tactics
• Experience using Raiser’s Edge preferred
• Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Able to process, protect, and exercise discretion in handling confidential information and materials
• Demonstrates growth mindset and ability to think creatively and problem solve; willing and eager to learn from others; takes an active role in own professional development and stays informed of changes in funding landscape; interested in researching and learning more about key stakeholders and prospects
• Commitment to animal welfare, the mission of PAWS Chicago, and helping the organization grow and serve more animals and pet owners in need

Please refer the Job description for details