At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in the communities where they live, work, and play. Right here on the South Side of Chicago, we’re building a home for this vision, a global center for change with a range of opportunities - coordinated programming, community outreach events, educational moments, and more - that invite visitors from down the block or across the globe to turn hope into action.

Achieving our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values - Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. A Framework that anyone, anywhere, can use to build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in their community.

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Manager of Donor Communications and Stewardship will lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive engagement strategy for The Foundation’s next fundraising campaign. This role is responsible for designing and implementing a communications and engagement strategy that inspires transformational giving and ensures that The Foundation’s most significant supporters feel deeply connected to the impact of their contributions.

Reporting to the Director, Donor Relations and Events, you will oversee the development of all fundraising collateral, donor communications, and stewardship touchpoints. The Senior Manager role will directly manage 2-3 staff members on the Donor Relations and Events team, overseeing their day-to-day work and ensuring they have the support they need to meet their individual goals and the goals of the team. This is an ideal opportunity for a creative, values-driven leader who can translate complex organizational goals into compelling stories and world-class donor experiences.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Communications Strategy: Partner with Foundation leadership to develop and implement a long-term communications roadmap for the comprehensive campaign.

• Collateral Development: Lead the production of highly personalized proposals, briefings, and fundraising materials that reflect The Foundation's mission and values.

• Stewardship Programming: Design and manage customized cultivation and stewardship plans for a portfolio of seven- and eight-figure prospects.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Establish supportive and cooperative working relationships with Senior Directors and the broader Foundation team to ensure a consistent "culture of philanthropy".

• Executive Support: Partner with the CEO, Board members, and Obama network surrogates to provide the strategic messaging required for high-level donor interactions.

• Data-Driven Impact: Use Salesforce and meaningful data to track the effectiveness of stewardship activities and continually improve engagement practices.

• Team & Project Management: Directly manage 2-3 staff members who support the Donor Relations and Events team in executing against their goals.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• A comprehensive annual cadence of fundraising communications and stewardship activities.

• High-quality, personalized stewardship reports and impact proposals for principal gift donors.

• Strategic partnership with Senior Manager of Events on regional development events and stewardship gatherings.

• Enhanced donor retention through meticulously executed engagement plans.

Required Qualifications

• 6 - 8 years of professional experience in fundraising communications, stewardship, or donor relations.

• 5 years of experience in a management role.

• Demonstrated experience leading communication efforts during a capital and/or endowment campaign at a large institution.

• Superior oral and written communication skills with a focus on high-fidelity storytelling.

• Ability to develop long-term, productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Accountability to metrics and an ability to work effectively with donor data and analytics.

• A track record of building relationships with major and principal gift-level donors.

The salary range for this role is between $104,310 and $130,435.

This is a remote role based in Chicago.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Foundation is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at careers@obama.org if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.