Pay Growth
?
out of 5
Not enough data
Not enough info to score pay or growth
Director of Development
Job
Grace Lutheran School, River Forest, IL
River Forest, IL (In Person)
$66,191 Salary, Full-Time
Review key factors to help you decide if the role fits your goals.
Job Security
?
out of 5
Not enough data
Calculating job security score...
Total Score
81
out of 100
Average of individual scores
Skill Insights
Compare your current skills to what this opportunity needs—we'll show you what you already have and what could strengthen your application.
Job Description
Director of Development Grace Lutheran School, River Forest, IL River Forest, IL Job Details Full-time $50,000 - $70,000 a year 10 hours ago Benefits Paid time off Qualifications Funder relationship management Database management experience Database management Bachelor's degree Fundraising event program management Customer relationship management Relationship building Marketing Donor and alumni database management Full Job Description Grace Lutheran School in River Forest, Illinois is seeking a Director of Development, beginning August 2026.
POSITION SUMMARY
Grace Lutheran Church and School's Director of Development shall be responsible for overseeing all development efforts in collaboration with the Principal and Senior Pastor. This position will manage the following areas: Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Building Student Enrollment, Campaigns, Planned Giving, and Grant Writing & Institutional Scholarships. The Director of Development works directly with the Principal and Senior Pastor and plays a significant role in advancing the mission of Grace Lutheran Church and School and securing the resources needed to make Grace successful and sustainable.ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Development Create and execute an annual, strategic plan for development Work with Principal and Senior Pastor to develop and cultivate principal donors and high-level prospects Prepare gift revenue reports and analyze data Benchmark and stay updated on latest trends in development Annual Giving Develop and produce solicitations in coordination with the Principal, Senior Pastor, and other representatives of the Church and School o Implement an e-solicitation strategy Plan and execute a Grace Giving Day Organize and manage a student Thank-a-thon With the Senior Pastor and Church Stewardship Committee, plan and execute the Church annual stewardship campaign Major Giving Maintain and manage a portfolio of prospects (locally and nationally) Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward Grace prospects and donors Support special events engaging Grace prospects and donors Provide donor relations support in stewarding major gift prospects Building School Enrollment Work with the Principal, the Elementary Education Committee, and other representatives of the School to develop and implement a plan to build student enrollment Campaign Support institutional advancement on strategic fundraising initiatives/campaigns (e.g. Graceful Evening) Planned Giving Serve as liaison to vendor to produce planned giving marketing materials Follow up with planned giving prospects Grant Writing Prepare letters of intent, proposals, and reports for grant and funding opportunities Track and manage proposal and reporting deadlines Identify new funding opportunities Institutional Scholarships Manage and cultivate relationships with foundations and other giving institutions Liaison between students, families, and foundations-collecting information and providing reports Develop institutional scholarships alongside community members The ideal candidate for the Director of Development position is a mission-driven, engaging, highly motivated fundraiser with strong communication and organizational skills. This individual has passion for and a deep commitment to advancing the mission of Grace Lutheran Church and School. Qualified candidates will have the following credentials and experience:- Bachelor's degree required
- Minimum of five (5) years of proven and successful experience in development or a related field
- Understanding of the mission and values of Grace Lutheran Church and School and the ability to effectively support and communicate them, especially to external audiences
- Ability to express verbally and in writing Grace's institutional identity and fundraising goals with clarity, passion and persuasion
- Ability to build collaborative relationships with both the community and a diverse alumni and constituency
- CRM/donor database management experience required
- Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills; self-reliant and results-oriented Grace Lutheran Church is an independent Lutheran congregation; the school is accredited through Cognia.