Senior Development Manager

Senior Development Manager

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) announces an immediate opening for Senior Development Manager. The Senior Development Manager is responsible for crafting and executing successful strategies for managing and increasing the foundation, corporate and government revenue of CYSO. The Senior Development Manager will report to and work closely with the Executive Director in developing solicitation, prospecting, and stewardship strategies to meet (and exceed) budgeted revenue goals. They will also work alongside the Board of Directors to develop and advance stronger corporate partnerships for the organization.

WHO WE ARE

CYSO's mission is to inspire and cultivate personal excellence through music. As one of the country's leading youth orchestras, we offer a continuum of programs that serve young musicians 6-18 years old through on-site ensembles, neighborhood programming, and concerts serving Chicago Public Schools students and the entire Chicagoland community. Each season, we serve 600 young musicians in weekly rehearsals and multiple performances at a variety of area venues, including Symphony Center, and an additional 8,500 students and families through community programming. Bi-annually, CYSO students perform in a multi-city, international tour.

In 2026, CYSO will be celebrating its landmark 80th anniversary. Since its inception in 1946, it has grown from a single orchestra to 14 large ensembles (including symphonic, jazz, and steel pan orchestras), over a dozen chamber ensembles, composition seminars, and a major commissioning project. Its programming also includes the CYSO@CPS program, as well as Ambassador and Education concerts across the city of Chicago. We are entering a pivotal moment as we develop a new strategic plan that will define the next great era of CYSO's historic legacy. Our team is small but mighty and filled with dedicated professionals who are passionate about the arts and raising the next generation of creative professionals.

WE BELIEVE

• We believe unimpeded access to great music is a right for all young musicians and audiences. It is our responsibility to create pathways to reach systemically marginalized communities and to engage in the ongoing learning needed to create and maintain a space of belonging for all. We care deeply for our CYSO community of students and families, past, present, and future.

• We believe that a high functioning work culture requires not only dedication, commitment, and efficiency, but also rest, healthy relationships, and open communication.

• Workloads can vary throughout the season, and we encourage intense periods to be balanced with "comp" time off.

• We encourage our team to observe normal work hours to maintain healthy boundaries between work and personal time, but we also understand that people have varying work rhythms according to their individual preferences and roles.

• We are a small staff, and our work is highly collaborative. Our work thrives when there is clear communication, mutually understood and observed timelines, and sincere efforts to hear all viewpoints, even if opposing. We allow the space for harm to be acknowledged and for healing to flourish in moments of misunderstandings.

• We encourage our team to actively pursue their career ambitions by finding opportunities for professional development and continually cultivating their pursuit of best practices in their respective fields.

• We celebrate a diverse team of cultures, personalities, and thought. We neither believe in nor hold expectations of assimilating into a prescribed culture. We actively seek to learn from one another and embrace the changes that come from truly listening to all perspectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE

• Leadership

• Report to and work alongside the Executive Director, and partner with the Board and Finance department to align revenue budget with operational and special funding needs (campaign, endowment, etc.)

• Contribute to the strategic thinking and planning needed to build a more vibrant and sustainable organization

• Oversee organizational fundraising messaging and serve as primary liaison to marketing and external communications consultants, including graphic designers.

• Manage the successful execution of foundation, corporate, and government solicitations to meet the budgeted goals

• Accountable for development department success against budget, using calendar and plan-driven metrics

• Serve as the key staff liaison for the Board and its committees related to fundraising, with support from the Office Administrator

• Supervise part-time grant writer responsible for drafting and submitting applications and final reports. Ensure timely submission of all proposals, reports and other funder required materials, and support as needed with additional writing, etc.

• Supervise the Events & Fundraising Coordinator and contribute to the annual gala's success through solicitation of corporate sponsors, foundations, and other organizations, maximizing the event's fundraising potential

• Engagement

• Craft profiles, reports, meeting briefs and other materials as needed to support the goals and objectives of CYSO in maintaining existing and prospective funding sources

• Work to broaden the funder pool through continuing prospect research, cultivation and stewardship

• Build and maintain relationships with all institutional funders

• Guide CYSO's efforts to deepen our engagement with the donor community, using leadership, board and other organizational relationships

• Represent CYSO as needed in the funding community and as a forward-facing partner to the leadership team

• Development Team members participate in front-of-house management of all concerts, as needed

A detail-oriented, entrepreneurial fundraising professional with exceptional written and verbal communication skills, the Senior Development Manager will be a collaborative and creative team player with:

• Experience

• 4-6 years of experience in institutional giving with a proven track record of successful engagement, solicitation and stewardship

• A keen understanding of the Chicago and broader funding landscape, and an active interest in identifying, building and maintaining funder relationships

• Experience partnering with leadership, board and other constituencies in thinking creatively about how to strengthen funder relationships

• Demonstrated success in grant-writing (samples required)

• Data

• Proficiency in (or ability to quickly learn) CRM (Patron Manager/Salesforce preferred), Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, and other project management and creative software applications

• Skills and Interests

• Flexibility and Inclusion: Welcomes diverse approaches to work, adapting to and respecting varied work styes and perspectives. Embraces change and collaborates effectively with all members of our community

• Learning: Eager to acquire new skills and adapt to evolving processes. Values problem-solving and innovation, demonstrating a commitment to personal and organizational growth

• Organization: Utilizes various strategies for managing tasks, priorities and resources effectively,. Open to individuals with different organizational methods that keep our office efficient and responsive

• Communication: Prioritizes clear, respectful and adaptable communication methods to ensure understanding and cooperation among team members, stakeholders and our wider community

• Skill in problem-solving, relationship building, collaboration and organizational engagement

• The ability to be a self-directed, collaborative team player

• A passion for the arts, education and other key elements of CYSO's mission

• A tireless interest in advancing the organization's capacity and the ability to advocate for the future of music education

• Deep creative thinking and writing skills, allowing them to serve as the key staff person in ensuring broad, accurate representation of CYSO's mission and evolving strategic plans