Manager of Individual Giving

Status: Full-time, salaried position (exempt employee)

Benefits: yes

Reports to: Director of Development

Direct reports: N/A

Overview of Position:

Marwen seeks a passionate and innovative fundraiser who believes in the power of young people, community, and the arts to lead efforts for social change. The Manager of Individual Giving is a cross-functional relationship manager that is crucial to Marwen’s goal to strengthen and grow individual donor revenue to establish a sustainable funding model. In collaboration with the Director of Development, this position will support the development and management of a robust individual giving portfolio, while thoughtfully ensuring Marwen’s organizational values are centered in all fundraising programs. This position will steward individual donor relationships and serve as the lead on fundraising donor outreach and communication for solicitation, stewardship, and renewals. Additionally, this position will support event sponsorship and planning as it aligns with their donors and the overall team needs.

Individual Giving

• Define individual donor categories and work with the Director of Development to conceive and implement individual giving plans for each donor group including cultivation opportunities and stewardship events.
• In collaboration with the Development Coordinator, utilize Kindful, our fundraising database, to create and implement a moves management system, charting out and recommending appropriate prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship steps, particularly for high-priority prospects.
• Manage a portfolio of leadership level donors through direct solicitation, as well as assist the Executive Director and Director of Development in the solicitation and cultivation of major gift donors.
• Work in collaboration with the Manager of Institutional Giving to identify and support individual prospects and donors.

Stewardship & Event Fundraising

• Develop and implement strategies to attract support from individual donors for fundraising events, including event sponsorships.
• Collaborate with the Development Coordinator in ensuring alignment of event logistics for all fundraising and cultivation events.
• Collaboratively design and independently manage a holistic stewardship program for individual and institutional funders, including events, communications, and other engagement activities.
• Work closely with the Manager of Development Communications & Grants in ensuring proper stewardship and recognition of all individual funders at events and in other recognition materials.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3-5 years experience in individual, corporate, or event fundraising or related experience
• Experience with relationship management, as well as a working knowledge of the Chicago and national philanthropic community
• Experience with or interest in the visual arts or creative youth development programming
• Professionalism and the ability to communicate effectively with staff, donors, and volunteers
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work autonomously setting goals, establishing priorities, and achieving objectives
• Possess a high level of initiative, creativity, energy, flexibility and resilience, as well as a willingness and excitement to work in a highly collaborative environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Kindful or other fundraising databases
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evening hours and Saturdays

The compensation for this position is $50-60K annually commensurate with experience, generous PTO, full health benefits, and retirement plan match. This is a hybrid position with two work from home days per week. Marwen is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and equity in the workplace. We strongly encourage those who reflect our communities to apply, including bilingual individuals, LGBTQI and/or people of color. Marwen requires all staff to be fully vaccinated.

Please send a resume and cover letter to individualgiving@marwen.org with the subject line “Manager of Individual Giving.” Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

About Marwen:

Marwen educates and inspires young people to nurture their growth and build their futures through art and community. Founded in 1987, the no-cost studio and pathway programs exist for young people in Chicago who want to explore visual arts and do not have access to arts programming due to financial and systemic barriers. Courses are facilitated by cohorts of intergenerational teaching artist teams.