Hybrid Director of Development Operations

at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

• Job title: Director of Development Operations
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $109,160 - $147,360 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Chicago, United States

About the role

• Director of Development Operations ensures operational excellence for philanthropic efforts. Managing systems and processes that support fundraising and campaign initiatives across the organization.

Responsibilities

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of all contributions and membership transactions; optimize online donor portals and payment workflows in collaboration with Finance/IT (including PCI considerations).
• Own data governance and documentation standards across all donor CRM’s including Raiser’s Edge and Tessitura: develop SOPs, business rules, data dictionaries, and audit trails aligned with industry best practices and applicable privacy regulations.
• Design and maintain data architecture (queries, imports/exports, segmentation, and custom variables) with rigorous QA, de-duplication, and scheduled data hygiene.
• Lead system enhancements and upgrades: translate fundraising needs into technical specifications, manage vendors, coordinate testing/UAT, and drive change management and user adoption.
• Partner with IT to ensure system reliability, access controls, integrations (e.g., ticketing, email marketing, financial systems), and SLAs; analyze and recommend enhancements to the Chief Development Officer (CDO).
• Gather requirements, develop specifications, and lead the documentation of new processes and procedures (gift acceptance policies, planned giving, etc.).
• Produce and quality-assure donor lists for invitations, mailings, and public recognition; maintain accurate pledge schedules and fulfillment tracking.
• Lead the MCA’s prospect research function; oversee wealth screening integration and assign research priorities in coordination with frontline fundraisers.
• Conduct in-depth research and prospect management analysis to identify, qualify, and track potential donors capable of making transformative gifts, ensuring alignment with fundraising strategies.
• Develop and synthesize reports, dashboards, and strategic insights to inform decision-making around gift prospects, driving pipeline development.
• Collaborate with the fundraising team to develop tailored strategies for managing and advancing relationships with high-capacity donors.
• Manage the portfolio process for the Pritzker Director, Deputy Directors, and CDO, leading focused research and prospect management initiatives related to trustees and other high-level stakeholders.
• Manage all incoming research requests from this group with particular attention to preparing them for direct solicitation and trustee engagement.
• Monitor economic and wealth trends to identify shifts impacting transformative philanthropy, and develop educational resources and training to help staff integrate these insights into prospecting, cultivation, and solicitation strategies.
• Develop and manage systems to track, evaluate, and advance donor pipeline activity and prospect movement.
• Ensure front-line fundraisers are trained in the pipeline process and utilize tools effectively.
• Uphold ethical standards and data privacy guidelines per APRA codes of conduct.
• In partnership with the Chief Development Officer, develop and deliver regular reports and dashboards related to revenue, campaign progress, and donor engagement.
• Extract, analyze, and maintain donor and prospect data within the donor database to create nuanced prospect profiles and inform cultivation strategies for gifts.
• Generate ad-hoc reports for Director’s Office and Development staff to inform strategy and performance tracking.
• Translate and contextualize data insights into actionable recommendations for fundraisers.
• Provide analysis of trends and KPIs to guide departmental planning, portfolio development, and goal setting.
• Lead and develop team members by fostering an inclusive, psychologically safe environment that encourages open, two-way feedback and continuous growth.
• Serve as a positive cultural ambassador across the museum, modeling behaviors that champion equity, collaboration, and respect.
• Drive accountability and clarity of expectations while overseeing day-to-day operations, special projects, and performance against key metrics.
• Actively engage in coaching and feedback to strengthen engagement, support professional development, and achieve organizational goals.
• Collaborate with frontline fundraisers to optimize internal workflows and reduce administrative burden.
• Lead database training for new Development staff and recommend continuing education tools.
• Recommend staff development opportunities to ensure team proficiency with fundraising systems and analytics.
• Serve as the primary liaison to Finance for revenue reconciliation and audit support; maintain documentation and controls.
• Track and manage the Development Operations budget; evaluate vendors and tools for ROI and cost-effectiveness.
• Monitor progress against financial forecasts, escalate risks and opportunities to the CDO, and recommend corrective actions.
• Act as the lead operations partner for all campaign-related data, research, and reporting.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in fundraising/development operations—within cultural institutions or nonprofits—with significant responsibility for CRM administration, data quality, reporting, and donor services.
• Demonstrated expertise with donor databases/CRM solutions, including configuration, reporting, global changes, data hygiene, user permissions, and integrations (e.g., email marketing, ticketing, finance).
• Proven success designing scalable processes, SOPs, and data governance frameworks that align with privacy and security standards (e.g., PCI, GDPR/CCPA as applicable) and APRA ethics.
• Ability to translate business questions into data requirements and insights, with strong written and visual storytelling skills.
• Experience leading revenue forecasting, pipeline analytics, and campaign reporting; strong financial acumen.
• Strong people leadership: hiring, coaching, performance management; adept at change management and training.
• High discretion and professionalism; exceptional attention to detail and quality control.
• Collaborative, organized, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365.
• Ability to perform occasional light lifting.
• General mobility throughout the museum.

Benefits

• Individual and MCA-provided retirement savings plans.
• Paid time off.
• Pre-tax, reduced rate parking and Ventra/Metra benefits.
• Free admission to MCA exhibitions for yourself and guests.
• Free admission to many special and member events.
• Reduced price tickets to MCA Stage performances.
• Discounts on dining in Marisol and in our award-winning MCA Store.
• Access to our onsite library.
• Opportunities to attend curator-led staff tours.
• Free or discounted admission to many other cultural institutions across the United States.
• Full-time staff are also eligible for a robust benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance plus free life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance.