Development and Strategy Manager - Chicago

Common Threads seeks a highly motivated Development and Strategy Manager to play a key role in advancing the organization’s fundraising goals and long-term growth strategy. This position will manage a portfolio of foundation, corporate, and government funders, while also supporting individual giving and strategic initiatives to expand our donor base.

The Development and Strategy Manager will collaborate closely with leadership to implement targeted development strategies, steward existing donors, cultivate new prospects, and align fundraising efforts with the organization’s mission and programmatic priorities. The ideal candidate is both strategic and execution-focused, capable of managing complex donor relationships while contributing to the organization’s long-term revenue strategy. Collaborate with leadership to engage in government relations efforts that advance Common Threads’ mission, including cultivating relationships with public officials and exploring public funding opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Donor Portfolio Management (40%)

● Manage a portfolio of institutional funders (foundation, corporate, and government), including cultivation, solicitation, proposal development, and reporting.

● Research and identify prospective funders whose priorities align with Common Threads’ mission and programs.

● Develop compelling proposals, letters of inquiry, and donor reports, collaborating with program and evaluation teams to ensure alignment with funder priorities.

● Maintain up-to-date donor records in Salesforce and ensure data integrity for accurate tracking and reporting.

Strategic Growth & Development Initiatives (30%)

● Support the development and execution of targeted fundraising strategies that drive growth across all revenue streams, including individual giving.

● Collaborate with leadership to set fundraising goals, track progress, and adjust strategies as needed.

● Monitor philanthropic trends, identify new funding opportunities, and recommend strategic adjustments to meet emerging priorities.

● Partner with marketing and communications to create donor engagement materials, impact reports, and campaign collateral.

● Cultivate and maintain strong, bipartisan relationships with policymakers, government agencies, and key stakeholders to advance the organization’s mission and priorities.

● Monitor legislative developments, policy trends, and funding opportunities, providing timely analysis and recommendations to leadership.

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Building (20%)

● Build and sustain strong relationships with current and prospective funders through regular outreach, updates, and in-person or virtual meetings.

● Represent Common Threads at funder meetings, networking events, and presentations to articulate the mission and showcase program impact.

● Work with the CEO and senior leadership to prepare for high-level cultivation and stewardship opportunities.

Event & Campaign Support (10%)

● Assist with planning and executing fundraising events, donor receptions, and seasonal campaigns.

● Collaborate on event sponsorship proposals and outreach to secure financial and in-kind support.

Qualifications:

● Bachelor’s degree (preferred).

● 5+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, with a focus on institutional giving; individual giving experience a plus.

● Proven track record of securing five- and six-figure grants and gifts from corporations, foundations, and/or government sources.

● Strong grant writing, reporting, and compliance skills.

● Proficiency in Salesforce (or similar CRM) and ability to maintain accurate, organized records.

● Knowledge of national and local funders relevant to Common Threads’ program locations, (Los Angeles, NYC, Erie, PGH, Miami, El Paso, Austin, and Chicago).

● Strong project management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities and deadlines.

● Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to create compelling, donor-facing materials.

● Comfortable working in a fast-paced, virtual environment with a culturally diverse team.

● Commitment to the mission and values of Common Threads.

Other Requirements:

● Reliable personal transportation is required for this position. Candidates must be able to travel locally for donor meetings and events. Mileage will be reimbursed for the use of a personal vehicle; rideshare or taxi expenses are not eligible for reimbursement.

● Evening and weekend work may be required for events or donor engagements.

● Employment is contingent upon successful background check and fingerprinting.

Compensation: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, geographic location, and organizational pay structure.

About Common Threads:

Common Threads is a nonprofit that teaches children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage health and wellness. We are national in scope, with strong roots in each of our 8 major program locations, reaching 30,000 children, parents and teachers in 2024-2025. We equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious and appealing food choices wherever they live, work, learn, and play. We believe that adequate and healthy food contributes to wellbeing. For more information, visit or Common Threads’ social media accounts (@CommonThreadsOrg on Instagram and @CommonThreadsUS on Twitter).

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands/fingers to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Common Threads’ EEO Statement:

Common Threads provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Common Threads complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Common Threads expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Common Threads’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.