Executive Director, Chicago

Location: Remote in Chicago, IL with local in-person meetings and occasional national travel.

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt

Salary Range: $145,230 - $152,000

Benefits: High-quality health and dental insurance, paid vacation, employer-matched retirement plan

The Organization:

At Thrive Scholars, we provide high-achieving, diverse, and underrepresented students, including students of color from under-resourced communities, the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges and in meaningful careers.

Our comprehensive and data-driven program model focuses on the key inflection points that can be the difference between graduating from any college and graduating from a top college with the grades, degree, career skills, and network needed to thrive in any career. Thrive Scholars originated in Los Angeles as South Central Scholars (“SCS”) twenty years ago. Over this time, the organization has refined its program model and, in the last five years, has focused on expanding nationally; reaching more high-achieving underrepresented students, growing the number of Scholars we serve; and deepening our program impact. Thrive Scholars has begun to grow its footprint with new summer program offerings in three additional cities, with more to come. The organization has approximately 75 year-round employees and close to 200 summer employees.

The Opportunity: 

Thrive Scholars is seeking an Executive Director for its Chicago and Cleveland locations to drive financial support for the organization in these regions; to grow, deepen and develop strong relationships with funders, academic and community-based leaders; and enable high performing local students to flourish in college and beyond. With Thrive’s emerging network and proven success, this is an ideal opportunity for an experienced, high-energy, self-starter with a strong track record in fundraising and passion for college and career access and success. Our goal for Chicago and Cleveland is to significantly grow the donor pipelines, significantly increasing the number of Scholars who can be recruited to participate.

Reporting to Thrive’s CEO, this executive will be joining a passionate and dedicated team of 5 other Regional Executive Directors (Boston, New York, Detroit, Jacksonville, and Los Angeles) who are committed to measurable and meaningful impact.  As the primary face and champion of Thrive’s work and impact in the Chicago and Cleveland metro areas, the Executive Director will be charged with creating the narrative around local support, closing five, six and seven figure gifts, generating a network of donor support, building relationships with nonprofit and school district leaders, and inspiring, leveraging and activating local advisory boards. While this role will collaborate with national program teams and leadership, Thrive’s ED’s do not manage programmatic work; the focus of the role is on building financial support, stakeholder relationships, and community awareness in the region to enable the delivery of our national program model for students in the area.

Key Responsibilities:

Development and External Relations

• Serve as an inspirational external leader who actively engages and energizes Thrive’s supporters, partners, scholars, families, volunteers, and corporate partners.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit five, six and seven figure gifts from individuals, families, foundations and corporations to meet ambitious seven-figure revenue targets; leverage a nuanced understanding of the Chicago philanthropic space to lead regional fundraising efforts.
• Steward outstanding philanthropic relationships to ensure a continuity of support.
• Capitalize on existing relationships with regional donors to build a growing network of engaged individual, foundation, and corporate partners.
• Establish and develop relationships with key prospects, ensuring their continued engagement, with an eye towards ensuring sustainable multi-year support; this will include drafting proposals and grant reports along with effective moves management and donor strategies and stewardship.
• Steward, appoint, and grow local champions to serve on the Chicago and Cleveland Region