Academy for Local Leadership
Development & Communications Manager
Academy for Local Leadership, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Overview
Development & Communications Manager
— Professional Troublemaker | Warm Demander | Unwavering Optimist.
Reports to: Executive Director (Bridget Lee)
Start Date: October 13, 2025
Type: Full-time, exempt
MUST APPLY HERE TO BE CONSIDERED:
https://airtable.com/appBd08K9QWDXoEr2/pagY0DKSbR6IG2Opl/form
About ALL At the Academy for Local Leadership, we envision a democratically elected, anti-racist school board that works in partnership with community and district leadership to advance the educational goals of students—especially those who are furthest from opportunity. Through our ALL Chicago Fellowship, we prepare emerging community leaders to step confidently into governance and advocacy roles in Chicago’s evolving district school board system.
Position Overview The Development & Communications Manager will play a crucial role in shaping and sustaining the public narrative and fundraising strategy that elevates ALL’s impact. This role, reporting directly to the Executive Director, will work in close collaboration with her on fundraising, communications, and organizational strategy, thereby directly contributing to the advancement of our mission.
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive professional who thrives in autonomy, takes initiative, and embraces ambiguity. The ideal candidate is a go-getter—someone who can build systems, juggle multiple priorities, and transform complex work into clear, compelling messages that mobilize support for ALL’s mission.
Key Responsibilities
Development & Communications
– Co-create and execute a fundraising plan that includes individual donors, institutional funders, and sponsorships tied to ALL Chicago Fellowship and community governance work; cultivate and steward donors, ensuring timely follow-up, acknowledgments, and impact communication; lead development of donor-facing content: appeals, newsletters, grant proposals/reports, and annual reports; manage grant calendar and support proposal development with program leaders.
Communications & Branding
– Develop and implement a multi-channel communications strategy—press, digital, social, and community outreach—that reflects ALL’s anti-racist, civic leadership mission; manage external consultants (press, marketing) and vendors to ensure cohesive messaging and efficient execution; produce engaging graphics and content for website updates, newsletters, fellow spotlights, and press outreach, drawing on program stories and impact data to inform the messaging; create and design communications materials (flyers, event graphics, reports, presentations, social media assets) using Canva and other basic design software; ensure brand consistency through style, messaging guidelines, and media assets.
Organizational Collaboration & Metrics
– Partner with the Executive Director, Fellowship Director, and Community Engagement Director to surface stories and outcomes for fundraising and communications use; track and report on outreach metrics, campaign performance, and fundraising benchmarks for review by the ED and board; manage ALL’s growing database of individual and organizational contacts; represent ALL in external engagements—including events, speaking, or communications outreach—when needed.
Qualifications
3–5 years in nonprofit development or communications, with strong writing, storytelling, and graphic design skills
Experience raising funds through grants and individual donors
Highly organized with strong project management skills; able to manage multiple deliverables in a fast-paced environment and deliver on time
Comfortable with ambiguity; proactive and resourceful in moving projects forward with minimal direction
Proficiency in Canva and other basic design software for creating compelling visuals and communications materials
Familiarity with education, leadership development, or civic engagement campaigns is a plus
Experience working with consultants or external vendors is a bonus
Deep alignment with ALL’s vision: advancing democratic, equitable education governance and leadership in Chicago
Compensation and Benefits Compensation for this position is $70,000 - $85,000
Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive 200 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.
Hiring Statement Academy for Local Leadership is a project of Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Hopewell Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Hopewell Fund’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.
E-Verify Statement Hopewell participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Industries
Non-profit Organizations
#J-18808-Ljbffr
— Professional Troublemaker | Warm Demander | Unwavering Optimist.
Reports to: Executive Director (Bridget Lee)
Start Date: October 13, 2025
Type: Full-time, exempt
MUST APPLY HERE TO BE CONSIDERED:
https://airtable.com/appBd08K9QWDXoEr2/pagY0DKSbR6IG2Opl/form
About ALL At the Academy for Local Leadership, we envision a democratically elected, anti-racist school board that works in partnership with community and district leadership to advance the educational goals of students—especially those who are furthest from opportunity. Through our ALL Chicago Fellowship, we prepare emerging community leaders to step confidently into governance and advocacy roles in Chicago’s evolving district school board system.
Position Overview The Development & Communications Manager will play a crucial role in shaping and sustaining the public narrative and fundraising strategy that elevates ALL’s impact. This role, reporting directly to the Executive Director, will work in close collaboration with her on fundraising, communications, and organizational strategy, thereby directly contributing to the advancement of our mission.
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive professional who thrives in autonomy, takes initiative, and embraces ambiguity. The ideal candidate is a go-getter—someone who can build systems, juggle multiple priorities, and transform complex work into clear, compelling messages that mobilize support for ALL’s mission.
Key Responsibilities
Development & Communications
– Co-create and execute a fundraising plan that includes individual donors, institutional funders, and sponsorships tied to ALL Chicago Fellowship and community governance work; cultivate and steward donors, ensuring timely follow-up, acknowledgments, and impact communication; lead development of donor-facing content: appeals, newsletters, grant proposals/reports, and annual reports; manage grant calendar and support proposal development with program leaders.
Communications & Branding
– Develop and implement a multi-channel communications strategy—press, digital, social, and community outreach—that reflects ALL’s anti-racist, civic leadership mission; manage external consultants (press, marketing) and vendors to ensure cohesive messaging and efficient execution; produce engaging graphics and content for website updates, newsletters, fellow spotlights, and press outreach, drawing on program stories and impact data to inform the messaging; create and design communications materials (flyers, event graphics, reports, presentations, social media assets) using Canva and other basic design software; ensure brand consistency through style, messaging guidelines, and media assets.
Organizational Collaboration & Metrics
– Partner with the Executive Director, Fellowship Director, and Community Engagement Director to surface stories and outcomes for fundraising and communications use; track and report on outreach metrics, campaign performance, and fundraising benchmarks for review by the ED and board; manage ALL’s growing database of individual and organizational contacts; represent ALL in external engagements—including events, speaking, or communications outreach—when needed.
Qualifications
3–5 years in nonprofit development or communications, with strong writing, storytelling, and graphic design skills
Experience raising funds through grants and individual donors
Highly organized with strong project management skills; able to manage multiple deliverables in a fast-paced environment and deliver on time
Comfortable with ambiguity; proactive and resourceful in moving projects forward with minimal direction
Proficiency in Canva and other basic design software for creating compelling visuals and communications materials
Familiarity with education, leadership development, or civic engagement campaigns is a plus
Experience working with consultants or external vendors is a bonus
Deep alignment with ALL’s vision: advancing democratic, equitable education governance and leadership in Chicago
Compensation and Benefits Compensation for this position is $70,000 - $85,000
Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive 200 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.
Hiring Statement Academy for Local Leadership is a project of Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Hopewell Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Hopewell Fund’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.
E-Verify Statement Hopewell participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Industries
Non-profit Organizations
#J-18808-Ljbffr