Position Title: Capital Campaign Manager
Reports to: Temple Administrator, working in close partnership with volunteer fundraising committee, Board Officers, and senior Rabbi
About Oak Park Temple:
Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion (“OPT”) is a reform Jewish congregation with a membership of more than 550 households who reside in Oak Park, River Forest, Logan Square, and across the near west suburbs and city neighborhoods. OPT has been in its current home since 1957 and its origins date back to two Chicago congregations founded in the mid-19th Century.
As a key anchor of the near west side’s Jewish community, OPT is committed to continually fostering a warm, welcoming and diverse community, centered around Jewish worship, family and lifelong learning.
About the Role and the Capital Campaign:
The Capital Campaign aims to raise $3 million to ensure the sustainability of two key congregational priorities: essential building infrastructure upgrades and a clergy endowment fund.
OPT seeks a highly experienced, exceptionally organized, self-directed professional to serve as the Campaign’s internal and external liaison. The Campaign Manager will manage all aspects required to launch and lead a successful multi-year campaign, including coordinating marketing, drafting communications, performing donor research and solicitation, event planning, and overall superb project management.
Key Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
Campaign Solicitation and Stewardship
- Develop/build out campaign master plan
- Identify key campaign donor prospects at all levels of giving; continuously engage in donor prospect research
- Manage (as applicable) Board and campaign committee members’ portfolios of prospective donors
- Provide campaign education and solicitation training(s) to clergy, Board, and committee members
- Oversee development and execution, including budget management, of all campaign materials (e.g., campaign video, solicitation materials)
- Identify and implement campaign gift recognition opportunities
- In collaboration with campaign leadership and volunteers, plan and execute small campaign events (e.g., receptions in congregants’ homes)
- Create campaign timeline and manage overall schedule and pacing of solicitations in accordance with timeline.
Communications
- In partnership with Temple Administrator, Board President, and campaign leadership, develop and implement cadence for appropriate, consistent campaign-related communications to the Board and congregation
- Maintain excellent, consistent communications with Board President and campaign committee, including regular updates on solicitation activities and other progress toward goals
- Lead efforts to help publicize the campaign
- Engage members and develop relationships centered on the campaign’s mission
Administration and Logistics
- Maintain key responsibility for data management and tracking via a “moves management” or other electronic system; maintain excellent campaign records at every stage to inform the congregation’s future fundraising and operations
- Support clergy and key leaders in securing, preparing for, and following up from cultivation and solicitation meetings
- Work with campaign chair(s) to coordinate and lead committee meetings; ensure timely drafting and distribution of meeting agendas and minutes
- Attend administrative meetings as called upon
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will possess all or most of the following desired experiences and skills:
- Ample (15+ years) experience leading fundraising campaign(s), ideally for synagogue(s), independent school(s), and/or similar institutions
- Proven track record of successfully soliciting and securing 6 - 7 figure gifts from individuals and families
- Ample experience working alongside and leading volunteers, including in fundraising and/or capital campaign committee structures
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Project management skills
- Excellent organization and time management skills
- Strong entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated ability to take initiative and follow through
- Demonstrated comfort and proficiency working with synagogue leaders and the Jewish community (strongly preferred)
Compensation and Logistics:
The Capital Campaign Manager is a part-time independent contractor position with approximately 15 - 20 hours of work anticipated weekly.
The initial engagement will be for six months and is renewable in six-month increments, for a total engagement of up to two years. Any engagement term will have early termination clauses based on, but not limited to, performance metrics.
Compensation is salaried on a per annum calculation, ranging from $50,000 to $60,000 per year commensurate with experience.
Work Location:
It is expected that the Campaign Manager has their own properly equipped office to perform the duties of this position. Space also will be made available at OPT for the Campaign Manager to work onsite. Campaign Committee meetings and other meetings may be called and held at OPT.
Application Process:
To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] by April 10, 2023.
The anticipated start date is May 2023.