Join Our Team at Spoon River College! Spoon River College is a positive, team-oriented environment supportive of employee development. We are currently seeking a district wide Chief Development Officer/Foundation Director. This is a full-time, exempt position. For more information on the benefits of working at Spoon River College, visit SRC Employee Benefits (https://www.src.edu/about-src/employment/src-employee-benefits). Experience success and join our team at Spoon River College!
Job Title: Chief Development Officer/Foundation Director Status / FLSA Status: FT / Exempt Classification: Administration Department: SRC Foundation Reports To: President Location: District Wide Date Updated: September 2026
POSITION SUMMARY:
Spoon River College is seeking a Chief Development Officer and Foundation Director to provide strategic leadership for the Spoon River College Foundation and serve as the College’s chief development and fundraising officer.
This position will lead efforts to grow philanthropic support, strengthen donor and community relationships, expand grant opportunities, and build the Foundation’s capacity to support the College’s strategic priorities. The Chief Development Officer will work closely with the President, Foundation Board, College leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, businesses, foundations, and community partners.
A key priority will be developing and advancing an institutional Spoon River College Promise Program, including partnerships that expand dual-credit opportunities and provide tuition support for eligible students.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead the Foundation’s daily operations, strategic planning, financial management, compliance, and long-term organizational development.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising and advancement strategy encompassing annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation support, endowment growth, special campaigns, and events.
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual, corporate, foundation, and organizational donors.
- Build strong relationships with alumni, community leaders, businesses, foundations, and other external partners.
- Develop compelling cases for philanthropic support that demonstrate the impact of giving on students, academic and workforce programs, facilities, equipment, and other College priorities.
- Establish effective donor stewardship and engagement strategies to increase participation, giving, and long-term relationships.
- Lead the investigation, development, and implementation of an institutional Spoon River College Promise Program designed to expand access to higher education and strengthen the College’s enrollment pipeline.
- Expand the College’s capacity to secure public, private, corporate, state, and federal grant funding.
- Represent the College and Foundation at community, civic, business, alumni, and institutional events.
- Partner with College leaders to identify opportunities for philanthropic investment and support enrollment, student success, workforce development, and community engagement initiatives.
- Supervise Foundation staff and work collaboratively with the Foundation Board and its committees.
- Monitor and report on fundraising activity, donor engagement, financial performance, and progress toward advancement goals.
- Serve as a member of the President’s leadership team and contribute to institutional planning and decision-making.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Performs supervisory responsibilities in accordance with federal and state employment law, college policies and procedures, the supervisor handbook, and relevant collective bargaining unit agreements with regard to recruitment and selection, timely review and approval of timesheets, assigning workload and projects, performance evaluation, discipline, communication, departmental leadership, and day-to-day supervision.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
- At least five years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, advancement, nonprofit management, higher education, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience cultivating and soliciting donors and securing philanthropic support.
- Experience managing projects, programs, budgets, and/or personnel.
- Strong leadership, communication, relationship-building, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
- Experience in higher education advancement or with a community college foundation.
- Experience with major gifts, capital or comprehensive campaigns, planned giving, or endowment development.
- Experience working with a Foundation Board or nonprofit governing board.
- Experience developing corporate, business, and community partnerships.
- Experience developing scholarship, Promise, or similar student-support programs.
- Experience with dual-credit programs or high school-to-college pathways.
- Knowledge of the communities and educational needs served by Spoon River College.
- A current and valid Illinois driver’s license with a clear motor vehicle records check (per the college’s definition of an authorized driver) is required.
- Ability and willingness to represent the College and Foundation throughout the district, including participation in evening and weekend events.
- Must become a resident within the Spoon River College district within six months of hire.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Physical demands for this position include the ability to regularly sit, use hands and fingers, talk and hear. This position requires limited standing, walking, reaching, stooping/kneeling. Vision requirements for this position include close vision including the ability to view text from a computer monitor.
The work environment for this position includes a typical office environment with no extremes in temperature, noise, and limited physical risk.
