TITLE: Assistant Director, Membership & Annual Giving
DEPARTMENT: Development
REPORTS TO: Sr. Director, Individual Giving
STATUS: Full-time, Exempt
SALARY: $78,000 - $83,000
LOCATION: Hybrid
 
POSITION OVERVIEW:   

The Assistant Director of Membership & Annual Giving leads Shedd’s fundraising efforts focused on membership and annual giving strategies to grow philanthropic revenue, retention, and loyalty from individual donors. In pursuit of this goal, the Assistant Director develops and advances a comprehensive direct response strategy, utilizing data-driven segmentation and upgrade-focused moves management. Key responsibilities include developing programmatic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. 

This is an exciting time to join Shedd Aquarium, as we reimagine our Membership program to align more closely with our mission and strengthen our fundraising efforts. Rather than focusing solely on growing the number of member households, we are prioritizing deeper engagement and strategic collaboration with our gift officers and marketing team. We are open to a period of intentional recalibration now, knowing it will set the stage for smarter, more impactful growth ahead. 

 
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.   

• Lead acquisition, retention, and upgrade solicitation strategies to achieve financial targets (~$4M) and build a pipeline for major gift work by gift officers. 
• Oversee revenue and expense budgets and analysis, ensuring efficient resource allocation and campaign performance evaluation. 
• Evolve and manage relationships with external vendors, including tactical scope, budgeting, and deliverables. 
• Collaborate with Individual Giving and internal Shedd partners to define and advance audience strategy, content development, and channel prioritization for direct response cultivation and solicitation. 
• Partner with the Donor Relations team to develop programmatic segmentation and to align and advance member-donor retention and loyalty. 
• Work closely with the events team to execute on Member Nights,  and other member events to strengthen long-term, mission-driven loyalty. 
• Oversee and update operational policies, procedures, and business rules for Shedd’s membership program. 
• Partner with Guest Relations to ensure a seamless onsite guest experience for members. 
• Serve as the primary contact for member inquiries and escalations, providing high-level customer service and resolving member issues. 
• Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor or leadership team member. 

Shedd Priorities: 

• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd’s vision, mission, and values. 
• Maintain a current understanding of Shedd’s Centennial Commitment strategic plan, focus areas, successes, and overall results to effectively communicate to supporters. 
• Actively use Tessitura and SharePoint as central resources for managing fundraising activity, institutional knowledge, and progress towards shared goals. 
• Commit to the Development team’s ongoing efforts to proactively become a more anti-racist fundraising operation. 
• Incorporate Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI) principles in all planning and strategy efforts to help build a member and donor base reflective of our Chicago community. 
• Contribute to a greater focus on the well-being of individual team members, including a heightened emphasis on work-life balance. 

QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Education: B.A. degree, or a combination of work and education experience. 
 
Experience:   

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive fundraising experience in membership, annual giving, alumni relations, or similar. 
• Experience at a cultural, educational, or environmental organization is a plus. 
• Strategic thinker with proven ability to implement innovative direct marketing tactics to successfully retain, upgrade, and grow individual support. 
• An analytical mindset to identify and leverage data and trends to improve acquisition, upgrade, and retention activities and engagements. 
• Advanced experience with fundraising/CRM software required. Tessitura experience preferred. 
• Ability to lead and engage productively with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside Shedd Aquarium, including cross-departmental partners and external vendors. 
• Budget and fiscal management experience. 
• Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills; effective verbal and written communication skills. 
• Self-starter, detail-oriented, with the ability to meet stringent deadlines and manage multiple priorities. 

BENEFITS WORKING AT SHEDD: We offer competitive compensation packages and opportunities for professional growth within our organization. 

• Medical Insurance, including FSA and HSA plan options
• Vision and Dental Insurance 
• Accrued Paid Time Off 
• Up to 12 Paid Holidays 
• Life Insurance 
• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance
• 401(k)
• Discounted Parking and Public Transit Subsidies
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Wellness program, including Preventive Care Incentive 
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Tickets 

Reasonable Accommodations: 
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at jobs@sheddaquarium.org. 

We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.