Director of Development

HACIA seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven leader to support the organization’s growth and advance the organization’s mission. The Director of Development will cultivate, solicit and steward six-to seven-figure contributions from philanthropists, foundations, government entities, and corporations. In partnership with the Executive Director, this role leads and manages the short- and long-term strategy to grow the Organization.

  • Company: HACIA
  • Location: Chicago, IL
  • Employment Type: Full Time
  • Date: 1/25/2026
  • Industry: Non-Profit

About HACIA:

Founded in 1979 as a non-profit 501 (c) (6) organization, the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) is a construction advocacy, training, and membership organization. With over 300 members, HACIA provides a range of technical and supportive services to assist minority, women, veteran, and disadvantaged business enterprises (M/W/V/DBE) in addition to workforce development training in the construction and professional services industries. HACIA believes that all qualified construction businesses and individuals should have equal access to opportunities and education; and, therein, strives to build diversity and inclusion that strengthens the industry. HACIA’s mission focuses on ensuring the equitable participation of its members and inclusion of diverse business practices in the construction industry, while also promoting growth, quality of work, professionalism, and integrity. The Hispanic American Construction Industry Association Scholarship & Education Foundation (HACIASEF) is a non-profit 501c (3) organization whose mission is to provide on-going training and educational services to businesses and their employees in the construction related industry. HACIASEF (C3) and HACIA (C6) together work to ensure the equitable participation of diverse construction professionals, while also supporting and promoting the growth, quality of work, professionalism and integrity of these individuals and businesses. For over 42 years, we have built a strong network of construction professionals that believe in our mission and foster a more diverse and equitable construction industry

Our Culture

HACIA’s culture is rooted in our mission and guided by our values charter, which serves as a shared commitment to embodying the principles that define who we are and how we lead, serve and work together. These five values guide our decision, partnership, and action we take: 1. Community: We build together. 2. Excellence: We set the standard. 3. Integrity: We do the right thing. 4. Stewardship: We care for what has been entrusted to us. 5. Advocacy: We raise our voices for equity and opportunity. At HACIA, we pledge to live these values daily, hold ourselves and one another accountable as we continuously reflect and evolve to ensure these values remain alive in our culture.

Position Summary

HACIA seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven leader to support the organization’s growth and advance the organization’s mission. The Director of Development will cultivate, solicit and steward six-to seven-figure contributions from philanthropists, foundations, government entities, and corporations. In partnership with the Executive Director, this role leads and manages the short- and long-term strategy to grow the Organization. This leadership position requires strong strategic thinking, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with senior-level stakeholders. This person will drive strategy, provide leadership and management of the planning, and execution of fundraising and development for the Organization.

Key Outcomes and Performance Expectations:

- Achieve annual and multi-year fundraising goals across both entities (c3 and c6). - Research and respond to funding opportunities in alignment with the organization’s priorities. - Ensure the timely creation and distribution of fundraising materials and touchpoints (e.g. update emails, newsletters, acknowledgements, etc) - Implement procedures for the effective utilization of Salesforce to track key metrics and produce meaningful data to improve practices and inform decisions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, the selected individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily; other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Strategy and Leadership: 

  • In collaboration with the Executive Director and leadership team, develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year fundraising plan to align with the organization’s priorities. 
  • Serve as the lead for development strategies across both entities. 
  • Implement a strong stewardship plan for intentional, ongoing relationship management with donors to maintain trust. 
  • Track progress towards goals and provide regular reporting and analysis to leadership and board of directors. 

Fundraising and Donor Relations: 

  • Build and manage relationships with prospects and donors through visits, correspondence, and regular communication. 
  • Collaborate with leadership to identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors including preparing for meetings, collateral creation and follow-up communication.  
  • Lead the development of funding proposals and track submittals. 
  • Lead all aspects of major gift fundraising, including donor research, engagement strategies, solicitation planning, and follow-up. 
  • Closely collaborates with Grant Manager to ensure all reports are properly submitted to remain in compliance. 
  • With support from the appropriate team, create and lead grant writing, research and submittal process. 

Proposals and Grants:

  • Lead the respond to notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs), including developing all content for proposals as needed to secure financial support from government, foundations, and corporations. 
  • Collaborate with the Grants Manager to ensure compliance, reporting accuracy, and timely deliverables. 
  • Establish and manage an efficient, repeatable grant submission process. 

Communication and Collateral:

  • In partnership with the marketing team, create all fundraising material for each entity to ensure consistent messaging and branding on all collateral (e.g. pitch materials, branded reports, customized videos, printed collateral, etc). 
  • Oversee the development of all fundraising materials, including proposals, reports, talking points, and donor communications. 
  • Ensure timely creation and distribution of stewardship materials such as acknowledgements, impact updates, and donor communications. 

Event and Partnerships:

  • Work closely with the Event Manager to plan and organize special fundraising events. 
  • Collaborate with stakeholders on fundraising efforts.  

Data and Administration 

  • Effectively track donor activity, funding, and key performance metrics through Salesforce or similar system. 
  • Establish procedures and best practices for donor data management, reporting, and forecasting to improve fundraising outcomes. 
  • Ensure accurate documentation of donor interactions, proposals, and funding activity. 

Competencies:

Achievement Focus – Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles. Measures self against standard of excellence. Recognizes and acts on opportunities. Sets and achieves challenging goals. Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals. 

Business Acumen – Aligns work with strategic goals. Conducts cost-benefit analyses. Demonstrates knowledge of market and competition. Displays orientation to profitability. Understands business implications of decisions. 

Business Ethics – Inspires the trust of others. Keeps commitments. Treats people with respect. Upholds organizational values. Works with integrity and ethically. 

Managing Customer Focus – Develops new approaches to meeting customer needs. Establishes customer service standards. Monitors customer satisfaction. Promotes customer focus. Provides training in customer service delivery. 

Strategic Thinking – Adapts strategy to changing conditions. Analyzes market and competition. Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals. Identifies external threats and opportunities. Understands organization’s strengths & weaknesses. 

Visionary Leadership – Acts in accordance with vision. Communicates vision and gains commitment. Creates a clear, compelling vision. Displays passion and optimism. Mobilizes others to fulfill the vision. 

Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Education/Experience: 

Bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university; advanced degree preferred; or five years of related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. 

Minimum of five years of strong experience in fundraising, development, and donor relations. Proven track record of success in fundraising from philanthropists, foundations, corporations, and government. 

Proven track record of cultivating and closing gifts/securing funding of at least $250,000+ annually. 

Strong understanding of fundraising within workforce development, small business capacity programming, and/or economic development. 

Language Ability: 

Read, analyze and interpret complex documents. Respond effectively to sensitive inquiries. Write speeches and articles using innovative techniques. Make persuasive presentations on complex topics to management, public groups and/or boards of directors. 

Mathematical Ability: 

Work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations. 

Reasoning Ability: 

Define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. 

Computer Skills: 

Advanced experience with Microsoft suite, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Proficient in donor database, Salesforce, preferred. 

Work Environment:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  

Physical Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at a time. Will be required to use hands to finger, handle or feel as well as reach with hands or arms most of the time. Prolonged periods of moving around event spaces/meeting locations during various events and meetings to prepare, organize, and network/build relationships with HACIA members and potential partners   

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position.  Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor. 

Benefits

HACIA offers comprehensive benefits including

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision
  • Vacation
  • Holidays Paid
  • Sick Days
  • Personal Time Off
  • 401k Matching
  • Remote Workdays

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Disclaimer: 

The above job description is intended to describe the general nature of the position and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of duties, skills, and standards required for the position. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities f rom time to time, as needed or as assigned by their supervisor.  

Equal Employment Opportunity: 

HACIA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. HACIA hires individuals on the basis of their qualifications and ability to complete the essential requirements and responsibilities of the job to be filled. It is HACIA’s policy to grant equal employment opportunities to qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender expression, religion, pregnancy, parental status, marital status, age, veterans’ or military status, regardless of how discharged, source of income, credit history, arrest records, or physical or mental handicap or disability, genetic information, or other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. HACIA will provide equal opportunities in all aspects of the employment relationship, including without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, working conditions, benefits and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment. All employment decisions are made based on availability, qualifications, ability, merit and/or other legitimate factors consistent with principles of equal employment. 

Additional disclaimer: only resumes with cover letters will be reviewed. 

  • Job Type: Full-time
  • Pay: $110,000 - $120,000 per year