Development Director Jobs in Illinois

Development Director jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, with concentrated hiring in nonprofit organizations, higher education, healthcare systems, and arts and cultural institutions, serving candidates from fundraising coordinators stepping up to seasoned vice presidents of development. Chicago anchors the market by a wide margin, but Springfield and Evanston also generate consistent openings, with major employers including Northwestern University, Rush University Medical Center, and the Chicago Community Trust maintaining ongoing development leadership needs. Planned Giving and major gifts fundraising are the most sought-after specialties across Illinois listings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles149+
Top employerAbbVie
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring41
Work type53% Hybrid
Top industryConstruction

Showing 5 of 149+ Development Director jobs

Associate Director, Global Business Development Forecasting
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Added 3d ago
Associate Director, Global Business Development Forecasting
AbbVie
Mettawa, Illinois
Account Management
Business Development
Sales
$142k - $269k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree in business administration
10,000+

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Senior Associate Director of Development
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Added 3d ago
Senior Associate Director of Development
The Nature Conservancy
Chicago, Illinois
Administrative & Office Support
Program Management
Project Management
$117k - $125k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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Managing Director - Business Development
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Added 4d ago
Managing Director - Business Development
IQ-EQ
Chicago, Illinois
Business Development
Customer Success
Sales
$150k - $200k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in finance
1,001-5,000

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Associate Director, R&D Finance Development Sciences
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Added 4d ago
Associate Director, R&D Finance Development Sciences
AbbVie
North Chicago, Illinois
Content & Communications
Creative & Design
Marketing
$142k - $269k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree in business administration
10,000+

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Associate Director / Director - Biologics Drug Product Development
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Added 4d ago
Associate Director / Director - Biologics Drug Product Development
AbbVie
North Chicago, Illinois
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Human Resources
Project Management
$161k - $305k/yr
Master's degree in chemistry
10,000+

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See All 149+ Development Director Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Development Director Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

North Chicago
9 jobs
Lisle
4 jobs
Aurora
4 jobs
Normal
3 jobs
Northbrook
3 jobs
Elmhurst
2 jobs
Evanston
2 jobs
Champaign
2 jobs

Development Director Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • AbbVie10
  • Molex3
  • OSI3
  • IQVIA2
  • Atwell2

Top Industries Hiring

  • Construction & Real Estate
  • Education
  • Manufacturing
  • Technology & Software
  • Marketing & Advertising

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in development director jobs across Illinois.

  • Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, or a related field required
  • Five or more years of progressively responsible fundraising or development experience
  • Demonstrated success managing donor portfolios and meeting annual fund targets
  • Proficiency with donor management software such as Raiser's Edge or Salesforce Nonprofit
  • Experience planning and executing major gifts, planned giving, or capital campaigns
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for donor cultivation and board engagement

Development Director Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a development director in Illinois?

Most development director roles in Illinois require a bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field, with a master's degree increasingly preferred at larger institutions. Illinois does not require a state-issued license for this role, but the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential, administered by CFRE International, is widely recognized by Illinois employers as the professional standard. Candidates typically build the required years of major gifts or campaign management experience at Illinois nonprofits, universities, or healthcare systems before advancing to director level.

Which companies hire development directors in Illinois?

Employers hiring development directors in Illinois right now include AbbVie, Molex, and OSI, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's dense concentration of large nonprofits, research universities, and health systems in the Chicago metro makes it one of the more active states for development leadership hiring year-round.

Which Illinois cities have the most development director jobs?

Chicago, North Chicago, and Lisle have the most development director openings in Illinois. Chicago drives the overwhelming share of listings because it is home to the state's largest nonprofits, major hospital networks, and research universities, while smaller cities like Springfield and Evanston generate steady demand through state-affiliated institutions, community foundations, and liberal arts colleges anchored there.

Are there remote development director jobs in Illinois?

Yes, though they are less common than in purely analytical fields because development directors typically need to be present for donor meetings, board events, and internal leadership work. About 75% of development director openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the remote-eligible share mostly concentrated in planned giving, grant writing leadership, and roles at smaller foundations that operate without a central office.

How can I get hired as a development director in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is a development associate or annual fund coordinator role at a mid-size Illinois nonprofit or university, which provides the donor stewardship and solicitation experience hiring managers look for. Large Illinois institutions such as Advocate Health Care, the University of Illinois system, and the Chicago Public Library Foundation regularly hire entry-level development staff who move into leadership over time. Pursuing the CFRE credential while in an associate role signals seriousness and accelerates promotion consideration.

Where can I find and apply to development director jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to development director jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and preferred location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.

See All 149+ Development Director Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Development Director Jobs