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 roles168+
Top employerAbbVie
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring50
Work type41% Hybrid
Top industryEducation

Showing 5 of 168+ Development Director jobs

Pregis
Director - Sales Excellence & Development
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Pregis
Added 1d ago
Director - Sales Excellence & Development
Pregis
Chicago, Illinois
Account Management
Business Development
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Sales
$195k - $234k/yr
Bachelor's degree in business
1,001-5,000

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NielsenIQ
Director, Customer Success- SA&I Sensory Product Development Team
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NielsenIQ
Added 1d ago
Director, Customer Success- SA&I Sensory Product Development Team
NielsenIQ
Chicago, Illinois
Business Strategy
Project Management
Strategy & Corporate Development
$100k - $122k/yr
Remote (US)
10,000+

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CRST, The Transportation Solution
Agent Development Director
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CRST, The Transportation Solution
Added 1d ago
Agent Development Director
CRST, The Transportation Solution
Chicago, Illinois
Business Strategy
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Strategy & Corporate Development
Remote (US)
High school diploma or GED
5,001-10,000

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AbbVie
Senior Medical Director, Hematology Clinical Development
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AbbVie
Added 1d ago
Senior Medical Director, Hematology Clinical Development
AbbVie
North Chicago, Illinois
Business Strategy
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Strategy & Corporate Development
$211k - $401k/yr
Hybrid
10,000+

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CLEAResult
Growth Director, Market Development
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CLEAResult
Added 2d ago
Growth Director, Market Development
CLEAResult
Springfield, Illinois
Cloud & DevOps
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Project & Program Management
Technical Program Management
1,001-5,000

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See All 168+ 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
8 jobs
Aurora
4 jobs
Northbrook
4 jobs
Springfield
4 jobs
Lisle
2 jobs
Decatur
2 jobs
Evanston
2 jobs
Rosemont
2 jobs

Development Director Job Market in Illinois

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

Who's Hiring

AbbVie
AbbVie9 open roles
NielsenIQ
NielsenIQ5 open roles
IQVIA
IQVIA3 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

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

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, NielsenIQ, and IQVIA, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 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 Aurora 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 74% of development director openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 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 168+ Development Director Jobs in Illinois

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

Find Development Director Jobs