Business Development Manager

Title: Business Development Manager

Location: Chicago, Illinois

TITLE: Business Development Manager
LOCATION: Chicago, IL
REPORTS TO: Assistant Vice President, Business Development
DEPARTMENT: Strategy & Operations
TYPE: Full Time, Hybrid (two-three days in-office per week)

CCS is unable to sponsor work visas for this position, including H-1B. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future visa sponsorship.

WHO WE ARE
CCS Fundraising is an international strategic fundraising firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Since 1947, CCS has empowered many of the world’s greatest organizations across sectors to advance some of the most important causes in history. We plan, manage, and implement programs and initiatives that achieve fundraising goals and mission impact.

 

CCS provides tailored support to more than 700 nonprofit organizations annually. Headquartered in New York, the firm has over 600 professionals and 18 offices throughout the United States and Europe. Our people are our greatest strength. At CCS, you will join a diverse team of smart, passionate, and resourceful professionals who are driven by purpose and committed to performance.

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE

We are seeking a strategic, analytical, and relationship-driven professional to support business development growth across the Central US region. This individual will play a critical role in strengthening our prospect pipeline and coordinating business development activation efforts across markets, partnering closely with regional leadership.

 

This role will focus on leading prospecting and pipeline strategy, enhancing relationship mapping and sales enablement, and supporting regional and sector-based business development initiatives. The position is designed to ensure that data-driven insights translate into actionable outreach strategies that drive engagement, conversion, and long-term growth.

 

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and brings strong analytical and strategic thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex data and relationships into clear, actionable plans. Strong writing and communication skills are important, as this role will contribute to thoughtful, tailored outreach to key prospects.

 

Please note that this is not a sales or lead generating position.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Prospecting & Pipeline Strategy 

• Lead prospect identification, qualification, and portfolio alignment to strengthen lead generation and pipeline health
• Manage regular portfolio refresh and recalibration cycles in partnership with regional leadership and Business Development teams
• Identify high-potential prospects aligned with sector priorities and revenue goals
• Ensure strategic distribution of prospects across portfolios to maximize coverage and efficiency
• Translate data insights into actionable prospecting strategies and outreach priorities
• Monitor pipeline performance and progress-to-goal metrics to inform ongoing strategy

Relationship Mapping & Sales Enablement

• Conduct advanced relationship mapping using CRM tools and external platforms to identify pathways to key prospects
• Surface connections across networks to drive warm introductions and engagement opportunities
• Ensure relationship intelligence informs outreach strategies, meeting preparation, and proposal development
• Support adoption of relationship-based selling practices across the team
• Partner with leadership to enhance sales enablement tools, processes, and best practices

Regional & Sector Activation

• Drive execution of coordinated business development initiatives across markets in partnership with regional leadership
• Support targeted outreach campaigns tied to priority sectors, events, and strategic initiatives
• Contribute to select, high-priority 1:1 strategic outreach efforts
• Serve as a key contributor to sector-based growth strategies, including specialized market initiatives
• Expand capacity for proactive, strategic business development activation across the region

QUALIFICATIONS 

• 3+ years of experience in prospecting, business development, sales operations, or related fields
• Experience in professional services, nonprofit, or advisory environments preferred
• Demonstrated ability to manage and optimize complex pipelines or portfolios
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Excellent project management, communication, and organizational skills
• Experience with CRM platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce) and relationship mapping tools (e.g., LinkedIn Sales Navigator)
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to craft clear, tailored, and strategic outreach communications
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across teams and leadership levels
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with detailed execution
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a focus on driving results

CCS offers competitive benefits, a dynamic training program, resources, career advancement, mentoring, and networking opportunities. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourage a diverse pool of candidates to apply.

SALARY RANGE: $70,000 - $80,000

The exact salary varies within range based on years of relevant experience and education.