Chief Growth Officer

Join Our Mission

The Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation partners with school district leaders and philanthropists to secure private investments in transformative strategies that help every student thrive in the classroom and beyond. As Chief Growth Officer, you will serve as a strategic executive partner to the CEO, leading all aspects of revenue generation, philanthropic investment, and community partnership. This is a senior leadership role with significant autonomy and direct impact on the Foundation's ability to drive educational resources across Indianapolis. You will shape and execute a bold fundraising vision—growing corporate partnerships, foundation relations, and individual giving into a sustainable, diversified portfolio. 

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Revenue Generation 

• Lead and execute strategies to achieve annual fundraising goals, beginning with a target of approximately $6 million and supporting the organization's long-term goal of increasing annual revenue to $10 million or more.
• Cultivate and steward high-impact relationships with corporate leaders, foundation program officers, and philanthropic investors who share a commitment to public education excellence.
• Build sustainable, multi-year partnerships with corporations and foundations across multiple engagement tiers—from program-specific support to strategic, institution-level partnerships.
• Leverage Salesforce CRM to manage the full donor lifecycle: prospecting, cultivation, stewardship, and reporting, ensuring data integrity and pipeline transparency.

Strategic Leadership and Executive Partnership

• Serve as a thought partner to the CEO in developing the Foundation's comprehensive fundraising strategy and translating vision into measurable revenue outcomes.
• Provide executive-level leadership and professionally represent the Foundation among business, philanthropic, civic, and community stakeholders.
• Develop and present board-level reports, dashboards, and strategic recommendations that inform resource allocation and organizational priorities
• As a member of a small leadership team, this position is expected to contribute beyond its primary responsibilities and may assist with other organizational initiatives, events, or operational priorities as needed.

Strategic Partnership Development & Engagement

• Facilitate cross-sector collaboration among district leadership, corporate partners, foundations, nonprofits, and community organizations to develop innovative educational solutions.
• Champion a community-centered approach to fundraising, building authentic relationships across stakeholder groups.
• Design and lead a strategic alumni engagement that thoughtfully connects IPS alumni to the Foundation.
• Align all partnership opportunities with strategic priorities to ensure philanthropic dollars directly accelerate student achievement and educator success.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit management, education, communications, or a related field.
• 10+ years of successful multi-million dollar fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success developing, writing, and securing competitive grant funding.
• Significant experience in corporate partnership development and foundation relations; individual major gifts experience a plus.
• Executive-level communication skills—written, verbal, and presentation, with the ability to engage diverse audiences from the classroom to the boardroom.
• Proven ability to manage a complex, multi-stakeholder portfolio of fundraising initiatives simultaneously with rigor and strategic focus.
• Familiarity with Indianapolis's business and philanthropic community.

Preferred

• Experience in K-12 education foundations, education-focused nonprofits, or public sector philanthropy.
• Proficiency in Salesforce or comparable donor management CRM platforms.
• Experience building or scaling a development function, including hiring and leading development staff.

Compensation, Benefits, and Work Environment 

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience ($120,000-135,000)
• Comprehensive benefits package:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance with employer contribution
  • Retirement savings plan with employer contribution
  • Paid time off and paid holidays 
• Hybrid work schedule with regular in-office attendance expected on Tuesdays and Thursdays, subject to business needs.
• Attendance at IPSF Board Meetings is expected (roughly 6 meetings a year + a retreat)
• Local and occasional national travel to donor, community, and stakeholder meetings is required.

Ready to Make a Difference?

This role is perfect for a relationship-focused fundraiser who thrives on connecting community resources for educational impact. The Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.