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About the Organization

The Chicago Botanic Garden (the Garden) is a world-renowned living museum, inspiring people to connect with plants through science, urban agriculture, learning opportunities and the beauty of horticulture. The mission of the Garden is to cultivate the power of plants to sustain and enrich life. Through its work, the Garden helps shape how people experience, value, and care for the planet. The Garden is a nonprofit organization run as a public/private partnership with the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Program Highlights

• Global Conservation Leadership: Through the Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science, the Garden spearheads international efforts in environmental restoration and plant science research, driven by a dedicated team of scientists and graduate researchers.
• Urban Agriculture & Community Health: The Windy City Harvest initiative serves as a gold standard for city farming. With 12 sites—including the flagship Farm on Ogden in North Lawndale—the program prioritizes local nutrition and workforce development.
• Comprehensive Academic Partnerships: From the Regenstein School to advanced degree tracks, educational offerings span from pre-K to the professional level. This includes prestigious M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Plant Biology and Conservation held in partnership with Northwestern University.
• World-Class Botanical Resources: The Lenhardt Library houses an impressive 110,000 volumes, featuring a premier collection of rare botanical texts that serve as a vital resource for history and science.

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The Opportunity

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) joins the Chicago Botanic Garden at a transformative moment in its history. Following a period of extraordinary growth and the arrival of a new President and CEO, the Garden is investing in a new bold, comprehensive philanthropic strategy that will help continue to drive innovation within both long and short-range philanthropic planning. The incoming CDO will serve as the principal architect and strategist for a multi-year comprehensive campaign currently in early stages of development. This leader will be charged with transforming the Garden’s philanthropic culture, moving from individual relationship-based fundraising to a sophisticated, campaign-ready operation capable of securing transformative gifts for the Garden’s most ambitious capital and programmatic priorities. The Garden is seeking a candidate with demonstrated longevity in previous roles; someone deeply engaged in development work who brings both perspective and energy to the role.

Location, Compensation and Benefits

This is a hybrid role expected to be in office 3 days a week at the Chicago Botanic Garden at 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022.

This is a high-impact leadership role that requires significant flexibility and responsiveness. The CDO is expected to be a visible and accessible leader, maintaining a "high-touch" presence for donors, Board members, and institutional needs.

Salary for this role is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, skill set, level, and years of previous/applicable experience. The salary range for this role is between $300,000 - $325,000, accompanied by a strong benefits package.