Executive Director, College Alumni Philanthropy
The University of Chicago

Job Info

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Department

ARD Major Gifts

About the Department

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.

The College Development team raises $80M-$100M annually, advancing philanthropic partnerships with key alumni, parents and friends of the College to support the educational goals of its undergraduates. This includes support for financial aid, teaching and research, career development, international study, athletics, and housing.

Job Summary

As part of the University of Chicago's College Development Team, the Executive Director, College Alumni Philanthropy provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for the advancement activities of the College's alumni major and principal gift program. In preparation for a new major fundraising campaign, the Executive Director will be responsible for growing and monitoring the College's comprehensive alumni major gift pipeline through a variety of activities that include direct management of a fundraising team, including the Leadership Annual Giving team, the Reunion team, partnering with regional generalists and other fundraisers across campus, and managing their own portfolio of donors. The Executive Director will also be responsible for overseeing the Leadership Engagement Team, which manages Decanal activity and the College's Advisory Council.

This position manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff who execute programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income. Manages relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts. Develops communication strategies for projects and contributes to the development of larger advancement strategies.

Responsibilities

• Shapes and grows the College's alumni major gifts and principal gifts programs under the direction of the Assistant Vice President, Development and the Dean of the College. Works to develop a pipeline that will be critical for the success of the comprehensive campaign.
• With a focus on gifts of $1M+, develops and manages a personal pipeline of $100K+ solicitations while closing $5M-$10M+ in gifts to the College annually. Covers assigned regions as needed.
• Travels with and regularly staffs the Dean of the College in her work with high-capacity individual prospects.
• Manages a team of staff including individual major giving officers focused on prospects with the capacity and inclination for gifts of $100K+.
• Oversees a leadership annual giving program for the College, using a class-based fundraising model to engage and solicit alumni of the College. Manages a team leadership annual gift officers focused on the qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospects capable of making gifts of $2,500-$100,000.
• Leads the College's reunion fundraising strategy, setting, and meeting goals and key benchmarks to drive leadership annual giving and major giving around graduation milestones. Oversees the College's Reunion Fundraising Program, focused on driving giving from alumni in the College in reunion years.
• Oversees the Leadership Engagement Team, which directs activity and strategy for the College's Advisory Council and manages the Dean's activity with top prospects.
• Works closely with the regional Executive Directors of the Regional Advancement and Individual Giving Team to help drive fundraising progress for the College.
• Hires, manages, evaluates, develops and terminates staff as needed. Actively encourages staff members' professional growth and participation in the life of the University.
• Trains staff in effective relationship management, volunteer management, and solicitation strategies. Assesses individual and team performance and evaluates success.
• Monitors and manages an annual budget. Addresses budget variances as they occur.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions and with an eye towards broadly diversifying the advancement profession.
• Develops department strategies and plans to achieve fundraising goals.
• Manages and maintains a portfolio of current and potential donors. Identifies and cultivates gift prospects and potential donors through events, visits, personalized correspondences, and phone calls.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
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Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar professional work experience.
• Minimum five years of soliciting and closing major gifts experience.
• Minimum four years of management experience, including staff management.
• Minimum two years of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Demonstrated record of organizing successful fundraising, marketing or membership programs.
• Demonstrated success at meeting or exceeding goals.
• Expertise managing a complex prospect and donor pipeline.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including the University's donor relationship management system and the Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Competencies

• Build, lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse team, and to encourage growth and change in both people and programs. A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Regular travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Travel domestic and internationally.
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Alumni Relations & Development

Role Impact

People Manager

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at:http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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