Assistant Director, College Development

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Development supports the Campaign Management team for the College by preparing a variety of written materials, managing cross-functional projects, and producing data-driven insights on fundraising progress. In this newly created position, the Assistant Director will play an important role in building a dynamic, multifaceted communications framework designed to enhance fundraising activity at all levels and aligned with the College’s campaign objectives. The role provides professional support of assigned development activities with instruction from others. Executes fundraising projects, cultivation programs for prospective donors and for visiting committees.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
Minimum two years of professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar.
Background writing for both internal and external audiences, with a demonstrated ability to convey nuanced and actionable information in a variety of formats.
Managing cross-functional projects.
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 Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's donor relationship management system.
Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
Explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
Self-motivated and take initiative.
Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.

Responsibilities

Gathers and synthesizes data about the College Development team’s fundraising progress, pipeline, and prospect pool.
Prepares reports and organizes materials related to fundraising activity and campaign operations.
Serves as project manager for the College Development Campaign Management team.
Provides general writing and copy-editing support for fundraisers and key partners working on behalf of the College.
Maintains accurate record of communications-related activity in the CRM.
Enters contact reports, meeting summaries, and correspondence on behalf of the Dean, Assistant Vice President, and other senior leaders.
Supports the Director of Campaign Management in researching, articulating, and disseminating information about fundraising priorities and gift opportunities.
Manages a robust gift acknowledgment process for alumni, parents, and friends of the College.
Crafts personalized thank you messages on behalf of the Dean, Assistant Vice President, and other senior leaders.
Oversees a weekly deployment schedule and utilizes technology to ensure efficiency and timeliness.
Drafts, assembles, and coordinates written materials in support of fundraising activity such as donor correspondence, prospect strategy briefings, event remarks, talking points, gift proposals, and other important deliverables.
Supports the Associate Director of Communications in creating and executing a College Development communications framework.
Provides writing and copy-editing support for fundraisers and key partners across College Development.
Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars, seminars, building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
Has a moderate/solid understanding of fundraising operations for a school or department of the University.
Identifies budget requirements and staffing needs on a project or event basis.
Has a moderate/high level of authority in drafting informational and marketing materials for review for assigned programs.
Assists in developing support materials for specific fundraising activities.
Performs other related work as needed.