Assistant Director, Development, Smart Museum

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

3d•$63,750 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Development at the Smart Museum of Art reports to the Museum’s Director of Development and works with colleagues across Advancement, UChicago Arts, and the Museum. The position provides professional support for assigned development activities and executes fundraising projects and cultivation programs for prospective donors and visiting committees. It supports annual giving, the SmartPartner membership program, institutional philanthropy, and gifts of art, and leads stewardship and gift acknowledgment processes. The role also maintains shared calendars, agendas, and process documentation, and coordinates donor visits, events, and stewardship reporting across Smart staff. The Assistant Director manages and analyzes Museum database activity and develops stewardship reports, proposals, research profiles, leadership briefings, acquisition and solicitation campaigns, and promotional materials. In partnership with the Director of Development, the role qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors and prospects both virtually and in person, with a focus on building the donor pipeline and increasing philanthropic support over the next three to five years. The position is based at the Smart Museum in Hyde Park, has a hybrid schedule with weekly in-office presence, and may require travel to campus or non-campus locations for University business, as well as evening and weekend work as needed. It is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Requirements

College or university degree in a related field.
Knowledge and skills developed through 2–5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively and explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact, and to act with integrity and professionalism.
Ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
Self-motivation and initiative.
Ability to prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with attention to detail.
Excellent proofreading and time-management skills.
Fluency and comfort with technology; proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Zoom, Google Drive, Box, and Adobe.
Ability to learn the University’s internal workings and Advancement technology tools, including Phoenix, the University’s Donor Relationship Management Salesforce System.
Willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed and travel to campus or non-campus locations for University business.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
At least two years of professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or a related field.
Background in a museum or arts organization.
Experience supporting fundraising, donor relations, institutional giving, grant development, or stewardship activities.
Experience working with donor or constituent data, including data analysis, reporting, and communicating findings to non-technical audiences.
Understanding of data analysis and ability to communicate complex topics to non-technical people.
Experience coordinating projects and priorities across multiple teams or stakeholders.
Knowledge of Chicago’s cultural life and contemporary art.
Enthusiasm for the mission and vision of the Smart and a desire to learn.

Responsibilities

Identify, cultivate, and sustain foundation and corporate support through prospect research, funder engagement, grant applications, post-award reporting, and stewardship communications with Museum and University Advancement colleagues; maintain institutional giving priorities, opportunities, deadlines, budgets, and action plans.
Guide the Museum’s direct response program and implement multichannel campaigns with University Advancement and Smart Communications to retain, renew, and grow individual annual giving.
Cultivate and engage existing and prospective donors through visits and targeted communications to strengthen relationships, build the donor pipeline, and increase philanthropic support.
Lead donor stewardship, including gift acknowledgments, donor recognition, strategic communications, and engagement events such as gallery tours, exhibition openings, and salon-style events.
Manage offers of gifts of art, including preparing curatorial briefings, coordinating donor communications, securing tax documentation, and recording in-kind gifts with the University.
Serve as the Museum’s expert on donor database systems and philanthropic giving data; maintain donor records and reporting, analyze program performance, identify prospects with Advancement Prospect Research, and coordinate data integrity, research, prospect management, and analytics.
Maintain the Museum’s Development calendar, including appeals, board meetings, events, exhibitions, grants and reporting deadlines, stewardship activities, and donor visits; coordinate responsibilities, deadlines, and priorities across teams.
Coordinate Development financials and reporting with University Advancement, including contributed revenue reporting, expense tracking, and gift allocation and attribution.
Partner with Guest Services, Curatorial, and Education to capture visitation, engagement, and programmatic data for funder reporting and case statement development.
Support Museum-wide priorities and Development special projects, including donor briefings and research, exhibition materials, Board meeting support, writing and proofreading, information gathering, and Smart DEAI initiatives.
Pursue professional development that enhances job performance, including webinars, seminars, and networking within the University and with peer institutions.
Draft informational and marketing materials for review for assigned programs and assist in developing support materials for specific fundraising activities.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors and volunteers; establish and maintain donor records and accounts.
Perform other related work as needed.