Assistant Director of Development, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•$63,750 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director supports the execution of a comprehensive fundraising and engagement strategy that advances the Institute’s mission. Working closely with the Director of Development and colleagues across Advancement, this role helps implement programs to meet contributed income goals, develop and strengthen relationships with alumni, friends, faculty, administrators, and organizations with philanthropic potential, and execute communication, engagement, cultivation, and stewardship efforts that deepen support for ICSG priorities. This role manages and supports a range of high-level fundraising and engagement initiatives, including prospect and campaign tracking, donor communications, alumni engagement, stewardship activities, and major fundraising projects. In addition, the Assistant Director supports the ICSG Alumni Group and helps coordinate events such as advisory group meetings, institute convenings, and other engagement opportunities that connect alumni, partners, and key stakeholders to ICSG’s mission and impact. This position implements programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income with moderate guidance. Helps build relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts at the instruction of others. Executes communication strategies for projects.

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.
A minimum of two years of professional work experience in fundraising, development, alumni relations, donor relations, nonprofit management, research, marketing, communications, sales, or similar field.
Background in fundraising, contact management or other database software.
Familiar with research and prospect management.
Background in prospect management, research and/or other advancement services.
Working knowledge of planning and executing events requiring a high attention to detail.
Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's Donor Relationship Management System.
Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Trello.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
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.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

Supports the Director of Development (DoD) in all aspects of ICSG fundraising strategy and execution.
Provides strategic planning support to the DoD and ICSG team.
Manages and tracks the status of ICSG campaign initiatives, including maintaining prospect lists, updating case statements, and preparing high-level overviews of campaign priorities.
Prepares and maintains up-to-date materials that capture ICSG priorities, including case statements, proposals, and presentation decks for use by the DoD, Faculty Director, and other leaders.
Assists with prospect development and portfolio management, including qualifications, developing giving opportunities, and coordinating with internal partners to move gifts forward.
Collaborates with colleagues across the University to identify, research, and track new prospects for ICSG priorities.
Manages the stewardship and acknowledgment process for gifts to ICSG, working with the DoD, faculty, and unit administrators to ensure timely and meaningful follow-up.
Contributes to special appeals and giving day campaigns by working with communications team to develop targeted content that highlights ICSG impact and opportunities for support.
Works with the DoD to manage the ICSG Alumni Group and engage alumni active in the climate and energy sector.
Collaborates with the DoD and ICSG leadership to plan, implement, and follow up on local and regional events for prospective and current donors, alumni, and partners.
Tracks and assesses event outcomes as they relate to giving, engagement, and new prospect development.
Maintains accurate donor and prospect records in the Advancement Salesforce CRM system, including visit notes, engagement history, and solicitation tracking.
Manages internal reporting cycles, ensuring timely updates on campaign progress, prospect movement, and proposal status.
Serves as a database power user and in-house expert, extracting and analyzing data from Phoenix and other systems to produce custom reports, spreadsheets, charts, and summaries.
Coordinates communication processes for key announcements and events involving ICSG prospects and donors, ensuring alignment with Advancement and University Communications.
Drafts and edits materials, such as event briefings, prospect strategy documents, and correspondence.
Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars, seminars, and building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
Writes timely and strategic correspondences to advance relationships.
Works with others to maximize prospective donor cultivation.
Performs other related work as needed.