Associate Director, Major Gifts - Medill

Northwestern University • Evanston, IL

33d • $87,000 - $90,000

About The Position

The Associate Director of Development, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating and soliciting major gift support from a portfolio of Medill alumni, parents, and friends. The Associate Director will build and manage a balanced portfolio of prospects through face-to-face visits, develop individualized strategies that align prospects' interests with Medill's priorities, secure major gifts, and steward current donors to deepen their engagement over time. This role works closely with colleagues across Medill-including the dean, associate deans, faculty, program directors and staff, to prepare them for prospect meetings, translate academic priorities into compelling cases for support, and strengthen alumni and donor engagement with the school. The Associate Director will also provide targeted support for Medill's Board of Advisers, including select outreach, stewardship and meeting preparation. The Associate Director also collaborates with colleagues across Alumni Relations and Development (e.g., leadership and annual giving, reunions, donor relations, marketing and communications, planned giving) to coordinate outreach and maximize philanthropic support for Medill. The position requires frequent travel to visit alumni and donors in assigned regions within the United States.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.
• Relationship Building & Donor Engagement: Cultivates trust and long-term relationships with diverse stakeholders by listening carefully, understanding their interests, and staying consistently engaged.
• Strategic Fundraising & Gift Solicitation: Designs and executes thoughtful strategies to move prospects through the pipeline and secure significant major gifts or comparable high-value commitments.
• Collaboration Across Complex Organizations: Partners effectively with faculty, staff, and central development teams to align on priorities and present clear, compelling cases for support.
• Communication & Influence: Communicates clearly and persuasively in writing and in person, preparing colleagues for donor interactions and crafting strong donor-facing narratives and proposals.
• Planning & Execution: Manages a prospect portfolio with strong organization and data-informed strategy, consistently tracking progress and delivering on goals and deadlines.
• Adaptability & Problem Solving: Adjusts effectively to shifting priorities and donor interests, finding creative ways to overcome obstacles and remain focused on long-term objectives.
• Professional Standards: Upholds high ethical and professional standards by maintaining confidentiality, acting with integrity, and aligning work with institutional values and policies.

Nice To Haves

• Proven ability to close major gifts of six-figures or more.
• Past experience managing donor engagement functions such as annual giving, stewardship, prospect identification, and board support, with demonstrated skill in building and sustaining long‑term relationships.
• Past experience navigating complex organizational structures - applying skills in stakeholder collaboration, cross‑unit coordination, and translating institutional priorities into compelling cases for support.
• Ability to meet the transportation requirements of the role.
• Other preferred competencies include creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively. Understanding of complex organizations and multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Gathers data, assesses leads, and develops strategies designed to realize the current and lifetime giving potential of individual prospects.
• Maintains consistent and appropriate contact with prospects.
• Develops and executes strategies to secure major gifts, typically in the six-figure range or higher.
• Ensures effective stewardship of donors.
• Develops, plans, and implements strategies and approaches to identify, personally solicit, and consistently close major gifts of six-figures or more.
• Involves moderate- to-high-level of collaboration with both internal department partners and moderate level of collaboration with broader University partners to identify & integrate resources in order to accomplish strategic goals & objectives.
• Partners with other areas of development, specifically Planned Giving, Leadership Annual Giving, Corporate Engagement, and Central/Regional Major Gifts to coordinate contacts.
• Builds and manages a portfolio of approximately 45 prospects annually by strategically moving them through the major gift pipeline.
• Collects and synthesizes information from campus partners to prepare compelling donor proposals that strategically align with donor interests and their full philanthropic capacity.
• Oversees and completes associated stewardship activities, maintains up-to-date best practices, and evaluates closed projects.
• Requires travel throughout the region or country.
• Gathers, records and retrieves information about prospects and donors utilizing the University's donor and alumni tracking database, Internet, meetings with development staff, faculty, etc.
• Prepares contact reports on meetings and interactions with alumni.
• Provides oversight and support to staff within the department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more!
• Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
• We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care.
• Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees