Associate Director, Major Gifts, Arts and Culture

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

7d•$80,750 - $95,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Major Gifts, Arts and Culture is a lead front-line fundraiser for Arts and Culture units within the University of Chicago’s Division of Arts and Humanities. The role promotes and fosters relationships with alumni, parents, friends, faculty, administrators, and organizations, and supports philanthropic partnerships across academic arts programs, public-facing arts organizations, and student-facing initiatives. The Associate Director supports the Arts and Humanities Advancement team and Arts colleagues while providing peer leadership across the team. The position contributes to divisional fundraising strategy, pipeline development, and fundraising activity; manages programs designed to meet University contributed-income goals; and serves as a strategist for securing gifts and building relationships. The role leads results-oriented projects, shapes donor engagement and fundraising events, develops project communications, and works collaboratively with Advancement and University partners. It maintains a portfolio of approximately 100 prospects and solicits gifts totaling $1M–$2M+ annually, including major gifts of $100K or more. The position has a hybrid schedule with weekly in-office presence in Hyde Park, works in a standard office environment, travels to campus and non-campus locations for University business, and may work evenings and weekends as needed. It is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Requirements

College or university degree in a related field.
Five to seven years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Minimum of five years of professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, fundraising, sales, or a related field.
At least two years of frontline fundraising or comparable relationship-based sales experience.
Experience developing and monitoring budgets for at least one year.
Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of donors or prospects, including developing and executing qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
Demonstrated track record of cultivating, soliciting, and securing significant philanthropic commitments.
Experience developing and implementing donor engagement and stewardship strategies with internal and external stakeholders.
Experience managing cross-functional projects and coordinating initiatives across multiple teams.
Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact; act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality; and work collegially and collaboratively.
Ability to prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with attention to detail.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including effective listening, speaking, and writing.
Self-motivation and initiative.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
Background in arts administration, arts and culture fundraising, or a related field.
Knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, the University’s internal workings and Advancement technology, including Phoenix, the University’s Donor Relationship Management Salesforce System.
Proficiency in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

Responsibilities

Participate in the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts ($100K+), focusing on Arts and Culture units and collaborating with Advancement colleagues as appropriate.
Solicit gifts totaling $1M–$2M+ annually.
Develop and maintain a portfolio of approximately 100 prospects.
Secure, renew, upgrade, and steward leadership annual gifts for UChicago Arts through personal outreach and visits; meet monthly, quarterly, and annual fundraising activity goals.
Maintain an active and regular local travel schedule to meet prospective donors as needed.
Collaborate with Arts leadership, the Dean’s Office, Alumni Experience, and Strategic Events teams to identify and lead donor engagement opportunities for qualification, cultivation, and stewardship.
Work with Regional teams to expand UChicago Arts’ presence in key cities through visits and events.
Work with UChicago Arts colleagues to develop and improve major and leadership annual gift opportunities.
Participate in developing fundraising goals, policies, and short- and long-term strategies; assess and evaluate fundraising programs, specialized projects, and major events.
Provide peer leadership and serve as a resource, advisor, and project manager for shared projects, including data improvement, resource sharing, and shared gift opportunities.
Represent Arts and Culture within Advancement to increase visibility and identify collaboration opportunities involving data strategy, discovery and prospect qualification, shared gift opportunities, and travel.
Maintain effective communication with Advancement, arts and culture development teams, UChicago Arts, and University colleagues to coordinate prospect activity and implement fundraising best practices.
Create, manage, and deliver development projects with complex budgets, such as travel events.
Pursue professional development to enhance job performance, including webinars, seminars, and networking within the University and with peer institutions.
Establish fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, design strategies to meet them, and monitor progress.
Identify, analyze, and qualify donor interests to maximize giving and support planning for the University’s most important prospects.
Independently develop project communication strategies, including publications and public presentations.
Perform other related work as needed.