Senior Director, Major Gifts

The Chicago School•Chicago, IL

5h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director, Major Gifts is the lead individual fundraiser driving philanthropic support for The Chicago School, including the Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine. This builder’s role is responsible for establishing and growing a major gift prospect pipeline where limited fundraising infrastructure currently exists. The role identifies, cultivates, solicits, and closes six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations, focused on The Chicago School Fund, the IllinoisCOM Fund, the Clinical Psychology Impact Fellowship, and NRCI. The Senior Director works with the President and Executive Cabinet to position the institution for these opportunities and build a donor pipeline. This is an individual-contributor fundraising position, not part of a large Advancement department, and is suited to a fundraiser who can independently manage a major gift portfolio and achieve goals that advance the university’s mission. The position is externally focused and based in Chicago, with significant time spent engaging donors and prospects outside campus. Internal campaign management, including employee and trustee giving, is managed by the Director, Major Gifts. Occasional travel may be required. The position is offered under an initial one-year employment agreement, with future renewal terms determined based on demonstrated performance and institutional needs. Success includes building a qualified principal and major gift prospect pipeline sufficient to support an annual goal of $1 million in new commitments, securing six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments across the institution’s priorities, maintaining disciplined proposal-to-close pipeline movement, and providing clear and consistent KPI reporting. The budgeted annual compensation is $125,000–$155,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus eligibility for performance-based incentive compensation. The position is eligible for The Chicago School’s comprehensive employee benefits package.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
At least 7 years of frontline major gift fundraising experience, with a demonstrated track record of successfully closing six- or seven-figure gifts.
Experience managing a personal portfolio of 50–75 major and principal gift prospects.
Some direct or matrixed management experience, such as managing or coaching a coordinator or junior fundraiser.
Familiarity and experience with Chicago-area funders, corporations, or foundations.
Experience building a fundraising pipeline and closing major gifts from limited infrastructure.

Nice To Haves

Experience fundraising in higher education, healthcare, or academic medicine.
Experience partnering directly with a president, CEO, or executive leadership team on fundraising strategy and execution.
Familiarity with clinical psychology, mental health, or osteopathic medicine as a philanthropic priority area.
Proficiency with a donor CRM; Raiser's Edge is preferred.

Responsibilities

Build and manage a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects, personally guiding prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Prepare and negotiate proposals and gift agreements for six- and seven-figure commitments.
Build relationships with local, regional, and national funders aligned with the four priority funds; conduct prospect research and identification as needed.
Design and execute stewardship plans for major donors, including gift acknowledgment, impact reporting, and ongoing engagement to support retention and upgrades.
Work with the President and Executive Cabinet to determine how to position the institution for its four priority funding opportunities.
Manage and coach Major Gifts personnel; set portfolio strategy together and regularly review pipeline moves.
Oversee execution of employee and trustee giving campaigns managed by the Director, Major Gifts, ensuring alignment with overall fundraising strategy.
Coordinate with External Affairs teams, including University Communications, Office of Sponsored Programs, Alumni Relations, and Public Affairs, and with other institutional leaders to support university goals.
Set annual fundraising goals in conjunction with the President.
Maintain and oversee accurate, timely records of activity, moves, and next steps in Raiser's Edge, ensuring team compliance with university policies and procedures.
Report monthly on key metrics, including visits, proposals, and dollars raised against goal, and support additional executive or board-level reporting as needed.