Associate Director, Donor Relations, Reporting

Department

ARD Donor Relations

About The Department

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.

The Donor Relations team manages and promotes best practices in donor stewardship to enhance relationships with and increase the engagement of the University's alumni, donors, and friends.

Job Summary

The role develops and implements programs with senior leadership and colleagues to lead a comprehensive University-wide donor relations program that enriches the relationship between donors and the University. Plans, organizes, and leads the donor program to recognize, steward, and cultivate individuals in meaningful ways and at different giving levels.

Responsibilities

• Oversees stewardship programs with senior leadership and other colleagues to engage, steward, and create universal, meaningful experiences for donors across the University at all giving levels.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with colleagues across the University. Closely partners on stewardship projects to convey donor impact.
• Becomes proficient in the University’s relationship database by maintaining thorough and timely records and utilizing the data to efficiently produce large-scale stewardship communications.
• Develops and manages communication strategies for donor and volunteer stewardship and engagement.
• Serves as representative and voice of donor, participating in the planning and execution of events and experiences that are donor-centric, strategic, advances overall fundraising goals that are consistent and coordinated across the University.
• Engages with donors remotely and at visits, meetings, and events for the University as needed.
• Educates and trains colleagues on policies and best practices through a variety of communication tools and vehicles including written information, meetings, presentations, and staff training.
• Acts as a key partner and strategist for naming opportunities and donor recognition events such as building dedications.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Guides the creation of University-wide standards on appropriate ways to recognize and steward donors. Uses deep understanding in donor programs to develop policies and quality control guidelines for donor relations programs.
• Has a deep understanding within the areas of recognition, stewardship, acknowledgement, and proposal writing. Sets activity goals and develops the annual operating budget for donor related programs.
• Performs other related work as needed.
  
  

Education:

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Coursework in project management, marketing, communications, or non-profit management.
  
  

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations or similar professional work.
• Familiarity with higher education advancement.
• Managing complex projects.
  
  

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including the University's Donor Relationship Management System, Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
• Working knowledge of fundraising, contact management or other database software.
• Analyze, manipulate, and apply data from Excel.
  
  

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, kindness, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.
• Prioritize and manage multiple projects independently with a high attention to detail.
• Think strategically and holistically to solve complex problems and formulate innovative solutions.
  
  

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.
  
  

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to the Hiring Committee (preferred)
  
  

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Alumni Relations & Development

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$74,375.00 - $87,500.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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