Executive Director, Regional Advancement - East Coast

Department

ARD Regional Advancement (East)

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 Regional Advancement and Individual Giving Team, comprised of four distinct regionally focused teams: West Coast, Central, East Coast, and Global, leads comprehensive and collaborative campus-wide strategies and programs that deeply engage the UChicago community with a focus on raising significant philanthropic support for the University’s top priorities, academic units, and faculty and students. The team works closely with university and academic leadership, academic divisions, and colleagues across ARD, and is responsible for developing, executing, and coordinating the university’s strategic regional advancement program with a goal of significantly growing philanthropic activity and building a robust and sustainable donor pipeline through curated meaningful engagement opportunities.

Job Summary

As part of the University of Chicago’s Regional Advancement and Individual Giving Team, the Executive Director, Regional Advancement, East Coast (E.D.) provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for the University’s advancement activities in the Eastern United States and manages the East Coast advancement team. In preparation for a new major fundraising campaign, this newly created role will lead the development of a comprehensive University-wide strategy to maximize donor engagement for qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of individuals and families capable of making significant philanthropic investments in support of the University’s highest priorities and to grow the donor community in the region. The E.D. and the regional advancement team will play a key role in driving philanthropic growth and sustainability in the region during the campaign.

This position manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff who execute programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income. Manages relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts. Develops communication strategies for projects and contributes to the development of larger advancement strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develops and leads a coordinated campus-wide strategy and program of activities to deepen relationships and maximize UChicago’s presence on the East Coast.
• Leads and manages a team of high performing professional fundraisers, provides leadership and oversight of the team activities, determines and evaluates goals, and trains and mentors staff.
• Manages a portfolio of key donors and constituents with the ability to make six, seven, and eight figure gifts. Once established, personally responsible for $5M+ in new gift commitments and 50+ visits annually.
• Works in coordination with ARD colleagues in all divisions to implement sophisticated, integrated, efficient, and impactful presence across all UChicago constituents and strategically involve campus leadership and faculty.
• Actively drives ongoing research and understanding of the region for the university and reports regularly about activities and opportunities.
• Oversees and develops events and programs to expand constituent participation and donor engagement within the region, as needed.
• Acts as the lead strategist and liaison for unit partners to evaluate opportunities and build increased regional fundraising capacity.
• Ensures that team members' activity and prospect work is prioritized appropriately and that portfolios are healthy and sustainable with a robust pipeline focused on building deep meaningful relationships on behalf of the University that lead to the greatest possible philanthropic outcomes.
• Works with the team to construct and implement effective individualized prospect cultivation and solicitation plans for managed prospects and to deliver regular engagement and timely and compelling communications.
• Provides leadership and regular reporting on fundraising and engagement activities to key campus stakeholders, including ARD, units and divisions, and others.
• Collaborates closely with alumni relations and unit colleagues to develop cohesive and coordinated regional plans to ensure alignment between engagement and fundraising strategies and activities.
• Prepares and accompanies key volunteers and institutional leaders for interactions that advance fundraising strategies with prospects in the region.
• Coaches, supports and evaluates a diverse team of professionals. Actively encourages staff members’ professional growth, development, and participation in the life of the University.
• Oversees and maintains the annual team budget and long-range plans for the region.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions and with an eye towards broadly diversifying the advancement profession.
• Develops department strategies and plans to achieve fundraising goals.
• Develops and implements fundraising programs and activities. May recruit staff volunteers.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

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

Work Experience:

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

Certifications:

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Advanced degree.

Experience:

• Minimum ten years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar professional work experience.
• Minimum seven years of soliciting and closing major gifts.
• Minimum four years of management experience, including staff management.
• Minimum four years of program management and oversight.
• Minimum two years of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Proven track record of successfully working with volunteers, faculty, senior administrators, and other key internal and external stakeholders.
• Expertise managing a complex prospect and donor pipeline.

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 and the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of international fundraising methods and culture.

Preferred Competencies

• Build, lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse team, and encourage change and growth in both people and programs. A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting, fostering partnership and collaboration with colleagues and academic leaders.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Strong leadership qualities, including the ability both to delegate and execute, thereby leading by word and by example.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.
• High attention to detail and follow-up; excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated success closing major and principal gifts and meeting or exceeding goals.
• Demonstrated record of organizing successful fundraising, marketing or membership programs.
• Demonstrated ability to interact comfortably with various constituent groups.
• Demonstrated foreign language skills.

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends.
• Travel domestically and internationally.
• This position is located on the East Coast.

Pay Range:

• $220,000 - $240,000 per year.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to 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

People Manager

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

1. 5

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

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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