Assistant Director Jobs in Chicago, IL

Department

ADV Campaign Management

About the Department

The University of Chicago Advancement team cultivates lifelong connections with more than 220,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends worldwide, building community through intellectual, professional, and other meaningful experiences on campus, around the world and online. Advancement empowers every division, school, department, and institute to thrive, generating support for esteemed faculty, pioneering researchers, visionary practitioners, and ambitious students.

During the Chicago Minds campaign, Advancement seeks to raise over $1 billion annually. This unprecedented philanthropic effort is designed to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, fueling bold discovery and amplifying the University’s global impact.

Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful connection and lasting experiences inspire ambassadorship and enduring commitment. We champion a culture of innovation and excellence, inviting every member of our community to participate in a future defined by creativity, intellectual rigor, and shared purpose. Through collaborative partnerships, strategic stewardship, and investment in talent, Advancement is reimagining alumni and donor engagement while ensuring UChicago remains a catalyst of impact for generations to come.

The College Development team raises over $100M annually, advancing philanthropic partnerships with key alumni, parents and friends of the College to support the educational goals of its undergraduates. This includes support for financial aid, teaching and research, career development, international study, athletics, and housing.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Development supports the Campaign Management team for the College by preparing a variety of written materials, managing cross-functional projects, and producing data-driven insights on fundraising progress. In this newly created position, the Assistant Director will play an important role in building a dynamic, multifaceted communications framework designed to enhance fundraising activity at all levels and aligned with the College’s campaign objectives.

The role provides professional support of assigned development activities with instruction from others. Executes fundraising projects, cultivation programs for prospective donors and for visiting committees.

Responsibilities

• Gathers and synthesizes data about the College Development team’s fundraising progress, pipeline, and prospect pool. Prepares reports and organizes materials related to fundraising activity and campaign operations.
• Serves as project manager for the College Development Campaign Management team. Provides general writing and copy-editing support for fundraisers and key partners working on behalf of the College.
• Maintains accurate record of communications-related activity in the CRM. Enters contact reports, meeting summaries, and correspondence on behalf of the Dean, Assistant Vice President, and other senior leaders.
• Supports the Director of Campaign Management in researching, articulating, and disseminating information about fundraising priorities and gift opportunities.
• Manages a robust gift acknowledgment process for alumni, parents, and friends of the College. Crafts personalized thank you messages on behalf of the Dean, Assistant Vice President, and other senior leaders. Oversees a weekly deployment schedule and utilizes technology to ensure efficiency and timeliness.
• Drafts, assembles, and coordinates written materials in support of fundraising activity such as donor correspondence, prospect strategy briefings, event remarks, talking points, gift proposals, and other important deliverables.
• Supports the Associate Director of Communications in creating and executing a College Development communications framework.
• Provides writing and copy-editing support for fundraisers and key partners across College Development.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars, seminars, building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Has a moderate/solid understanding of fundraising operations for a school or department of the University. Identifies budget requirements and staffing needs on a project or event basis.
• Has a moderate/high level of authority in drafting informational and marketing materials for review for assigned programs. Assists in developing support materials for specific fundraising activities.
• 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 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

-

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum two years of professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar .
• Background writing for both internal and external audiences, with a demonstrated ability to convey nuanced and actionable information in a variety of formats.
• Managing cross-functional 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 Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's donor relationship management system.
• Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.

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.
• This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Application Documents

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

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

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

$63,750.00 - $75,000.00

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 equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, 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.

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.

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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