Director, Principal Gifts

Department
BSD DEV - Principal Gifts

About the Department
Medicine and Biological Sciences Development’s mission is to inspire and facilitate philanthropy at the University of Chicago Medicine by building relationships with those who share its goals of advancing excellence in research, education, community, and patient care. We accomplish this mission through expertise, integrity, creativity, and collaboration.

Job Summary
The Director, Principal Gifts plays a pivotal role in developing and executing a best-in-class principal gifts program to cultivate the relationship between UChicago Medicine/Biological Sciences Division’s (UCM/BSD) most transformative donors and their areas of philanthropic interest. The position strives to ensure that the donor experience reflects the institution’s reputation of excellence and eminence.

The Director will manage a portfolio of principal gift donors, playing a key role in cultivating long-term relationships with donors who have the capacity to make transformative gifts, while leveraging the relationships and vision of UCM/BSD leaders to secure support for strategic priorities and initiatives.

The Director plays a key role in facilitating the success of the principal gift program by partnering with the AVP, Principal Gifts to optimize its operations and management. The position has direct management responsibility for between 1-3 individuals.

Responsibilities

1. Manage a portfolio of top principal, mega, and legacy gift donors. Conceive and execute proactive and creative identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for these donors to drive giving at the $5M+ level. Carries individual fundraising goal of $5M-$10M.
2. Coordinate the interaction of donors with campus leaders, faculty and other individuals who have the ability to deepen the donor’s engagement with the UCM/BSD and its strategic funding priorities.
3. Conceive and develop recognition events or other activities such as gift events, luncheons/dinners, faculty and student meet and greets, and other events to communicate gift impact and honor, thank, and inspire donors.
4. Compose high quality correspondence that is decisive and professional, that may include subject matter of considerable sensitivity, discretion, judgement or negotiation.
5. Partner with AVP, Principal Gifts to refine and grow the principal gift team and its operational activities to support annual and campaign goals.
6. Partner with AVP, Principal Gifts on identification and qualification strategies for principal gift prospects with the UCM/BSD ecosystem.
7. Assume leadership for assigned key strategic initiatives to support campaign planning. Identify opportunities for synergistic collaboration to generate ideas for future principal and mega gifts; build out multidisciplinary giving opportunities; identify prospect pipelines; and execute strategies to support cultivation/solicitation across the MBSD principal gift portfolio.
8. The Director supervises up to 1-3 staff members.
9. The Director participates in meeting established annual Principal Gift team fundraising goals and mega-gift goals.
10. Identifies, analyzes, and qualifies donor interest to maximize giving. Assists with overall planning efforts for the University's most important prospects. Works independently to develop communication strategies for projects, including publications and public presentations.
11. Works closely with Senior Leadership, Officers and Deans to design strategic objectives and action steps that will lead to the successful realization of these projects.
12. 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

Experience:

1. A minimum of seven years of relevant work experience in development or a related field, such as non-profit management, personal wealth management, sales and/or marketing, or corporate business development.
2. Demonstrated track record of organizing successful fundraising or marketing activities.
3. Demonstrated success in prospect identification, relationship building, strategy development, philanthropic solicitation or similar experience in working with high-net-worth individuals in private banking, financial services, financial planning, or related professions.
4. Experience managing volunteers.
5. Experience developing and monitoring budgets.

Preferred Competencies

1. Ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team environment of highly motivated individuals.
2. Sound judgement and persuasiveness necessary to establish a balance between the fundraising priorities of UCM/BSD and the interest of donors, faculty, and other campus partners.
3. Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, characterized by the ability to listen with sensitivity to donor concerns.
4. Excellent organizational skills, and a high degree of flexibility and initiative is required. Familiarity with database applications.
5. Ability to travel and attend evening and weekend functions when necessary.

Application Documents

1. Resume (required)
2. Cover Letter (required)

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

FLSA Status
Exempt

Pay Frequency
Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5

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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