Department
BSD DEV - Principal Gifts
About the Department
Job Summary
The Senior 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 Senior Director, Principal Gifts will be a seasoned and exceptional team-oriented fundraising professional with a demonstrated successful track record in securing multi-million-dollar philanthropic gifts.
The Senior 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 up to or over 1-3 individuals.
Responsibilities
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.
Individual fundraising goals are established annually based on portfolios and department-wide goals; this position carries an individual fundraising goal of up to $5M - $10M based on annual assessments.
Participates in meeting established annual Principal Gifts (PG) team fundraising goal and mega-gift goal for the upcoming comprehensive campaign. Supports the qualification of PG prospects each year. Regularly conduct visits with donors and carry an annual visit goal.
Build personal relationships with prospects where appropriate and facilitate a network of relationships between prospects and UCM/BSD leaders.
Compose high quality correspondence that is decisive and professional, that may include subject matter of considerable sensitivity, discretion, judgement or negotiation.
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.
Develop and maintain a broad understanding of the UChicago Medicine/Biological Sciences Division, the broader University, and the fundraising priorities so that s/he can represent the University to a variety of stakeholders.
Partner with AVP, Principal Gifts to refine and grow the principal gift team and its operational activities to support annual and campaign goals. Provide strategic and operational oversight for regular strategy sessions and pipeline discussions, such as quarterly reviews of the PG portfolio, prospect assignments, identification of multi-interest prospects across the University, and mobilization of deal teams around promising prospects.
Partner with AVP, Principal Gifts to refine and grow the principal gift team and its operational activities to support annual and campaign goals. Provide strategic and operational oversight for regular strategy sessions and pipeline discussions, such as quarterly reviews of the PG portfolio, prospect assignments, identification of multi-interest prospects across the University, and mobilization of deal teams around promising prospects.
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.
The Senior Director supervises up to 1-3 staff members.
The Senior Director participates in meeting established annual Principal Gift team fundraising goals and mega-gift goals.
Establishes fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, designs strategies to meet those goals, and monitors progress against goals. Manages a portfolio of current and potential donors.
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.
Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Experience:
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.
Demonstrated history of organizing successful fundraising or marketing activities.
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.
Experience managing volunteers.
Experience developing and monitoring budgets.
Experience in a university setting or a similarly complex institution, with a focus on science, higher education, or healthcare.
Previous management experience.
Preferred Competencies
Ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team environment of initiative-taking individuals.
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.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, characterized by the ability to listen with sensitivity to donor concerns.
Excellent organizational skills, and a high degree of flexibility and initiative is required. Familiarity with database applications.
Ability to travel and attend evening and weekend functions when necessary.
Application Documents
Resume (required)
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
Role Impact
Scheduled Weekly Hours
Drug Test Required
Health Screen Required
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
Pay Rate Type
FLSA Status
Pay Range
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
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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