Assistant Director, Discovery Officer West

University of Chicago; California (MO); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established academic institution seeks a dynamic Discovery Officer to enhance its fundraising efforts. This role focuses on building relationships with alumni, parents, and friends, aiming to cultivate a robust donor pipeline. The ideal candidate will engage prospects through personalized interactions and strategic communication, contributing to the university's philanthropic goals. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact within a collaborative team environment, promoting the university's mission and values while fostering long-term relationships with donors. If you are passionate about connecting with people and driving meaningful change, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience in fundraising or related fields.
• Knowledge of donor management and engagement strategies.

Responsibilities

• Engage and qualify prospects for fundraising.
• Cultivate relationships with alumni and donors.
• Execute communication strategies for fundraising projects.

Skills

Alumni Relations

Fundraising

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Nonprofit Management

Donor Cultivation

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Advanced Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Donor Relationship Management System

Job description

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 more than $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 primary focus of the Regional Advancement and Individual Giving Team at the University of Chicago is raising significant philanthropic support for the University’s top priorities, academic units, and the faculty and students across the campus ecosystem. In preparation for a new major campaign, the team collaborates with academic divisions and colleagues across the Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) office. They are responsible for executing the University’s regional advancement program strategies, aiming to build a robust and sustainable donor pipeline through personal interactions and curated engagement opportunities.

Job Summary

This position implements programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income with moderate guidance. Helps build relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts at the instruction of others. Executes communication strategies for projects.

As part of the University of Chicago’s Regional Advancement and Individual Giving Team, Discovery Officers (D.O.s) are responsible for high-volume prospect discovery and qualification activity, focusing on building new relationships with the university's community of alumni, parents, and friends. D.O.s manage and cultivate a portfolio of several hundred prospects through in-person meetings, engagement at local events and activities, and personal touchpoints leveraging various forms of communication, including email, phone, social media, video conferencing, and texting. Uniquely positioned to rapidly strengthen UChicago’s donor pipeline, D.O.s raise funds for all units and priorities in the short term while curating longer-term relationships to create the foundation for future significant philanthropy. This externally facing, front-line fundraising role prioritizes a holistic approach to donor cultivation and engagement, managing programs designed to meet University fundraising goals for contributed income.

Responsibilities

• Executes a regionally based strategy to engage and qualify as many prospects as possible.
• Identifies when a donor or prospect expresses significant interest and hands-off active referrals to regional gift officers or school / unit fundraising teams.
• Cultivates, solicits, and / or renews gifts, as appropriate.
• Champions the University of Chicago regionally, provides information on University developments and programs relative to constituent’s interests, and proactively shares information about opportunities to attend events, volunteer, participate in alumni association activities / services, or otherwise deepens their engagement with the University.
• Delivers timely and effective follow-up in various forms to prospects and donors, including customized fundraising proposals.
• Generates timely contact reports in the prospect database following prospect or donor visits.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Writes timely and strategic correspondences to advance relationships.
• Works with others to maximize prospective donor cultivation.
• 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 :

• Advanced degree.

Experience :

• Minimum two years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar professional work experience.
• Knowledge of managing gift prospects.
• Soliciting and closing gifts of $100 or more .

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 Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
• 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, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.

Working Conditions

• Travel to campus and / or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position is based in California.

Pay Range :

• 75,000 - $100,000 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

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Frequency

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Benefits Eligible

Drug Test Required

Health Screen Required

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

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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