Associate Director, Major Gifts

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 76,500 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits programs

Paid time off

Retirement plans

Job summary

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is looking for an Associate Director, Major Gifts. This role focuses on implementing fundraising strategies to secure substantial donations in support of the School's mission.

Key responsibilities include managing donor portfolios, organizing fundraising events, and collaborating with leadership to engage prospects effectively. Ideal candidates will have significant front-line development experience and excellent interpersonal skills.

This role requires presence in the office at least three days per week.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in a related discipline.
• Minimum of three years of front-line development or sales and marketing.
• Ability to learn quickly the internal workings of the University.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 110 prospects.
• Solicit six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Plan and organize cultivation events.
• Develop engagement strategies for high net worth individuals.

Skills

Fundraising strategies

Donor relationship management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Phoenix database

Job description

Department

Booth Advancement: Major Gifts - Midwest 2

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Major Gifts at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business will be responsible for creating and implementing comprehensive fundraising strategies to raise major gifts in support of the mission and priorities of the School. The role will identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of donors with the capacity to make gifts in excess of $100,000. The Associate Director will travel regularly, approximately 20% of the time, within assigned regions to meet with prospects and donors and will organize select cultivation events for small groups of high‑level donors.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 110 prospects and develop strong relationships to build support for the school.
• Meet or exceed activity goals for prospect qualifications, solicitations, and funds raised.
• Annually solicit six‑ and seven‑figure gifts and close multiple gifts in excess of $100,000.
• Support deans, faculty, and other school leadership in the cultivation and solicitation of prospects.
• Co‑create and administer stewardship plans with Chicago Booth’s donor relations team.
• Plan and organize cultivation events in partnership with Chicago Booth’s advancement events team.
• Collaborate with Chicago Booth departments (Annual Fund, Alumni Relations, Career Services, Admissions, Global Initiatives, etc.) on donor and prospect cultivation activities.
• Plan, execute, and attend evening and weekend functions as necessary.
• Develop and implement compelling engagement strategies to inspire high net worth individuals to maximize their philanthropic engagement with the University.
• Establish fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, design strategies to meet those goals, and monitor progress against goals.
• Identify, analyze, and qualify donor interest to maximize giving; help with overall planning efforts for the University’s most important prospects; work independently to develop communication strategies for projects, including publications and public presentations.
• Perform other related work as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Minimum Work Experience

5–7 years of experience in a related discipline, including a minimum of three years of front‑line development or sales and marketing experience.

Technical Skills or Knowledge

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as technology tools, including Phoenix, the University’s alumni and donor database of record.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Preferred Competencies

• Proven record of accomplishment in devising cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write well.
• Strong commitment to customer service.
• Self‑motivated and able to work well with and through others.
• Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact.

Working Conditions

Position requires a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Compensation

Salary range: $76,500.00 – $99,000.00.

Benefits

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.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

Legal Statements

EEO 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.

Accommodations Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773‑702‑5800 or submit a request via the Applicant Inquiry Form.

Background Check 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.