Associate Director of Development

Illinois Institute of Technology; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Illinois Institute of Technology is seeking an Associate Director of Development to manage major gift fundraising initiatives. With responsibilities including the cultivation and solicitation of high-capacity donors, this role is critical for advancing the university's fundraising priorities across various academic units.

The ideal candidate will have a successful track record in fundraising, particularly with major gifts, and will possess strong communication and organizational skills. A competitive salary of $80,000–$110,000 is offered based on experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of fundraising or related experience with direct donor engagement.
• 3-5 years of frontline major gift experience is preferred.
• Experience with STEM and/or professional school donors is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects with capacity of $100,000+.
• Conduct approximately 100 donor visits per year, including at least 20 formal solicitations.
• Qualify prospective donors through discovery to assess philanthropic interest.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Organizational skills

Fundraising experience

Education

Advanced degree

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT

Job description

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Development is a frontline fundraiser responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects capable of commitments of $100,000+. Associate Directors manage a portfolio of prospects and support the university’s fundraising priorities across all academic units. Associate Directors are assigned based on institutional priorities and will have primary fundraising responsibility for one or more academic units.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $80,000– $110,000 per year. The pay range listed reflects the anticipated base compensation for this role. Actual compensation will be determined based on skills, experience, education, and internal equity.

Benefits Eligibility: Our commitment to employee well‑being is reflected in our competitive benefits package located here: https://www.iit.edu/hr/benefits

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects (approximately 125), with capacity of $100,000+.
• Conduct approximately 100 donor visits per year, including at least 20 formal solicitations (may include blended or planned gifts).
• Qualify prospective donors through discovery to assess philanthropic interest, capacity, and alignment with university priorities.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies aligned with academic unit priorities.
• Achieve annual revenue goals aligned with experience and unit priorities (generally ~$1M).
• Maintain strong stewardship practices and solicit annual leadership gifts from assigned prospects.
• Partner with Managing Director and Prospect Research & Management (PRM) for portfolio optimization and pipeline development.
• Participate in regular portfolio reviews with the Managing Director and PRM.
• Prepare proposals, gift agreements, and donor correspondence in collaboration with Donor Relations and Gift Administration.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of all prospect activity in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT; adhere to stage movement and data integrity standards.
• Prepare briefing materials for meetings involving deans, faculty, or university leadership.
• Participate in Advancement meetings, prospect strategy reviews, and professional development trainings.

Academic Partnerships

• Serve as key liaison for one or more academic units; align fundraising strategies with dean‑defined priorities and program needs.
• Develop deep knowledge of university and unit priorities. Partner with faculty and program leaders and understand student success initiatives, to align donor interests with institutional needs.
• Represent Advancement at donor and university events as assigned.
• Contribute to special projects and cross‑unit initiatives that advance institutional and campaign fundraising goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of fundraising (or closely related) experience with direct donor engagement and solicitation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• 3-5 years of frontline major gift experience.
• Demonstrated success closing major gifts.
• Experience with STEM and/or professional school donors.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT.