Associate Director of Philanthropy - College Based (4029)

Northern Illinois University; DeKalb (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Illinois University is seeking an Associate Director of Philanthropy - College Based to lead major gift fundraising within a portfolio of prospects across NIU’s colleges. The role focuses on securing gifts of $25,000 and above while advancing university priorities.

You will build strong donor relationships, design moves-management strategies, and work with academic leaders to develop transformative funding opportunities that support students and faculty.

Qualifications

• Three years of experience with successful major gift solicitation or transferable fundraising experience.
• Experience in a matrixed organizational structure with cross-divisional responsibilities.
• Experience with enterprise systems for event and scheduling management; knowledge of development and alumni relations.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 125+ major gift prospects through all donor lifecycle stages.
• Develop and execute cultivation and solicitation plans for gifts of $10,000 or more.
• Build relationships aligning donors’ philanthropic interests with university priorities.
• Meet fundraising performance metrics: visits, proposals, gifts, and pipeline growth.
• Collaborate with prospect research and development teams; represent NIU Foundation at events.

Skills

Major gift fundraising

Interpersonal skills

Portfolio management

Strategic donor engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

ARC donor management system

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Find your Career at Northern Illinois University!

Associate Director of Philanthropy - College Based (4029)

Working Position Title Associate Director of Philanthropy - College Based (4029)

Classification

Classification Associate Director

Position Number

Position Number 00004029

Open Date

Open Date 10/16/2026

Close Date

Priority Review Date

Priority Review Date 11/13/2026

Employee Class

Employee Class Staff

Full-Time/Part Time

Full-Time/Part Time Full-Time

FTE

FTE 1.00

Position Status

Position Status Regular

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Job code

Job code 1060SPS03

Union Representation

Union Representation Non-Union

Union Code

Union Code N/A

Unit/Department

Unit/Department Gift Planning

College/Unit

College/Unit Gift Planning

Division

Division University Advancement

Location

Location AL 135

Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview

This is a fundraiser position that works within the Gift Planning Team to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual major gift prospects. The primary responsibility is to obtain private major and planned gifts at the highest level. This individual also supports the priorities identified by the university. While the highest priority is to generate charitable gift revenue, this position will focus on securing major gifts of $25,000 or more.

The Impact You Will Make

In this role, you’ll do far more than manage a portfolio—you’ll build the relationships that turn generosity into real-world change. As a frontline fundraiser, you will connect alumni, friends, and partners with the causes they care about most, driving major support for Northern Illinois University’s students, faculty, and programs.

What You’ll Drive

• Meaningful Support: Craft strategies to secure major and planned gifts ($10,000+) aligned with university priorities.
• Lasting Connections: Build genuine relationships through direct donor visits, campus experiences, and tailored engagement.
• Visible Impact: Keep donors connected to the tangible difference their generosity makes across the campus community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 125+ major gift prospects through all stages of the donor lifecycle, including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, closure, and stewardship, with a focus on advancing prospects toward meaningful philanthropic engagement and investment.
• Develop and execute strategic cultivation and solicitation plans to secure major and planned gifts of $10,000 or more.
• Through personalized donor engagement, build meaningful relationships that align donors’ philanthropic interests with university and college priorities, resulting in transformational support for NIU .
• Consistently achieve established fundraising performance metrics, including portfolio activity, donor visits, meaningful contacts, proposals submitted, gifts closed, dollars raised, and pipeline growth.
• Leverage data, prospect insights, and ongoing portfolio analysis to drive fundraising success and maximize philanthropic outcomes.
• Actively identify and qualify new major gift prospects while regularly evaluating the portfolio to ensure time is focused on donors with the greatest potential for philanthropic engagement.
• Identify new opportunities for current and deferred gifts that align donor interests with institutional and college-level priorities.
• Develop and execute individualized fundraising strategies using the moves management approach that are designed to deepen engagement and increase philanthropic investment.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Philanthropy, academic leaders, and Foundation colleagues to develop and execute donor-centered fundraising strategies, including designing significant or complex gift opportunities.
• Prepare gift proposals, pledge documentation, endowed and expendable fund agreements, and other materials that result in successful solicitations.
• Partner with donor relations to create tailored stewardship strategies and ensure timely preparation of expendable and endowment fund agreements, and pledge documentation.

Unit-Based Strategy Development

• Participate in the development and execution of the college’s annual advancement plan, helping to establish fundraising priorities, identify philanthropic opportunities, and implement strategies that drive donor engagement, portfolio growth, and revenue generation.
• Develop strong working relationships with deans, department chairs, faculty, and other academic leaders to understand college and departmental priorities, identify potential donors, and develop philanthropic opportunities that support those priorities.
• Engage donors through strategic one-to-one meetings, campus visits, events, volunteer opportunities, and stewardship activities.
• Act as a trusted Foundation partner to assigned college(s), departments, centers, and programs, fostering collaborative relationships that strengthen donor engagement, enhance stewardship efforts, and support sustainable philanthropic growth.
• Maintain sound portfolio health, including timely documentation of donor interactions and visits, and maintaining the integrity of donor, pipeline, and portfolio data in the Foundation’s relationship management system ( ARC ).
• Collaborate with prospect research and development teams to build and maintain a healthy portfolio of major gift prospects.
• Utilize prospect research, analytics, and fundraising data to prioritize opportunities, evaluate progress, and inform decision-making.
• Monitor portfolio performance and adjust strategies to ensure achievement of fundraising goals.
• Represent the University and the NIU Foundation at University and college events, as well as community, volunteer and professional organizations.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

N/A

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

N/A

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

• One of the following:
  • Three years (3) of experience with successful major gift solicitation;
  • Three (3) years of transferable experience within a fundraising or alumni relations office.
• Experience working within a matrixed organizational structure where performance responsibilities are evaluated in different divisions.
• Experience in enterprise systems for event and scheduling management.Knowledge and experience in development and alumni relations fields.

Additional Requirements (SPS)

• Demonstrable commitment to the highest standard of ethical and professional conduct in accordance with the CASE Statement of Ethics, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethical Principles and Standards, and The Donor Bill of Rights. (Membership is not required.)
• Deep, personal commitment to diversity in all forms, the recognition of all individuals to mutual respect, and the acceptance of others without biases.
• Demonstrable commitment to leading by example, modeling diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the university.
• Demonstrably strong work ethic and entrepreneurial mentality.
• A high level of integrity, focus, and commitment to achieve ambitious goals is essential.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to relate to donors, volunteers, colleagues, and university leadership.
• Self-motivated (a “self-starter”); innovative and ability to work with considerable independence within the context of a team environment and a network of relationships.
• Superior written and oral communication, negotiating, organizational, analytical and fundraising skills, including the ability to interpret financial information and manage data.
• Familiarity with the “moves management” approach to major gift fundraising.
• A flexible attitude and clear ability to modify and adapt as situations arise.
• Ability and desire to engage in face-to-face relationship activities, primarily through the scheduling of one-on-one appointments with donor prospects who have never been engaged with NIU .
• Ability and willingness to travel to meet donors and prospects in their homes and offices.
• Business proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, Access, and Excel, including the tabulation of budget figures, creation of scenario planning tools and merging files.
• Familiarity with fundraising tools.
• Knowledge of computerized systems of donor record keeping, data tracking of prospects, and donors.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to synthesize multiple sources of information.
• Ability and willingness to travel and to work extra hours, nights and weekends to ensure the job is done exceptionally well.
• Ability to work autonomously, and to think critically and strategically; capable of taking responsibility for specific goals within designated time frames.
• Capable of coordinating multi-task initiatives to a successful conclusion.
• A flexible attitude and clear ability to modify and adapt as situations and conditions change, as well as a resilience about the rigors of public higher education and the increasing pressure of resource constraints.
• A proven ability to build strong relationships anchored in trust and integrity.

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

• Minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in a collegiate environment.
• Capital campaign experience in higher education is highly desirable.
• Commitment to the ideals and culture of higher education.
• The ability to effectively work in a group/team environment to assist intra-divisional initiatives.
• Travel is required for this position.
• Use of a personal vehicle is required.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The employee frequently is required to stand for long periods of time; walk; use fingers and hands to feel, grasp, operate or handle objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• Must be able to lift and carry 20 lbs. regularly.

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of Aff .

Supplemental Questions

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