Associate Director, Regional Strategic Programs

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Advancement team seeks an Associate Director, Regional Strategic Programs to implement regional market plans and lead high-touch donor engagement experiences across the Central and Global regions. This role partners with executives, coordinates reporting, and advances fundraising priorities with a focus on alumni relations.

With 5–7 years of relevant experience, you will design engagement opportunities, manage logistics for complex events, and support measurement of

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum five years of professional experience in nonprofit management, alumni relations, marketing, or related field.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; strong communication and project management skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Serve as operational partner to Regional Executive Director and frontline fundraising teams.
• Coordinate regional engagement plans, donor events, and cultivation activities.
• Prepare briefing materials, prospect research summaries, and itineraries for donor meetings.
• Lead planning and execution of high-touch regional donor engagement experiences and events.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Project management

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

College degree in related field

Tools

Phoenix CRM

Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)

Job description

Department

ADV Regional Advancement (Central)

About the Department

The University of Chicago Advancement team cultivates lifelong connections with more than 220,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends worldwide, building community through intellectual, professional, and other meaningful experiences on campus, around the world and online. Advancement empowers every division, school, department, and institute to thrive, generating support for esteemed faculty, pioneering researchers, visionary practitioners, and ambitious students.

During the Chicago Minds campaign, Advancement seeks to raise over $1 billion annually. This unprecedented philanthropic effort is designed to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, fueling bold discovery and amplifying the University’s global impact.

Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful connection and lasting experiences inspire ambassadorship and enduring commitment. We champion a culture of innovation and excellence, inviting every member of our community to participate in a future defined by creativity, intellectual rigor, and shared purpose. Through collaborative partnerships, strategic stewardship, and investment in talent, Advancement is reimagining alumni and donor engagement while ensuring UChicago remains a catalyst of impact for generations to come.

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Regional Strategic Programs serves as an operational partner to the Regional Executive Director for the Central region and frontline fundraising teams by implementing regional market plans in the Central and Global regions that advance University fundraising priorities. This role provides strategic leadership for the planning, design, coordination, and execution of high-touch donor engagement experiences, regional events, and cultivation activities that strengthen donor relationships and support philanthropic growth. The Associate Director serves as a key liaison across Advancement partners, coordinates engagement reporting, and supports evaluation of regional engagement outcomes to inform future engagement efforts.

This role uses best practices and knowledge within Alumni Relations and leads a program designed to engage the alumni community worldwide, increase participation, and advance the objectives of the Alumni Association and the broader University. Researches, executes, and implements best practices in alumni relationship management.

Responsibilities

• Serves as an operational partner to the Regional Executive Director and frontline fundraising teams by implementing regional engagement activities that support fundraising and donor engagement objectives.
• Supports execution of regional market plans established by the Executive Directors and fundraising partners.
• Partners with fundraisers and regional leadership to plan, design, coordinate and execute personalized donor engagement opportunities that support cultivation, stewardship, campaign priorities, and relationship-building efforts.
• Leads the strategic planning, coordination, and execution of regional donor engagement activities, including one-on-one donor meetings, donor-hosted gatherings, faculty engagement opportunities, cultivation dinners, leadership convenings, volunteer events, and other high-touch Advancement experiences that advance regional engagement objectives.
• Coordinates donor engagement logistics and prepares briefing materials, prospect research summaries, itineraries, schedules, talking points, and related support materials for donor meetings and regional engagement activities.
• Develops engagement approaches and manages all aspects of logistics for complex regional donor engagement activities and events, including project timelines, invitation processes, RSVP management, internal and donor communications, venue and vendor coordination, onsite execution, and post-event stewardship activities.
• Interacts directly with donors and volunteer leaders in support of relationship-building and cultivation efforts, serving as a trusted resource while supporting the primary relationship manager.
• Serves as partner to regional volunteer leaders and donor hosts, supporting meaningful engagement and strengthening connections to University priorities.
• Serves as a regional resource for Advancement partners by leveraging knowledge of the assigned region’s philanthropic landscape, donor and volunteer leadership, local venues, vendors, and engagement opportunities to support successful donor engagement activities and event execution.
• Serves as liaison between Regional Executive Directors and PDDS by supporting the development of event impact reports, market plan reports, and other regional engagement reporting, gathering qualitative engagement information, and ensuring timely completion of reporting deliverables.
• Collaborates with Advancement Communications, the Office of Special Events, and other Advancement partners to support coordinated execution of regional donor engagement activities aligned with broader Advancement priorities.
• Identifies opportunities to enhance donor engagement experiences and event strategies by providing recommendations based on event execution, donor interactions, engagement outcomes, and regional best practices.
• Supports additional regional advancement initiatives and special projects that advance fundraising and donor engagement objectives.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars, seminars, building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Assists in leading and coordinating the planning, organization, and management of events, programs, and services designed to cultivate and maintain ties between the University of Chicago and key constituent groups. May assist in or individually create a marketing plan to maximize participation and engagement of alumni, parents, and friends.
• Has a deep understanding of strategic planning, data management, the creation and tracking of metrics, and the creation and implementation of new constituent relations programs worldwide. Measures, tracks, and reports participation and success of initiatives.
• 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 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

—

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum five years of professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, event planning or similar field.
• Background with data analysis and communicating complex topics to non-technical people.
• Managing cross-team projects.

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 Advancement, including Phoenix, the University’s Donor Relationship Management System,
• Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position will require regular travel throughout the assigned geographic region, Central and Global)
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.
• This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Application Document

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

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

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

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$76,500.00 - $90,000.00

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

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.

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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