Director of Development

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid time off

Tuition waivers for employees and/or 2

Job summary

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford is seeking an experienced Director of Development to plan, direct, and implement activities identifying and cultivating major and planned gifts from individual donors at five-figure levels and above. This role partners with COM leadership and Chicago teams to execute strategies, with travel to donor regions as needed.

Responsibilities include managing a donor portfolio, preparing proposals, and guiding advancement initiatives aligned with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 5 years of development experience or related field.
• Proven success in securing major solicitations through in-person meetings.

Responsibilities

• Actively manages a portfolio of major and planned gift donors $25,000+; develops strategies for cultivation and solicitation.
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, and solicits alumni and friends for COM priorities.
• Coordinates high-level donor meetings with the Regional Dean and senior leaders; collaborates with COM Chicago teams.

Skills

Face-to-face solicitations

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Fundraising software

Data management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford is seeking an experienced candidate to join our team as a Director of Development. This individual is responsible for planning, directing, and implementing activities and programs to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and planned gifts from individual donors and prospects at the five-figure level and above. They serve as the primary liaison with department heads and other key faculty to identify fundraising priorities and initiatives and to develop a strategy for soliciting funds.

This individual will collaborate with the Chicago College of Medicine (COM) team on major gift strategies and will be able to leverage the Chicago COM team for alumni relations, donor relations, events, and corporate and foundation proposal development. Travel will be required to key regions for donor meetings and University business.

Rockford, the state’s largest metropolitan region outside of Chicago, sits at the top of Illinois, just 60 minutes from the Chicago area. The region blends big-city opportunity with small-town affordability and an exceptional quality of life. Known as The Forest City for its tree-lined neighborhoods, Rockford offers scenic riverfront trails, world-class gardens, vibrant parks, museums, live music, arts, and award-winning dining.

Recently ranked the hottest housing market in the U.S. by Realtor.com and The Wall Street Journal, Rockford offers a cost of living nearly 25% below the national average. Home to the legendary Rockford Peaches and iconic Cheap Trick, the city has a strong creative and community spirit, with festivals and events throughout the year.

With easy access to the Chicago area, the Chicago Rockford International Airport, and typical commutes of 15 minutes or less, Rockford offers an appealing combination of affordability, accessibility, and quality of life.

This position is based on the Rockford campus of the College of Medicine and is integral to the College of Medicine Advancement team. They will work closely with the Rockford Regional Dean as well as other COM senior leaders.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Actively manages a portfolio of major and planned gift donors rated $25,000 and above, employing appropriate strategies and tactics in prospect and portfolio management.
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, and solicits alumni and friends in support of College of Medicine (COM) and University priorities.
• Meets or exceeds annual performance metrics, including approximately 120 visits annually with alumni and donors to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts.
• Prepares professional presentations and funding proposals for donors as required.
• Directs development strategy and activities to ensure alignment with educational, research, and clinical Advancement priorities and initiatives.
• Serves as advancement subject matter expert for department heads, the dean, and faculty in developing and implementing strategies to solicit gifts, scholarships, facilities, or endowments to fund the mission of the College.
• Serves as subject matter lead on all COM Rockford strategic initiatives for the COM Advancement team.
• Coordinates high-level donor meetings with the Regional Dean of the College of Medicine Rockford and with faculty/senior leadership as needed for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of priority donors.
• Works with the Regional Dean, the Assistant Dean of Operations, the Director of Communications, and other senior leaders to cultivate and identify alumni for college, university, and community awards and recognition.
• Works and strategizes with the Director of Communications to increase donor- and alumni-focused content in college communications vehicles, including but not limited to online and print newsletters, website, and social media platforms.
• Works with Chicago COM data and operations teams to track fundraising and keep the Regional Dean and senior leadership updated on progress. Develops and presents in-depth research, metrics, and reports on prospect pool, benchmarks, success, and growth.
• Works with Chicago COM Stewardship team to oversee the delivery of timely acknowledgment letters, endowment impact reports, and other stewardship activities for high-level donors.
• Provides insight to the Chicago COM Individual Giving team on content for the College’s mailings and digital campaigns.
• Collaborates with Chicago COM Alumni Relations and Special Events teams to enhance interactions with prospects and donors and increase potential gifts.
• Travel to key regions for donor meetings, prospect cultivation and stewardship activities, and other University business.
• Performs other related duties and participates in special projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in development or a related field.
• Proven success in securing and conducting face-to-face meetings for major solicitations.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team-based environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, business development, organization, and computer skills.
• Proficiency using fundraising software and data management.
• Ability to travel, including occasional overnight, evening, and weekend commitments.

Compensation and Benefits:

The budgeted annual salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CST. The search committee will begin reviewing applications shortly after the fullest consideration date. Candidates selected to move forward in the search process will be contacted following the committee's initial review.

Fullest consideration date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 6:00 pm (CST)

Final date: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 6:00 pm (CST)

The University of Illinois System conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment. Convictions are not a bar to employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with state and federal law.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please review our non-discrimination statement and additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.