Donor Relations and Engagement Coordinator

The Art Institute of Chicago; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 63,612,000 - 79,486,000; Full time

Job summary

The Art Institute of Chicago is seeking a Donor Relations and Engagement Coordinator to support the Office of Advancement by coordinating donor, alumni, and engagement activities. You will assist with events, stewardship initiatives, and related logistics, ensuring accuracy in records and materials.

The role emphasizes collaboration, discretion, and on-site support during programs. Responsibilities include maintaining event calendars, preparing materials, coordinating vendors, and handling basic

Qualifications

• 1–2 years in administrative support, event coordination, hospitality, or related area.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends for events.
• Experience in fundraising, advancement, nonprofit, higher education, arts, or cultural orgs.
• Experience using a donor database/CRM system.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, detail-oriented.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate logistical arrangements for donor, alumni, and institutional events (room reservations, catering, campus submissions).
• Maintain event calendars, timelines, and tracking documents.
• Track registrations, RSVPs, guest lists, attendance, and participation info.
• Prepare event materials (invitations, name tags, signage, programs).
• Research vendors, estimate costs, and coordinate services.
• Provide onsite support for event setup, registration, execution, and breakdown.
• Respond to event-related inquiries and communicate logistics to guests and vendors.
• Assist with invoice processing, purchasing docs, and basic budget tracking.

Skills

Administrative support

Event coordination

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Communication skills

Multitasking

Interpersonal skills

Discretion with confidential data

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Donor Relations and Engagement Coordinator

Job Category: Advancement

Requisition Number: DONOR002925

• Posted : September 15, 2026
• Full-Time
• Hybrid

Locations

Showing 1 location

Lakeview Building -SAIC
116 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603, USA

Lakeview Building -SAIC
116 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603, USA

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

About the Department

The Advancement Office at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) plays a vital role in supporting the school’s mission to educate and empower the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Advancement partners strategically with the internal and external stakeholders to build enduring relationships, secure philanthropic support and steward resources that enhance the students experience, fuel academic excellence and strengthen SAIC’s impact locally and globally.

The team leads a broad range of activities including fundraising, major and planned giving, advancement services and operations, alumni engagement and donor relations. By leveraging best-in-class systems, data insights and creative engagement strategies. Advancement ensures that SAIC can continue to provide world –class resources – from faculty support and scholarship funding to state-of-the-art facilities and innovative programs. Collaborations across departments, thoughtful stewardship and a commitment to community and creative are at the heart of the office’s work.

Position Summary

The Donor Relations and Engagement Coordinator supports the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Office of Advancement by coordinating the logistical and administrative components of donor, alumni, and institutional engagement activities. Under the direction of the Associate Director, Donor Relations and Engagement and in collaboration with the Executive Director, Advancement Strategy and Operations, the Coordinator supports the execution of events, engagement programs, and stewardship activities. This position helps ensure the smooth implementation of these activities by coordinating logistics, maintaining accurate records, preparing materials, and providing onsite and administrative support.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates logistical arrangements for donor, alumni, and institutional events, including room reservations, catering requests, and campus service submissions.
• Maintains event calendars, timelines, task lists, and other tracking documents to support the timely completion of event-related activities.
• Tracks event registrations, RSVPs, guest lists, attendance, and other participation information.
• Prepares and organizes event materials, including invitations, name tags, signage, programs, and printed collateral.
• Conducts vendor research, gathers cost estimates, and assists with coordinating vendor services and deliverables.
• Provides onsite support for event setup, registration, guest assistance, event execution, and breakdown.
• Responds to routine event-related questions and communicates logistical information to guests, vendors, and internal partners.
• Assists with invoice processing, purchasing documentation, and basic budget tracking in coordination with team members.
• Provides production and administrative support for donor stewardship initiatives, including mailings and materials preparation.
• Enters and updates event, donor, and engagement information in Advancement systems and databases.
• Organizes and maintains accurate electronic and physical files related to events, donor relations, and stewardship activities.
• Performs other related duties as assigned to support the goals and priorities of the Office of Advancement.

Qualifications

• One to two years of experience in administrative support, event coordination, hospitality, customer service, or a related area.
• Experience using Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to support events.
• Experience working in a fundraising, advancement, nonprofit, higher education, arts, or cultural organization.
• Experience using a customer relationship management or donor database system
• Strong organizational, time-management skills, attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and customer-service skills.
• Ability to interact professionally with donors, alumni, guests, vendors, and colleagues.
• Ability to follow established procedures and work both independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to exercise discretion when handling confidential donor and institutional information.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and respond calmly to event-related needs.
• Basic knowledge of event coordination and administrative practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Ability to learn and accurately use Advancement databases and other institutional systems.

Physical Requirements

The position may require standing or walking for extended periods during events and moving event materials or supplies weighing up to 25 pounds.

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Hiring Range:$22.20 - $27.74 per hour

The expected hiring range is an estimated amount for positions based on the grade. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, qualifications and other job-related reasons.

If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/ artic.edu/employment for complete information

Union

This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31.

Accessibility

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [e-mail] .

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.