Executive Director, Annual Giving Channel Fundraising

University of Chicago; USA; Hybrid; USD 145.000 - 170.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Hybrid work schedule

Zusammenfassung

The University of Chicago is seeking an Executive Director, Annual Giving Channel Fundraising to lead a comprehensive, multi-channel direct response program. This role balances high-level strategy with hands-on management of the annual giving team, shaping a culture of philanthropy across alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends.

The Executive Director will partner with campus leadership, manage budgets, and mentor a diverse team to advance donor retention, acquisition, and pipeline

Qualifikationen

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field.
• 7+ years of work experience in annual giving or direct fundraising.
• Experience in higher education fundraising or related fields preferred.

Aufgaben

• Develops and oversees comprehensive annual giving strategies across units.
• Advises unit leadership and Directors of Development on capacity-building opportunities.
• Designs multi-channel fundraising programs including direct mail, digital campaigns, and events.
• Oversees rollout of cross-institutional giving programs and donor relations.

Kenntnisse

Annual giving

Direct response fundraising

Staff management

Alumni relations

Marketing

Ausbildung

Bachelor's degree

College/university degree in related field

Tools

Phoenix CRM

Donor Relationship Management System

Microsoft Office

Jobbeschreibung

About the Department

The University of Chicago has partnered with Lindauer, a national search and talent firm, to conduct this search. Andrew Machado, Senior Consultant is leading the recruitment.

Job Summary

The Executive Director, Annual Giving Channel Fundraising leads the development, execution, and management of a comprehensive, multi-channel direct response program. This position balances high-level strategy and organizational leadership with direct oversight of the annual giving appeals team, ensuring both the vision and day-to-day operations of the program are executed with excellence. This position also manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff responsible for the institution’s campaign for annual gift support from all constituents, including alumni. A key priority of this role is cultivating and elevating awareness and understanding of the importance of annual giving across the University community, building a culture of philanthropy that engages alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends as active participants in the institution's long-term success. Reporting to the AVP of Marketing and Communications for Advancement, the Executive Director will lead the strategy and execution of the University’s multi-channel annual giving direct marketing program for the schools and divisions that rely on central support, with an emphasis on donor retention, acquisition, and pipeline development. The Executive Director will also serve as a strategic counsel and partner to the University’s Directors of Development, helping them identify opportunities to increase capacity in their areas beyond the support provided by the University Advancement team. This is also an opportunity to build upon the recent rollout of the Chicago Fund, the University’s first cross-institutional annual fund, and to help establish a more unified, recognizable annual-giving identity among its community of stakeholders. The successful candidate will bring genuine command of annual giving as a discipline, paired with the instincts of an entrepreneur and a talent for building trust across a large, complex organization. This leader will also be an experienced manager who can mentor a talented team, with the latitude to hire into several open roles and shape the function from the ground up. Above all, the University is looking for a leader who’s genuinely excited by the challenge and sees this moment as a chance to help shape how a great university builds lifelong philanthropic culture among its alumni.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements comprehensive and innovative annual giving strategies for units managed by University Advancement, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and maintaining consistent messaging and donor experience standards.
• Serves as a strategic advisor and partner to unit leadership and Directors of Development, helping identify opportunities to build lasting fundraising capacity with and beyond University Advancement support.
• Designs and manages multi-channel fundraising programs including direct mail, digital campaigns, and events, adapting strategies for different donor segments and personas.
• Stewards the University’s ongoing rollout of the Chicago Fund, the University’s first cross-institutional annual fund, sustaining productive relationships with units navigating this institutional shift.
• Analyzes giving trends, donor behavior, and campaign effectiveness across all units, providing actionable insights and establishing key performance indicators to measure success and inform strategic decisions.
• Recruits, trains, and manages annual giving staff, ensuring consistent professional standards and fostering collaboration across the federated structure.
• Brings an external view of best practices across higher education broadly, not limited to direct marketing, serving as a primary source of new ideas and approaches for a growing team.
• Develops and oversees annual giving budgets for central operations and coordinates with federated units on resource allocation, ensuring cost-effective operations and maximum return on investment.
• Ensures all annual giving activities comply with institutional policies, legal requirements, and ethical standards while partnering with donor relations to maintain appropriate donor recognition and stewardship programs.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars and seminars, and building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Plans, manages, supports, and develops annual giving fundraisers and staff, and directs the sharing of resources, ideas, and information to accomplish goals requiring cross functional collaboration.
• Participates and advises in the formation of annual giving objectives, goals, and strategies.
• Collaborates with communications staff to design annual, strategic communications, solicitations, create newsletters, senior class campaign materials, volunteer and staff training presentations, and marketing plans tailored to specific audiences in order to maximize fundraising effectiveness and annual support and engagement from these audiences.
• Works closely with annual giving and University leadership across the campus, as well as with faculty and staff to synthesize the interests and philanthropic capabilities of alumni and friends of the University in order to increase the level of giving and the number of annual donors to the University.
• Assesses donor behavior, acquisition rates, retention rates, etc.
• Segments audiences in order to maximize unrestricted support for the University.
• Works with Information Technology to develop, evaluate, and implement management information systems and uses these systems to synthesize data and draw conclusions.
• Develops and manages relationships with donors, volunteers, and top administrators.
• 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 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Educations: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college.
• Experience: At least seven years of professional experience with demonstrated depth in annual giving, direct response fundraising, or a closely related discipline, such as nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, or sales.
• At least four years of staff management experience, with preference for hiring and building teams.
• At least two years of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Background within a research university or other large, decentralized, multi-unit organization strongly preferred.

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.

Location

This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.

Salary

Pay Range $144,500.00 - $170,000.00 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

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.

Application Documents

Resume/CV (required)

Job Details and Eligibility

• Job Family: Alumni Relations & Development
• Role Impact: People Manager
• 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: $144,500.00 - $170,000.00
• Right to work for any US citizen, permanent resident or other legal status who can demonstrate U.S. work authorization. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

AI Recruitment

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

Safety and Policies

The University of Chicago’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu.

About the University

The University of Chicago is an urban research university that has driven new ways of thinking since 1890. Our commitment to free and open inquiry draws inspired scholars to our global campuses, where ideas are born that challenge and change the world. We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas.

Equal Opportunity

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.