Assistant Director, Development - UChicago Arts
About the DepartmentAlumni Relations & Development (ARD) engages alumni (~190k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD raises $550 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute. A broad platform for multidisciplinary arts across the University of Chicago, UChicago Arts encompasses the University’s arts engagement with students and faculty, our community, Chicago, and the world. UChicago Arts supports the study, presentation, and experience of arts Job Summary The job provides professional support of assigned development activities with instruction from others. This position provides the following development functions: grant writing and reporting; individual and annual giving; and donor stewardship for the following initiatives: Arts, Science + Culture Initiative; Arts + Public Life; Gray Center for Arts & Inquiry; and the Logan Center for the Arts, as well as various arts-wide programs.Responsibilities
Identify opportunities for alumni, parents, members of the community, and prospective donors to engage with UChicago Arts and qualify prospective donors for potential giving capacity, in partnership with the Director of Development and program leaders.Manage assigned portfolio and proactively pursue qualification visits with prospects as identified through prospect research.Support participation giving goals and solicit annual gifts as assigned.Write or record through Thankview, track and send acknowledgments promptly.Draft high-quality stewardship reports, impact statements and annual public reports for individual donors, foundations, and the public as needed.Prepare correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, informational materials, and presentations.Proofread high-level communications by ensuring consistency, grammar, punctuation, usage, spelling, and style.Collaborate to generate grant letters of interest, proposals, awards, and reports, and write or take the lead in writing at least five grant proposals and reports by deadline and maintain grant documentation annually. Assist colleagues in proofreading, submitting, and tracking grants applications.Identify new grant opportunities and coordinate with ARD Foundation and Corporate Relations to engage with program officers at foundations to solicit proposal invitations as appropriate or directed.Seek opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.Cultivates and maintains relationships with donors and volunteers. Establishes and maintains donor records and accounts.Has a moderate/high level of authority in drafting informational and marketing materials for review for assigned programs. Assists in developing support materials for specific fundraising activities.Performs other related work as needed.Minimum QualificationsEducation: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.Work Experience:Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Preferred QualificationsEducation:Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Experience:
Minimum two years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar professional work experience.Proven grant writing and reporting experience. Foundation relations experience.Proven competency with individual and annual giving programs and campaigns.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 the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including the University's donor relationship management system and the Microsoft Office Suite, including basic competence with Excel.Learn quickly and use multiple web-based systems such as Google Drive and Box, and email deployment systems such as Thankview, and project management and communications systems such as Asana, Airtable, Microsoft Teams and Slack.Demonstrated skill or ability to learn quickly basic principles of design, layout, photography, and video creation.Preferred Competencies
Manage complex, collaborative projects from start to finish – such as an annual giving campaign or a significant grant proposal. Excellent ability to use video conferencing technology such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, FaceTime, etc. Write and track budgets, run reports, display complex data and use formulas in Excel.Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, to speak, create visual communication and to write effectively.Self-motivation and the ability to take initiative.Demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to serve the team.Approach tasks proactively and independently.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 is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.
