Senior Assistant Director of Development, Arts and Culture

Department

ADV Court Theatre

About The Department

The Advancement Office engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents, and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. Advancement raises $600 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.

Centrally organized within Advancement, the Arts and Culture team advances philanthropic partnerships with key alumni, parents and friends across the campus’ arts ecosystem, including new and emerging projects and established arts units: Court Theatre, Smart Museum, Arts + Public Life, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, the Library and Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures.

A broad platform for multidisciplinary arts across the University of Chicago, the Arts and Culture Team encompasses the University’s arts engagement with students and faculty, our community, Chicago, and the world.

The Arts and Culture Team supports the study, presentation, and experience of arts and includes:
● Academic departments and programs in the Division of Arts and Humanities, the College, and the Library.
● Public-facing arts organizations Arts + Public Life, Arts, Court Theatre, Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, Logan Center for the Arts, Oriental Institute, Smart Museum of Art and University of Chicago Presents.
● Student-facing initiatives such as Arts, Science + Culture Initiative and the Arts Labs in the Media Arts, Data, and Design Center; and more than 60 student arts organizations.

Building on this foundation, the Provost’s Arts Steering Committee has developed a vision for the future of the arts at UChicago that deepens academic excellence, student arts engagement, community arts engagement, global arts engagement, and experimental inquiry and practice. To learn more, please visit https://www.uchicago.edu/life-at-uchicago/arts.

Job Summary

The Senior Assistant Director of Development for Arts and Culture secures gifts and grants from individuals and institutions to support priorities and objectives across all Arts and Culture units. The Senior Assistant Director will serve as the lead grants officer UChicago Arts groups (Court Theatre, Smart Museum, and UChicago Arts) in the cohort, providing advisory support to ISAC and the Library. Primary responsibilities are to work closely with Advancement’s Foundations and Corporate Relations to develop and execute strategies that strengthen the discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of institutional prospects. This includes serving as a frontline fundraiser with foundation program officers, government leaders, and corporate representatives. Responsibilities include raising grants and gifts from government agencies, foundations, and corporations and supervising the development of grant proposals and reports in collaboration with program officers.

In this role, the Senior Assistant Director will project-manage major, strategic grants, and provide key support for smaller grants. This role also maintains a portfolio of Leadership Annual Giving prospects for Court and UChicago Arts, and works alongside Court and UChicago Arts Associate Directors to cultivate, solicit and renew their support. This position implements programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income with moderate guidance. Helps build relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts at the instruction of others. Executes communication strategies for projects.

The Senior Assistant Director will write or assist in the writing of letters of intent, proposals, grant applications, reports, and supporting documents as well as present orally to current or potential funders, civic and community representatives, and colleagues and counterparts. The Senior Assistant Director provides leadership on various projects and areas of responsibility and operates with a high degree of independence.

Responsibilities

• Leads foundation, government, and corporate fundraising including managing a portfolio of current/renewing funders as well as generating new prospects; requires ambitious pursuit of complex projects and strategic opportunities both internally and externally.
• Working with UChicago Arts Director of Finance and with Advancement Foundation and Corporate Relations, coordinates with the University Research Administration to adhere to University requirements and timelines.
• Works with manager to develop and implement the units’ annual fundraising plans and ensure successful coordination with other areas within the unit as well as University Advancement.
• Maintains a portfolio of Leadership Annual Giving prospects for Court and UChicago Arts, and works alongside Associate Directors to cultivate, solicit and renew their support.
• Engages with unit staff, University faculty and ARD staff, foundation program officers, and corporate giving officers to identify and enhance alignment of goals, leading to successful proposals.
• Collaborates with unit Directors of Development to analyze foundation and corporate interests and assess opportunities to engage these organizations.
• Synthesizes the interests and philanthropic capabilities of constituencies with the needs and long-term goals of the unit and University.
• Prepares materials, including concept papers, proposals, briefings, and correspondence for faculty and staff as appropriate.
• Manages the execution of multiple projects, enlisting the support of other staff where appropriate.
• Assists in developing department objectives and strategies.
• As appropriate, advises unit staff in defining programs and budgetary needs for presentation to philanthropic institutions.
• Applies appropriate technologies and skills for data gathering, manipulation, and management.
• Uses databases to record and support the progress of foundation and corporate initiatives across campus and to represent strategies to the community of colleagues.
• Works with others to manage requests for support, prepare required reports, and develop and implement ways to promote, cultivate, and steward foundation activities across campus.
• Defines and coordinates opportunities for inclusion of foundation representatives in campus activities and special programs, both as cultivation for new grants and as stewardship for existing grants.
• Identifies, analyzes, and qualifies prospect interest to maximize giving.
• Utilizes new and developing technologies for development applications, such as DonorBox, Thankview, AI, video conferencing, collaborative documents, etc.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Identifies and qualifies prospects by aiding in expanding the pool of potential donors and participating in outreach events. Manages a portfolio of prospective donors.
• Builds relationships with a variety of different individuals within the University in the assigned divisions and departments of those who make charitable gifts.
• Writes timely and strategic correspondences to advance relationships.
• Works with others to maximize prospective donor cultivation.
• 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 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Minimum two years of professional work experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales, or similar field.
• Minimum one year of leading a project team or managing staff.
• Arts administration experience.
• Foundation relations experience.
• Demonstrated project management experience.

Technical Skills Or Knowledge:

• Proven grant writing and reporting experience.
• Work with several internal constituencies, including program staff, senior leadership and peers inside and outside the cohort.
• 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 Advancement, including the University's donor relationship management system.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated track record of success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing significant philanthropic commitments.
• 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, speak, and write effectively.
• Self-motivated and take initiative.

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.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (required)
• Three References Contact Information (required)
• Writing Sample (required)

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

$71,400.00 - $84,000.00

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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