Director, Principal Gifts

Department
 

Booth Advancement: Individual Giving

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.
Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.
Chicago Booth is proud to claim:
-an unmatched faculty.
-degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
-a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
-strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.
As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment.
For more information about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.

Job Summary
 

The Director, Principal Gifts at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business will carry a portfolio of approximately 60 principal gifts prospects with a capacity of $5M+. They will have an individual fundraising goal in the range of $7M to $15M.
The Director will work closely with the rest of the Individual Giving Team to maximize revenue at the principal gift level. They will develop a broad understanding of Chicago Booth, the University of Chicago, and its fundraising priorities so that they can represent them to donors with multiple interests. Working with Chicago Booth’s Chief Advancement Officer and principal gift officers, the Director will generate big ideas for future principal and mega gift fundraising.
The Director will utilize the resources of the prospect management and research teams to accurately identify and qualify prospective donors. They will create personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each prospect and manage the deployment of senior staff, academic leaders, and high-level volunteers in supporting these strategies.. They will coordinate visits with prospective donors for the purposes of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and participate in the majority of these visits. The Director will work with Booth’s Chief Advancement Officer, the Senior Directors, U.S. and Global Individual Giving, members of the Individual Giving Team, and other leaders across the department and university in the strategic development of proposals to prospective donors. They will ensure that written materials (acknowledgements, briefings, proposals, etc.) are consistent in their tone, message, and content. The Director will manage internal complexities and successfully navigate and resolve barriers and challenges. As a fundraising leader, they will participate in strategic planning and policy decisions, as appropriate.
This position is based in New York and requires approximately 15% travel.

Responsibilities

• Qualifies and cultivates a portfolio of approximately 60 principal gift prospects and suspects.
• Develops proposals designed to solicit support for Chicago Booth’s programs and priorities.
• Determines appropriate recognition and stewardship plans for donors.
• Builds relationships through stewardship to encourage continued, increased gifts from donors over their lifetimes.
• Exhibits exemplary interpersonal and communication skills, with a particular sensitivity to sophisticated, high net worth audiences.
• Records all prospect actions and activities in the University’s database.
• Collaborates with Chicago Booth departments and teams (Annual Fund, Alumni Engagement, Career Services, Admissions, etc.) on donor and prospect cultivation activities.
• Develops strong relationships with senior staff, academic leaders, and high-level volunteers.
• Assists the senior directors, and U.S. and Global Individual Giving, with other Principal Gifts projects, as needed.
• Provides expertise to establishing fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, designs strategies to meet those goals, and monitors progress against goals. Manages a portfolio of current and potential donors.
• Identifies, analyzes, and qualifies donor interest to maximize giving. Assists with overall planning efforts for the University's most important prospects. Works independently to develop communication strategies for projects, including publications and public presentations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree.  

Experience:

• Minimum seven years of front-line development experience with a track record of closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Formulating and implementing strategic operational plans.
• Working as a team player and independently.

Preferred Competencies

• Cultivate prospective donors one-on-one and in groups and to qualify, engage, solicit, and close gifts.
• Work with school and organization leadership, including deans, faculty, and board members.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills, characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write well with a strong commitment to customer service.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the demonstrated ability to relate well to individuals at every level of an organization both internally and externally.
• Tactful exercise of judgment and discretion with sensitive and highly confidential information.

Working Conditions

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.
• Travel and attend evening functions when necessary.

Pay Range:

• $150,000 - $210,000 annually.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (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

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, 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.

 

Staff 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.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

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