Senior Assistant Director, Development Communications

Department
 

BSD DEV - Development: Individual Giving - Medicine & Surgery 2

About the Department
 

Medicine and Biological Sciences Development’s mission is to inspire and facilitate philanthropy at the University of Chicago Medicine by building relationships with those who share its goals of advancing excellence in research, education, community, and patient care. We accomplish this mission through expertise, integrity, creativity, and collaboration.

Job Summary
 

The job writes a variety of communications for the University. Works with moderate guidance to research, compose, and edit high-level communications, publications and/or reports with complex and specialized subject matter.

Responsibilities

• The Senior Assistant Director, Development Communications writes a broad spectrum of fundraising materials created for a specific audience such as a prospective donor, family foundation, corporation, or volunteer solicitor. 
• Takes comprehensive responsibility for the materials such as, but not limited to: building a persuasive case for each written piece; considering the specific audience; identifying influential facts or statistics; fact checking; and establishing, monitoring, and executing a timeline. 
• Responsible for written materials and projects such as: proposals; correspondence including acknowledgement letters; cultivation visits/meetings; stewardship reports; Power Point presentations; and conceptualization of a stewardship meeting. 
• The Senior Assistant Director may project manage the team’s activity and be responsible for implementing tactical next steps to ensure goals and objectives are met. As such, they closely monitor team activity and anticipates and tracks deliverables, including letters, briefings, reports, presentations, and proposals. 
• Facilitates internal meetings and facilitates fundraiser visits with donors and prospective donors to advance prospect strategy.
• Researches, writes, and edits a variety of communications, publications and/or reports.
• Writes analytic, interpretive, or highly individualized features utilizing personal subject matter expertise.
• Determines, researches, verifies, writes and edits content material.
• Coordinates efforts and collaborates with other teams at MBSD such as Communications (including graphic design and the Senior Writers); Protocol; Events; Strategic Research and Analysis.
• Under supervision, may assist with writing and/or editing technical/scientific material for manuals or journals.
• From time to time, may be asked to take on a project that requires project management or analytical skills (examples include: budget analysis and prospect portfolio analysis).
• Participates in the design and planning of communications strategies.
• Researches, verifies, writes and edits publications, which can includes technical/scientific material for manuals or journals.
• 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 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher in journalism, English, communications or a relevant field.

Experience:

• Experience in a university setting or a similarly complex institution.
• Experience with writing in a scientific field or a complex subject material.
• Experience in a large or complex organization or subject matter.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven expertise taking complicated information from various sources and synthesizing it to identify and clarify key issues and opportunities, as well as developing a compelling message.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple details while adhering to a broader concept or purpose.
• Ability to understand finance and quantitative documents.
• Capacity for identifying and evaluating basic issues, for bringing together information from a variety of sources, and for selecting appropriate analytical and creative approaches in dealing with immediate responsibilities.

Working Conditions 

• Office Environment (hybrid schedule)

Application Documents

• Resume (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
 

Communications

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected 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.

 

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.

 

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 . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.