Associate Director of Major Gifts

Department

Law Major Gifts

About the Department

The University of Chicago Law School occupies a unique niche among this country's premier law schools. Located on a residential campus in one of America's great cities, UChicago Law offers a rigorous and interdisciplinary professional education that blends the study of law with the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students, faculty, and staff form a small, tightly knit community devoted to the life of the mind.

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Major Gifts is part of a team whose primary responsibility is the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of individual prospects capable of giving in excess of $100,000. The position will develop fund-raising strategies to secure major gifts from alumni and friends across an assigned set of regions. Frequent travel is required as is occasional work on weekends. The position reports to the Director of Major Gifts for the Law School.

Responsibilities

• Leads responsibility for a portfolio of prospects and donors with capacity to make gifts of $100,000 or more, executing a target of no less than 120 visits per year with prospects. 

• Gathers data, assesses prospects, and develops strategies designed to realize the current and lifetime giving potential of individual prospects. 

• Ensures consistent and appropriate contact, facilitates, or makes solicitations, and ensures effective stewardship through collaboration with colleagues. 

• Makes persuasive verbal and written cases for supporting The University of Chicago Law School’s key programs and projects, effectively matching the interests of prospects to specific Law School priorities. 

• Sets priorities for multiple short-term and long-term prospects based on goals for the Law School Major Gift team. 

• Develops and implements tactics to meet individual and group goals. 

• Leverages internal leaders of the Law School and University such as the Dean of the Law School, Associate Dean for External Affairs, faculty, Law School Council members, Trustees or President of the University to help further prospect strategies. Staffs these individuals in meetings, events and phone calls. 

• Assists volunteers with their solicitation assignments, including accompanying them on their meetings with other prospects and donors. 

• Develops and maintains strong relationships with Law School faculty, administrators, volunteers and University colleagues to ensure a coordinated approach to prospects and donors. 

• Works closely with Planned Giving colleagues within the University and the Law School to close planned gifts to the Law School. 

• Establishes fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, designs strategies to meet those goals, and monitors progress against goals. 

• Identifies, analyzes, and qualifies donor interest to maximize giving. Helps 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.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Successful fundraising or comparable experience strongly preferred. This may include work experience in nonprofit management, development, sales, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, or similar work experience. 

• Demonstrated record of accomplishment in solicitation, the cultivation of prospective donors, or sales and client development strongly preferred.

• Prior campaign experience strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Ability t