Laboratory Schools: Leadership Annual Giving Officer

Department

Lab School Alumni Relations & Development

About the Department

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, students in Nursery through Grade 12 experience a world-class educational journey. Founded in 1896 by John Dewey as a place for educators to develop and explore novel approaches to pedagogy and curriculum, Lab continues to provide excitement and imagination in learning to this day. Academic rigor, experiential learning, and intellectual discourse are hallmarks of a Lab education. Lab educators are recognized for excellence in teaching and pride themselves on innovation in the classroom. Students in every grade have access to unparalleled resources, and all members of the Lab community benefit by partnerships and connections with the University of Chicago. Families who choose Lab care deeply about curiosity, inquiry, and creativity.

No less than scholarship, Lab’s mission prioritizes honoring diversity and exhibiting kindness. We are committed to building and supporting a teaching and learning community where young people see aspects of their backgrounds and identities reflected around them, where they feel a deep sense of belonging, and where they discover and use their voices to full effect. Today, 53-59 percent of Lab’s student body are students of color. Families report speaking nearly 40 different languages in their homes. Approximately 60 percent of Lab families are also affiliated with the University of Chicago. Half of our families live in Hyde Park, and the rest come from across Chicago, the suburbs, and northwestern Indiana. Inclusion is a fundamental value at Lab, such that we celebrate every facet of community members’ identities, and even where we disagree, we emphasize respect, civility, and maintaining a spirit of community.

Lab seeks the finest employees to join our vibrant learning community. We employ people with a wide range of skills and training in many different disciplines, who have in common a love of learning and the wish to inspire that same love of learning in young people. We seek candidates for employment who thrive in an educational environment. We provide a great professional home for those committed to collaboration, ongoing personal and professional growth, and cultivating positive relationships. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of color, LGBTQ+ identified candidates, candidates from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds, and candidates with a demonstrated commitment to a deepening diversity, equity, and inclusion practice. In turn, we strive to ensure that Lab is a joyful, welcoming, and inspiring place to work. Through our connection to the University, faculty, staff, and administrators enjoy benefits and opportunities that would be nearly impossible to match in any other environment.

Job Summary

The Alumni Relations & Development (ARD) department at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools (Lab) is expanding. We are recruiting talented and energetic advancement professionals to work with our current families and alumni.


The primary focus of the Leadership Annual Giving (LAG) Officer is to increase the pool of Lab alumni and current families who give the Lab on an annual basis at/above $1000 with a strong focus on $10,000 and $25000 levelts. Reporting to the Director of Alumni Relations and Giving, the LAG Officer will have the opportunity to support alumni engagement by working with the Alumni Association Executive Board and leveraging regional programs for alumni. Additionally, the LAG Officer will have the opportunity to with our Director of Parent and Family Relations.
The LAG Officer will manage an active pool of alumni, current parents, parents of alumni, and friends of Lab who are current or recent donors. Their focus is on renewing, upgrading, and stewarding gifts ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. The LAG Officer portfolio and activities will be organized around programming for alumni and current parents to facilitate personal touchpoints and relationships with these key donors. The LAG Officer is expected to create unique engagement strategies for each individual, leveraging various forms of communication, including email, phone, social media, video conferencing, and texting. Positioned to secure foundational levels of Lab’s donor pyramid, the LAG Officer will focus on making the case to raise unrestricted funds while building the major donor pipeline. The role is crucial in managing programs designed to meet Lab’s fundraising goals and to support the upcoming campaign.
The job 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.

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