Assistant Director, Development, Smart Museum

Department

ARD Smart Museum

About the Department

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD 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.

This role is situated within Alumni Relations and Development on the Arts and Culture team.

Smart Museum Development works collaboratively with colleagues across ARD and the Museum to build and sustain philanthropic support that aligns with the Museum’s priorities and objectives. This work involves qualifying, cultivating, stewarding, and securing gifts and grant awards from individuals and institutions, developing meaningful donor relationships, and fostering deepened engagement in the Museum for short-and long-term benefit.

As the fine arts museum of the University of Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art (the Smart) is a site for rigorous inquiry and exchange that encourages the examination of complex issues through the lens of art objects and artistic practice. Through strong scholarly and community collaborations and a welcoming approach to its exhibitions, collections, publications, research and teaching, and public programs, the Smart plays a dynamic role in expanding artistic canons, rethinking received histories, introducing new perspectives, and engaging diverse communities—locally, nationally, and internationally. For more information, please visit https://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director of Development reports to the Smart’s Director of Development and works closely with colleagues across ARD, UChicago Arts, and the Museum. This role provides essential support to the Museum in the following areas: annual giving, the SmartPartner membership program, and all aspects of institutional philanthropy (foundation, government, corporate). This position provides professional support of assigned development activities with instruction from others. Executes fundraising projects, cultivation programs for prospective donors and for visiting committees.Additionally, it spearheads stewardship efforts through timely acknowledgment and gift communication processes.

The Assistant Director of Development is responsible for managing and analyzing the Museum’s database activity and designing and creating attractive and impactful stewardship reports, proposals, research profiles, acquisition and solicitation campaigns, and other promotional matter. This role also has donor-facing responsibilities and, together with the Director of Development, qualifies, cultivates, and stewards a wide range of donors and prospects over Zoom and in person. A core departmental goal is to significantly increase philanthropic support in the next three to five years, with an emphasis on pipeline development.

Responsibilities

• Identifies, activates, and sustains institutional gifts from foundations and corporations through research, cultivation, and direct engagement with existing and potential funders. Develops comprehensive grant applications, post-award reports, and ongoing stewardship communication, working in concert with the Smart Director of Development, other Museum colleagues, and University ARD Foundation and Corporate Relations.
• Maintains a calendar of current and future institutional giving opportunities and priorities, finite grant initiatives, deadlines, budget, action plans, and strategic information to enhance revenue pull-through.
• Guides a multifaceted direct response (DR) program that helps to retain, renew, strengthen, and establish new connections with individual donors and implements multi-channel campaigns that drive annual fund gifts in collaboration with University ARD (and Smart Communication).
• Leads and activates a consistent donor stewardship program involving timely, considered gift acknowledgements in partnership with central ARD, physical signage, and print recognition of support; ongoing strategic communication that fosters increased engagement; and a series of donor events comprised of curated gallery tours, exhibition openings, and salon-style events, etc.
• As needed, cultivates relationships with existing and prospective donors through direct engagement visits and targeted communication to foster revenue and enhance growth.
• Partners with the Museum’s Guest Services, Curatorial, and Education departments on general and programmatic visitation, engagement, and other data capture critical for funder reporting and case statement development.
• Serves as the expert on Smart Museum/University donor