Director, Principal Gifts Stewardship

Department
 

BSD DEV - Principal Gifts

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 manages programs designed to meet University fundraising goals for contributed income. Serves as strategist of efforts to secure gifts and build relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts. Develops communication strategies for projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of top principal, mega, and legacy gift donors. Provide proactive, creative, and consistent stewardship for these long-term relationships with donors and their heirs to ensure the donor’s stewardship experience is engaging and personalized.

• Develop a best-in-class stewardship program for principal gifts donors and serve as a liaison to the Donor Relations team and an office-wide resource to other colleagues for creative, meaningful, and personalized engagement practices.

• Conceive and develop recognition events or other activities such as gift events, luncheons/dinners, faculty and student meet and greets, and other events to communicate gift impact and honor, thank, and inspire donors.

• Coordinate the interaction of donors with faculty and other individuals who have the ability to deepen the donor’s engagement with the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM) and the Biological Sciences Division (BSD). Implement strategies to keep donors involved and informed of ongoing projects and programs.

• Create and execute customized stewardship plans for individuals in portfolio informed by requirements detailed in existing gift agreements and donor preferences.

• Compose high quality correspondence that is decisive and professional, that may include subject matter of considerable sensitivity, discretion, judgement or negotiation.  Write, edit, and contribute strategy to a wide variety of Medicine & Biological Sciences Development (MBSD) documents and materials, including internal and external communications, briefings, proposals and presentations.

• Provide strategic direction for and project manage the development and delivery of high-impact, customized, timely stewardship reports or other relevant stewardship touches. Explore creative ways to share impact beyond written reports.

• Triage, and where appropriate, resolve any issues related to gift agreement compliance.

• Ensure the timely, thorough, and transparent tracking and reporting of stewardship activities/data on behalf of both internal and external constituents. Document and manage data and activities in the donor database.

• Partner closely with the UChicago Medicine Special Programs team.

• Assess and analyze donor interest and match such interest with UCM and University of Chicago Hospital's (UCH) institutional priorities. When opportunity for additional giving is identified, work in partnership with appropriate gift officers to facilitate gift conversations.

• Develop and maintain a broad understanding of the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, the broader University, and the fundraising priorities so that they can represent the University to a variety of stakeholders. They will have a deep appreciation for its mission, its science, and its contributions to society.

• Regularly conduct visits with donors and carry an annual visit goal.

• 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.

• Works with Senior Leadership, Officers and Deans to design strategic objectives and action steps that will lead to the successful realization of these projects.

• 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 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in development or a related field, such as non-profit management, personal wealth management, sales and/or ma