Associate Director, Donor Relations

Department
Booth Advancement: Advancement Services 1.1
About the Department
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth is proud to claim:
-an unmatched faculty.
-degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
-a global body of nearly 61,000 accomplished alumni.
-strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment. For more information ,.about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.
Job Summary
The Associate Director, Donor Relations, is a key member of the Advancement team at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, responsible for oversight and execution of stewardship strategies for Annual Fund donors. This position ensures that donors are appreciated, informed of their impact, and engaged in meaningful ways to encourage continued support. The Associate Director partners closely with the fundraising and communications teams to deliver a comprehensive donor stewardship program that reflects organizational values and priorities.

This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Responsibilities

- Develops and executes a multi-year strategy stewardship program for Annual Fund donors, ensuring timely recognition and impact reporting, including Chicago Booth Dean’s Society donors.
- Manages stewardship projects and tasks for Annual Fund donors, such as the Annual Fund quarterly newsletter, campaign reporting, honor rolls, first-time donor and pledge packet mailings, Dean’s Society stewardship touchpoints and events, and other Annual Fund-focused donor activity.
- Expands on stewardship efforts available for Annual Fund donors, in particular, email and mail communication (DRIP campaign), and Dean’s Society special offerings.
- Collaborates with Booth Advancement colleagues to ensure consistent messaging and coordinated donor engagement efforts, including the Leadership Annual Giving team.
- Works with the Booth Marketing and Communications team to create compelling stewardship materials and donor stories.
- Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of stewardship initiatives; recommends improvements based on donor feedback, industry standards, and analytics.
- Assists with other donor relations tasks, activities, and projects as directed by the Director, Donor Relations and Senior Associate Director, Donor Relations as assigned.
- Has a deep understanding within the areas of recognition, stewardship, acknowledgement, and proposal writing. Sets activity goals and develops the annual operating budget for donor related programs.
- Works closely with the special events team in the development of recognition on an annual basis. Acts as a resource for other units regarding fundraising and engagement activities.
- 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:

- Professional work experience in advancement, alumni relations, donor relations and stewardship, communications, marketing, public relations, or similar work.
- Background in an institution of higher education or non-profit.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

- Understanding of fundraising databases such as Salesforce.
- Familiarity with Marketo or similar marketing software.
- Proficiency with the Windows environment and standard MS Office suite.

Preferred Competencies

- Strong understanding of Annual Fund fundraising and donor engagement strategies.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication, and proofreading skills.
- Demonstrated track record of strategic and creative approaches to tasks.
- Flexible and adaptable to new programs in an emerging and changing environment.
- Excellent organizational skills.
- Self-motivated and work well with and through others.
- Work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet short deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong commitment to customer service.
- Scrupulous attention to matters of discretion and confidentiality.

Working Conditions

- This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.

- Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
- Work evenings and weekends on occasion.

Application Documents

- Resume/CV (required)
- Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
Alumni Relations & Development
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Pay Rate Type
Salary
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FLSA Status
Exempt
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Pay Range
$74,000.00 - $84,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook .

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

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.

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.