The Organization
About the Department
The University of Chicago Library enables intellectual discovery and rigorous learning through the breadth and depth of its collections, extensive expertise, innovative programs, and diverse spaces. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive community, enhancing access to scholarly resources, advancing digital scholarship, engaging locally and globally, and exceling in a changing environment. Comprising six distinct sites across campus, the Library is the 9th largest academic library in North America, with 12.4 million volumes in print and electronic form. The Library’s Center for Digital Scholarship is at the forefront of leveraging technology and drives research sharing, preservation, and analysis. The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center is home to rare books, manuscripts, and the University Archives, including The Chicago Jazz Archive, The John Maloof Collection of Vivian Maier, and papers/medals of 21 Nobel Prize winners. Alongside its collections and resources, the Library is committed to enriching the learning experience and nurturing the next generation of scholars and librarians through Fellowships and Residency programs.
Position Overview
The Associate Director of Development is a collaborative colleague and member of a three-person team. The position will help foster a culture of philanthropy and engagement with grant-making institutions in support of the Library and its mission. As part of the University of Chicago, we collaborate with Alumni Relations and Development colleagues across campus.
The Associate Director will manage programs designed to meet University fundraising goals for philanthropic income from institutional sources for the Library, as well as manage the Library’s government grants program. The post-holder will serve as an institutional giving strategist, by researching, composing, and editing institutional funding applications, as well as reports and other communications. The position also supports and/or leads targeted projects in coordination with the Director of Development.
Alumni Relations & Development:
The University of Chicago’s Alumni Relations and Development Office (ARD) sets and achieves University fundraising and participation goals by maximizing philanthropic support and increasing engagement of the University’s worldwide community of alumni, parents, families, and friends. ARD recently closed the hugely successful Inquiry & Impact campaign exceeding ambitious goals, rallying our global community, and raising $5.43 billion in support of the University’s distinctive and enduring values and laying a strong foundation for future ambitions.
Library Development:
The Library’s Development department is responsible for enabling the strategic plans and aspirations of the University Librarian and Library leadership by securing philanthropic, grant, and government funding. Ambitious plans include: launching a collaborative community engagement program, increasing research undertaken by librarians and other academic staff at the Library, amplifying the Library’s contribution to the University’s academic conversations through a new Speaker Series, and making an impact through the development of digital platforms and other digitization projects to enhance scholarship.
Responsibilities
Institutional Fundraising
- Leads discovery and prospect engagement activity for institutional funders with the goals of increasing revenue, expanding the prospect pool, and growing the Library donor base.
- Achieves personal funding activity goals monthly, quarterly, and annually.
- Leads and coordinates the writing of a broad spectrum of fundraising materials including, but not limited to: cover letters, letters of inquiry, applications/proposals, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), renewal requests, and interim and final reports to institutional funders.
- Facilitates and coordinates with experts across the Library, University, and strategic partners on contributions to grant applications and grant-funded projects.
- Ensures grant applications and grant-award contracts are submitted for review and approval by University Research Administration.
- Manages all institutional fundraising activity at the Library and coordinates with colleagues in similar roles across the University, with a particular emphasis on University Research Administration, as well as Alumni Relations and Development.
- Serves as a central resource for information relating to institutional funding opportunities and industry trends.
- Identifies new opportunities for institutional funding that align with the Library’s aspirations and programs including outreach and relationship building with prospective institutions, as well as maintaining solid relationships with existing funders.
- Facilitates internal meetings with colleagues to advance prospect/donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to ensure the Library builds and maintains relationships with our donors.
- Project-manages funded activity to ensure goals and objectives are met, including anticipating and tracking deliverables.
Communications
- Leads the project management on the development of the Library’s annual report, in collaboration with the Assessment Librarian and Director of Communications.
- Researches, writes, and edits Development communications including the department’s contributions to the Library’s annual newsletter, as well as regular e-newsletters.
Other duties
- Assists in leading the planning and implementation of programs to identify, visit, and solicit alumni, parents, and other constituencies within an assigned geographical region for gifts and tries to reach fundraising goal. Does this with a limited level of guidance and direction.
- Has a deep understanding of plans to solicit prospective donors and meet campaign goals. This includes speaking to new prospects persuasively about the case for annual giving support.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Education, Experience, and Certifications
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
College or university degree
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience:
- Experience in a university setting or a similarly complex institution.
- Experience with writing complex subject material.
Preferred Competencies
- Ability to take complicated information from various sources and synthesize it to identify and clarify key issues and opportunities, as well as developing a compelling message.
- Ability to manage multiple details while adhering to a broader concept or purpose.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver to deadlines.
- Excellent written communication skills.
- Ability to work cooperatively and in a team-oriented environment and to build and maintain effective working relationships with diverse colleagues, faculty, staff, and students.
Application Documents
- Resume/CV (required)
- Cover Letter (addressed to Hiring Committee) (required)
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Posting Statement
Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Staff 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.
We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.
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.
To Apply
To apply for this position, external candidates must submit their profile and any other required materials through https://uchicago.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/External/job/Chicago-IL/Associate-Director-of-Development_JR20540. Internal candidates must apply by logging into Workday using their CNet ID and password; for more information, please see How to Apply for a UChicago Job (Current Employee) QRG.
Resumes sent via mail, fax, or email will not be considered. For more information, please see https://www.uchicago.edu/jobs/.