Senior Associate Director, Major Gifts - Cancer

Please include a cover letter for full consideration.

This position is within Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, based on Northwestern's Chicago campus. Hybrid schedule available.

Job Summary:

Senior fundraising position responsible for designing and implementing innovative programs to identify prospective major and/or principal gift donors to Northwestern University, specifically the Feinberg School of Medicine, including the Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center, within assigned areas of the Division of Hematology-Oncology, the Brain Tumor Institute, and the Department of Dermatology. Focusing on grateful patients and influential community leaders, devises and executes plans to qualify, cultivate, steward and solicit major and principal gift donors. Builds and adapts programs to a point of sustainability. Collaborates with various teams (e.g., NU Leadership Circle, Reunions, Schools/Units), as well as deans and/or faculty administrators, program directors, and other University leaders, to develop philanthropic and fundraising strategies. Interfaces with campus leadership to prepare for prospect meetings and solicitations.

Please note: Attendance is required at occasional events that take place outside of standard work hours.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Creates and leads a coordinated program of fundraising activities designed to increase the number and level of major and/or principal gifts donors.
• Develops and executes strategies to involve campus leaders, alumni, friends, grateful patients and volunteers, as well as identify and cultivate new individual, corporate, institutional and/or foundation prospects.
• Provides strategy and leadership in staffing fundraising efforts at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine for Lurie Cancer Center, the Division of Hematology/Oncology, the Brain Tumor Institute, the Department of Dermatology, and other assigned program areas as part of Cancer Fundraising Development Team.
• Facilitates or makes solicitations with a focus on major gift commitments of $100K to $1M+.
• Raises funds in support of biomedical research and medical education.

Collaboration

• Reviews and proposes strategic alliances, joint ventures and key collaborations with department and other University partners to identify opportunities to integrate University strategic plan goals.
• Oversees and coaches team members regarding department collaborations.
• Works collaboratively with Northwestern Medicine partners as well as with ARD colleagues on cross-school initiatives

Prospects and Gifts

• Provides leadership, determines and evaluates individual goals, develops and implements training and mentoring, and assigns and monitors coverage of primary areas of focus, ensuring that goals and objectives are attained.
• Responsible for portfolio management and achieving measurable targets for each fiscal year associated with the qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of prospects and donors to achieve cash and commitment goals for Feinberg School of Medicine Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
• Responsible for the engagement of stakeholders through special events, board meetings and initiatives key to major gift fundraising and program development.
• Represents Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Medicine at events in order to support the University and cultivate donors.
• Identifies and personally solicits high-profile, and/or extremely complex major gifts by managing a robust portfolio of pool of prospective donors at the $100K+ level and above.
• Oversees continuous research and the identification of up-to-date information on prospects, and works with other areas to coordinate contacts.
• Requires occasional evening and weekend hours.
• Requires travel throughout the region.
• Assumes leadership and mentors other staff in planning, coordination among faculty leaders, interaction and collaboration with colleagues to maximize dollars raised.

Administration

• Oversees the concurrent administration of multiple major gifts.
• Ensures compliance with prospect management guidelines for tracking and maintenance of contact and progress reporting.
• Coordinates appointments and prepares materials used by senior management, Board and volunteers for meetings, visits, events or phone calls made to hi-profile prospects.
• Manages administrative support to ensure effective, successful daily operations.
• Works daily to ensure timely, accurate completion of proposals, pledges and fund agreements.
• Documents prospect strategies and contact reports.
• Evaluates new prospects.
• Generates stewardship reports and general correspondence to cultivate major gift prospects.

Supervisory

• Provides training and orientations with regard to major gifts fundraising functions.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.

• Six years' development, marketing, sales or equivalent experience is required.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Team leadership; analytical thinking, complex problem solving and planning; global/organizational perspective; ability to work in fast-paced environment; comfortable with change and associated ambiguity.

• Solid knowledge of fundraising techniques and ability to cultivate and solicit donations from individuals at leadership gift level.

• Demonstrated ability to:

  • Communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

  • Develop and maintain strong interpersonal relationships.

  • Recruit and manage activities of volunteer staff.

  • Analyze information/situations and solve problems.

• Familiarity and comfort level using the Microsoft Office suite of applications, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within complex academic medical institutions.

• Experience in grateful patient fundraising.

• Experience working with a complex CRM, Salesforce preferred.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Ability to organize and manage multiple projects/tasks simultaneously; must have ability to work independently, collaborate with colleagues, and to adapt to changing priorities.
• Knowledge of current issues facing private universities and medical schools, students, faculty and alumni.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $111,000 to $113,300 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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