Senior Associate Director, Donor Relations

Senior Associate Director, Donor Relations

Job ID: 46832
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Department: Law Development
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Job Summary:
Under the direction of the Associate Dean of Alumni Relations and Development, the Senior Associate Director manages all stewardship and donor relations activities designed to acknowledge Northwestern Pritzker School of Law donors and maintain a robust stewardship program within the Department of Alumni Relations and Development. These activities include: overseeing the development and creation of programming such as the honor roll; recognition events, publications and signage; and fund reports. Additionally, the Senior Associate Director is tasked with developing high-level, custom stewardship plans for key donors and prospects as well as developing and managing a stewardship pool in coordination with gift officers. The position also manages strategic partnerships around the school and university, including Law Finance, Gift and Record Services, Central Donor Relations, Faculty Affairs, Gift Agreement and Acceptance, Accounting Services and Fiduciary Services. The Senior Associate Director manages an assistant director and supervises the writing of gift-related and development correspondence, decanal remarks, initiative focues talking points, student-related stewardship, and annual fund stewardship.

Northwestern Pritzker Law prides itself on its active and diverse community, which brings together a passionate and talented group of students, staff, and faculty. The Law School endeavors to take principled action towards ensuring that we live up to our responsibility—and our institutional values—to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community for all constituents. Law School leadership commits to working tirelessly to ensure every member feels valued, all students can study and train to be successful in their careers, all staff members can develop personally and professionally, and where our faculty can both teach and support our students and produce top quality research and scholarship.

The target budgeted salary range for this position is $81,275.00 to $101,594.00 annually. Offers will be based on candidate experience, education, as well as equity within Northwestern University.

Specific Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning

• Identifies, researches, & cultivates donors through the creation of strategic long-term stewardship plans & the management of daily stewardship activities.
• Creates and implements strategic long-term (5+ years) stewardship plans for key donors, paying special attention to critical & high-end donors ($1M+), in coordination with gift officers.
• Develops and implements new initiatives to demonstrate impact of philanthropy on Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
• Develops and implements new initiatives to enhance donor recognition.

Collaboration

• Involves high level of collaboration with both internal department and broader University partners to identify common goals & develop & execute strategies to increase integration.
• Works with Central Donor Relations on stewardship plans for top 50 NU families.
• Works with Associate Dean and other top Law School leadership on stewarding, recognizing, and reporting on very high principal-level gifts.
• Works with Law Finance, Gift and Record Services, Gift Agreement and Acceptance, Accounting Services and Fiduciary Services, to set up new gift and endowed funds as needed and ensures proper spending of existing funds.
• Works with key law school stakeholders (faculty, program managers, Finance, Admissions) on annual reporting on the spending of gift and endowed funds.
• Works with key ARD and law school stakeholders on other campaign initiatives and reporting as needed.

Prospects & Gifts

• Creates and implements strategic long-term (5+ years) stewardship plans for key donors, paying special attention to critical & high-end donors ($1M+), in coordination with gift officers.
• Develops and manages a robust stewardship pool, in coordination with gift officers, accompanying on joint visits when appropriate.
• Manages personal pool of stewardship prospects, conducting visits, and maintaining regular contact.

Events

• Provides strategic oversight of stewardship recognition events, working with VIP donors and senior leadership to determine scope and details of events, and, when applicable, working with vendors to execute events.

Administration

• Chief communications strategist and primary writer for the ARD team.
• Oversees gift processing, performed by Program Assistant, to ensure that gifts are processed in a timely manner and are appropriately attributed and allocated.
• Oversees major gift agreement requests, personally managing requests of $1M+ or from associate dean.
• Monitors the use of the Law School’s endowed funds, ensuring that documentation and practices are in place to use all funds consistent with donor intent, partnering strategically with law school staff.
• Manages editorial content, production and distribution of 170+ fund reports each year to over 300 donors (endowed and expendable).
• Trouble shoots for ARD when gift allocation issues arise.
• Coordinates physical recognition around the school and maintain list of named spaces, in coordination with Facilities.
• Oversees the creation and production of the Honor Roll and other recognition mailings or publications.
• Oversees gift acknowledgement communications, ensuring that donors are acknowledged in a timely and appropriate manner, in coordination with Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Program Assistant.

Budget

• Strategically manages donor relations budget of approximately $40,000.

Supervisory

• Manages Assistant Director of Donor Relations.
• Provides training to staff within or outside of immediate dept or division in regard to function.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-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.
• 6 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

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

• Team leadership; curiosity and analytical thinking, global/organizational perspective; complex problem solving; ability to work in fast-paced environment).

Please apply online at https://careers.northwestern.edu/psp/hr857prd_er/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=46832&PostingSeq=1

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 strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.