Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents, and friends of the University through intellectual, professional, and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.
The Gift Management team advances the University of Chicago's fundraising efforts through its partnership with colleagues across the University to enhance a donor's experience throughout the life cycle of their giving. In furtherance of ARD goals and with a focus on operational excellence, the team develops and enforces gift acceptance policy that ensures adherence to gift acceptance principles; accurately documents, processes, and records donor gifts and commitments; monitors and reports on the status of complex giving; supports pledge fulfillment through the development and delivery of pledge reminders; and oversees gift compliance and addresses gift compliance issues.
Job Summary
The Executive Director, Gift Management manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff, including receiving, troubleshooting, processing, and other related records matters. Develops and maintains gift and records processing policies and procedures. Manages and maintains gift and records systems. Develops departmental plans in alignment with the fundraising goals of the University and division. Provides leadership to the gift processing and records staff.
This position manages the professional staff responsible for ARD's gift management functions, which includes gift administration, gift agreements, gift acceptance policy, gift compliance and pledge reminders, ensuring the collective team works collaboratively with colleagues across ARD to develop and promote sound gift management functions that lead to proper documentation, processing, recording, and stewarding of donor gifts.
Responsibilities
Leads a team, currently comprised of staff members, including managers and individual contributors.
Fosters gift management environment that aligns gift management efforts with ARD goals and supports the University's ambitious fundraising plans.
Collaborates with ARD senior leadership and various departments across the University, including the Office of Legal Counsel, Financial Services, Budget Office, Provost's Office and Dean's offices, representing the gift management team and leveraging relationships to advance the work of the team and ARD.
Oversees management of gift administration, which is responsible for the recording and receipting of all gifts and pledges to the University, in a timely fashion in accordance with University policy, donor intent, federal and state regulations, and industry best practices, and includes campaign coding in the ARD database of record, during campaign periods.
Directs the gift agreement process from beginning to end, including the team that serves as the University's primary resource in the development of gift agreements, which consists of letters of gift, pledges, intention, direction; and amendments. Ensures gift acceptance is compliant with University policy, state and federal laws, and IRS regulations.
Establishes, leads, and coordinates the University's gift compliance program. Develops and maintains processes for ensuring gifts are utilized in accordance with donor intent and for how to address gifts that have become impossible, impracticable, or inadvisable to use as originally intended.
Oversees pledge reminder process, including pledge reminders developed for University trustees, and other gift and pledge reporting for complex giving.
Produces, review, and approves gift agreements University-wide as necessary, balancing the interests of donors and the University, and memorializes the mutual commitments and obligations of both parties. Consults, negotiates, and collaborates with fundraisers, trustees, and high-level donors and their advisors, to ensure gifts are successful and compliant with internal policies and applicable laws and regulations.
Serves as subject matter expert on ARD gift management policies, particularly gift acceptance and counting policies, as well as industry counting and documentation standards (CASE). Handles requests for policy exceptions and responds to questions and requests for policy determinations. Develops and amends policies as needed.
Leads and participates on cross-department committees within ARD and across the University, to address difficult questions, spot issues, benchmark, and develop and promote best practices.
Oversees gift utilization, including for expendable and endowed gifts, and supports necessary repurposing efforts in coordination with campus partners, including the Office of Legal Counsel and colleagues with spending responsibility for the gift.
Serves as the campus compliance expert acting as a central University point of contact for guidance on compliance best practices and industry trends.
Leads, inspires and motivates staff, including through active mentoring and by promoting professional growth opportunities that adhere to programmatic needs.
Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including attending webinars, seminars, and building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
Leads the development and administration of the department's gift and records processing policies and procedures in accordance with University policy.
Develops departmental plans in alignment with the fundraising goals of the University or division and monitors progress toward goals.
Perform 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 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
--- Certifications:
---
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Coursework in tax/accounting, business, finance, professional or legal writing, gift operations or non-profit management.
Experience:
Minimum seven years of professional experience in nonprofit management, donor relations, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations, sales or similar professional work.
Minimum four years leading a project team or managing staff.
Minimum two years developing and monitoring budgets.
Technical Skills or Knowledge:
Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including the University's donor relationship management system and the Microsoft Office Suite.
Preferred Competencies
Build, lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse team, and encourage growth and change in both people and programs. A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
Act with integrity, professionalism, kindness, and confidentiality.
Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative.
Prioritize and manage multiple projects independently with a high attention to detail.
Think strategically and holistically to solve complex problems and formulate innovative solutions.
Working Conditions
This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
Standard office environment.
Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
Work evenings and weekends as needed.
This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.
Application Documents
Resume/CV (required)
Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (preferred)
When applying, the document(s) MUSTbe uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Alumni Relations & Development
Role Impact
People Manager
FLSA Status
Exempt
Pay Frequency
Monthly
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Benefits Eligible
Yes
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, 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.
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.
