University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Looking for Senior Director of Advancement Full Time

Senior Director of Advancement

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Based in Urbana-Champaign with hybrid opportunities

The
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs invites applications and
nominations for a full-time Senior Director of Advancement. This position will
serve as the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) for the unit and will have
oversight for all of the advancement activities for Student Affairs, including
supervision of a staff of four. This position will also manage a portfolio of
prospective major and principal gift donors and will partner with CAOs of other
colleges and leadership within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for
Institutional Advancement (OVCIA) to implement an integrated approach for
philanthropic impact and mission-drive priorities across the unit.

Student
Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is comprised of 30
departments and is one of the most comprehensive Student Affairs organizations
in the country. The Student Affairs advancement program was established 25
years ago and has the infrastructure for success in attracting annual and major
gifts and corporate partnerships. Opportunities exist to grow private support
for a variety of areas, including student support, success, and persistence
initiatives; health, wellness, and wellbeing programs; multiple cultural
centers; and emergency support for students.

Job Summary
Reporting jointly to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement, the Senior Director of Advancement will provide strategic vision, leadership, and direction for all fundraising, constituent engagement, and advancement operations for Student Affairs. Serving as the head fundraiser for the unit and coordinating all constituent relations, stewardship, donor relations, communications, and related activities. The position leads an overall team of four professionals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Major
Gifts 

• Provide leadership, manage, and develop advancement strategy for the Vice Chancellor’s Student Affairs Advisory Council.
• Formulate, establish, and evaluate an annual plan with fundraising goals and drive the plan to execution through appropriate engagement of staff throughout Student Affairs. Oversee and provide direction for Student Affairs’ overall prospect portfolio.
• Manage a personal portfolio of major gift prospects, using a focused and accountable approach of strategy development and implementation.
• Facilitate the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs’ engagement with a portfolio of the most important major donors and prospects.
• Lead a small major gift team tasked with identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors; creating, coordinating and writing funding proposals directed at individuals, corporations and foundations; and ensuring consistent message throughout Student Affairs and its units. Encourage and facilitate collaboration with other advancement professionals across campus.

Strategy
and Planning

• Lead the Student Affairs advancement program in support of the University’s mission, vision, and goals, in alignment with the strategic plan of Student Affairs.
• Provide guidance as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs’ chief advisor in matters related to advancement.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with leadership throughout the units of Student Affairs in order to thoroughly understand their programs and priorities and to collaborate on engaging alumni and donors in support of advancement activities.
• Facilitate effective collaborative relationships with other advancement offices across campus, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement (OVCIA), the University of Illinois Foundation, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association.
• Serve as part of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs leadership team and on other relevant administrative committees.

Management
and Budget

• In collaboration with the Student Affairs financial leadership team, plan and administer the budget for the advancement office to ensure operation within fiscal constraints.
• Hire, manage, train, provide oversight, and evaluate a team of academic professionals and support staff.
• Supervise, train, provide oversight and evaluate two major gift officers, partnering with these gift officers on the development strategy for major prospects.
• Maintain familiarity with current issues in higher education. Retain knowledge and understanding of the specific programs and strengths of the units of Student Affairs.

Constituent
Engagement

• In alignment with the strategic priorities of Student Affairs, oversee coordination of enhanced, comprehensive and meaningful alumni and corporate engagement activities that foster lifelong connections between Student Affairs and its constituents.
• Provide leadership and oversight to the Student Affairs stewardship program, including the Leadership Awards and Scholarships Program. Ensure appropriate processes and procedures for gift documentation and acknowledgement, fund management processes, and donor recognition and reporting.
• Share Student Affairs’ vision, mission, and goals with important external stakeholders, including alumni, friends, and parents, through public relations, communications, and marketing efforts. Partner with the communications and marketing staff to ensure consistency of message and brand.

Impact
in Your First Year

At
Advancement at Illinois, we value our employees and provide resources to help
you continually learn and grow. We foster a strong, collaborative community of
people who are driven by their ability to make a difference.

Within
3 months, you’ll:

• Understand the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs’ strategic vision and priorities for Student Affairs
• Begin to build positive relationships with key internal stakeholders and external constituents as well as with leadership and peers in Advancement
• Assess the structure, resources, capabilities, and bandwidth of your advancement office/team as well as individual and collective progress to goals
• Become familiar with the overarching structure of Advancement at Illinois and the alignment between central Advancement services, the University of Illinois Foundation, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association
• Attend professional development and networking activities for newcomers within Advancement
• Meet your assigned Prospect Development Analyst and begin to dig into your portfolio

Within
6 months, you’ll:

• Begin cultivating relationships with the key prospects/donors/alumni
• Understand, evaluate, and offer strategic insight into unit-specific advancement opportunities and initiatives
• Be able to share the programmatic and philanthropic needs of units

By
the end of the first year, you’ll:

• Continue to develop and enhance a trusting and collaborative team culture
• Cooperatively set annual performance goals/metrics with your staff, portfolio management team, and Performance Management
• Continue portfolio growth of qualified prospects and successful solicitation strategies
• Partner with People & Culture and Performance Management teams for individual and team coaching, professional development, retreat, and goal-setting opportunities
• Build a robust network of colleagues across campus

Travel Requirements
10% In and out of state travel occasionally required.
Required Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of successful advancement experience, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Documented success as a major gift fundraiser, preferably in higher education.
• Advanced experience analyzing and implementing strategic development activities.
• Experience working collaboratively and independently with a diverse constituency exhibiting a high level of sophistication and maturity in social and professional settings, particularly among high-net-worth individuals.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Supervisory, management experience, which may overlap with advancement work experience.
• Experience managing volunteer groups effectively, including advisory boards and councils.
• Completion of Plus Delta Discipline of Frontline Fundraising program or similar training in academic advancement best practices.

Knowledge, Skills, and
Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to build trusting partnerships across all stakeholders, create impactful donor experiences, and work with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Understanding of higher education infrastructure, including institutional leadership, department leadership (faculty chairs/leaders), alumni structure and student experiences, as well as the operations and goals of development and alumni relations teams with a focus on philanthropy.
• Knowledge of TED or related donor database tool.
• Knowledge and/or experience working in the major components of advancement including development, communications and public relations, alumni engagement, and special events.
• Knowledge of planned giving fundraising vehicles.
• Ability to function effectively in a large, de-centralized environment. Demonstrate knowledge about advancement and alumni relations. Excellent presentation skills and superior communication skills.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 4/1/2024. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal
equity. The salary range for
this position starts at $120,000.00.

Please
note: Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on Friday, March 1st, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Keri Collins at [email protected]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

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The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected].

The
Illinois Advancement community is committed to an ongoing, proactive process to
foster and achieve diversity and inclusion in its development, alumni relations
and communication activities. We will respect and encourage different voices,
perspectives and ideas as we strive to represent individuals of all backgrounds
and cultures which incudes but are not limited to the following: nationality,
ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, spirituality, age and ability who represent
our alumni, donors and friends of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

When
you pursue a career with Illinois Advancement, you’ll join our tight-knit
community of professionals who treat each other with as much care and respect
as we treat our donors. At Illinois, we invest in you. Our leaders are eager to
partner with you on the next phase of your career and have the tools and
experience to help you succeed. Illinois Advancement values creativity and
fosters a collaborative, flexible environment to develop new ideas that become
best practices – and we’re looking for your unique skills. Learn more
about what others have to say about their experiences: Opportunity Awaits.

CAMPUS
AND COMMUNITY:
The
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public
land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked
among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and
graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and
applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It
employs about 3,000 faculty members who serve over 33,000 undergraduates and
17,000 graduate and professional students. More information about the campus is
available at www.illinois.edu.

The
university is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana (total
population 226,000) in east-central Illinois, and is situated about 140 miles
south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St.
Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and
recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research
institution. For more information
about the community, visit: Living in Champaign-Urbana, Experience Champaign Urbana, or Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

Health
insurance is available to employees (with the option to purchase coverage for
spouse and dependents), required participation in State Universities Retirement
System (SURS), with several options for participation in additional retirement
plans. Learn more about employee
benefits at the University of Illinois. Newly hired
employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security and are subject to
this deduction.

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Requisition ID: 1022800

Job Category: Administrative

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu