UChicago
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Director, Individual Giving

Location
Chicago, IL · On-site
Job type
Full-time
Level
Executive
Experience
7+ years
Education
Bachelor's degree
Listed
Yesterday

Skills & highlights for this role

  • Major gift solicitation
  • Donor cultivation and stewardship
  • Moves management
  • Fundraising strategy
  • Proposal writing
  • Portfolio management
  • Relationship building

Also useful

  • Planned giving
  • Volunteer management
  • Budget development and monitoring
  • Supervisory experience
  • University or complex institution experience
  • Program planning and management

About the role

Department

Bsd Dev

Individual Giving - Education & Community

Job Summary

The job has deep knowledge and expertise in leading programs designed to meet fundraising goals for contributed income. Serves as strategist of efforts to secure gifts and build relationships with alumni, faculty, administrators and organizations with potential to make gifts. Develops communication strategies for projects.

Responsibilities

  • The Director of Individual Giving is a leader on a team that raises $5-15M from individuals and family foundations to advance the fundraising priorities established by the Leadership Team of Medicine & Biological Sciences Development (MBSD) and the Dean/CEO of The University of Chicago Medicine (UCM).
  • Has a personal fundraising goal of $2 - 10M.
  • Manage a portfolio of 60 to 80 qualified donors and will contribute to a fundraising team responsible for a total of 200 - 500 prospective donors and donors.
  • Responsible for the cultivation, solicitation, gift closure, and stewardship of prospective donors and donors in their own portfolio. May manage the efforts of direct reports to similarly advance relationships of the individuals, families, and foundations in their portfolios.
  • Will be assigned regional territories where they will travel to meet with alumni and donors to the Pritzker School of Medicine and the BSD graduate programs. The Director will engage in approximately 6-8 trips to their regional territories each year.
  • Works with MBSD's Leadership Team, the UCM CEO/Dean, Trustees, Faculty, and volunteers as well as MBSD staff to identify and qualify prospects for support of his/her assigned Divisions, Departments, and/or Programs.
  • Using a Moves Management process, conceives of, promotes, and coordinates the interaction of potential and current donors with faculty and other individuals who have the ability to deepen the prospective donor's engagement with the University. Implements strategies to keep prospective donors and donors involved and informed of ongoing projects and programs.
  • Conceives of, develops, and writes fundraising proposals and in so doing will collaborate with the Individual Giving team and with the Development Marketing & Communications team. Oversees the work of their direct reports as they develop solicitation proposals for prospects in their portfolios.
  • May be responsible for mentoring and leading up to two direct reports so that annual goals are met.
  • Establishes fundraising goals and priorities based on department objectives, designs strategies to meet those goals, and monitors progress against goals. Manages a portfolio of current and potential donors.
  • Works closely with Senior Leadership, Officers and Deans to design strategic objectives and action steps that will lead to the successful realization of these projects.
  • Performs 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

Experience

  • Experience in development or a related field such as public relations, sales, marketing, or non-profit management.
  • Experience planning and managing programs.
  • Experience soliciting and closing major gifts.
  • Planned giving experience.
  • Experience managing volunteers.
  • Experience in a university setting or a similarly complex institution.
  • Supervisory experience.
  • Experience developing and monitoring budgets.

Preferred Competencies

  • Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, characterized by the ability to listen, to speak, and to write well with a strong commitment to customer service.
  • Excellent organizational skills, and a high degree of flexibility and initiative.
  • Familiarity with personal computers and database applications.
  • Ability to travel to meet with alumni and donors/prospective donors in key regions approximately 6-8 times per year to domestic locations.
  • Ability to attend evening and weekend functions when necessary.
  • 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 Development and Alumni Relations, including the Alumni Development Database System Phoenix, a Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Office Suite.
  • An exceptional work ethic and track record of personal initiative.
  • Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with a team of highly motivated individuals.
  • Familiarity with The University of Chicago.

Working Conditions

  • Office Environment (hybrid schedule).
  • Hybrid schedule, 3 days in-office, 2 days remote.

Application Documents

  • Resume/CV (required)
  • Cover letter (preferred)

Additional information

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

  • Job Family
  • Alumni Relations & Development
  • Role Impact
  • Individual Contributor
  • Scheduled Weekly Hours
  • 37.5
  • Drug Test Required
  • No
  • Health Screen Required
  • No
  • Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
  • No
  • Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range $120,000.00 - $170,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

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. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

About the Department

Medicine and Biological Sciences Development's mission is to inspire and facilitate philanthropy at the University of Chicago Medicine by building relationships with those who share its goals of advancing excellence in research, education, community, and patient care. We accomplish this mission through expertise, integrity, creativity, and collaboration.

Read the original posting

From UChicago's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on November 13, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.

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Common questions

Where is the Director, Individual Giving job at UChicago located?

This Director, Individual Giving position at UChicago is located in Chicago, IL (On-site). Always check UChicago's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.

What qualifications are required for Director, Individual Giving at UChicago?

For the Director, Individual Giving role, UChicago highlights 7+ years of relevant experience; a bachelor's degree; experience with Major gift solicitation, Donor cultivation and stewardship, Moves management, Fundraising strategy, Proposal writing, Portfolio management. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.

How do I apply for the Director, Individual Giving position at UChicago?

This listing links directly to UChicago's Workday application page. You can apply directly on UChicago's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Workday application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.