Associate Director, Major Gifts - Cancer

Department: Feinberg Development and Alumni Relations
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Please include a cover letter for full consideration.

This position is within Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine on Northwestern's Chicago campus.

Job Summary

The Associate Director, Major Gifts (Cancer Team) focuses on securing major gifts from grateful patients, alumni, and friends of Northwestern University for specific program areas within Feinberg School of Medicine. The person serving in this position manages a portfolio of potential donors and oversees all aspects of the fundraising cycle (e.g., conducting qualification visits with possible donors, engaging individuals based on their interests and philanthropic priorities, securing philanthropic commitments, and stewarding donors). The Associate Director regularly interfaces with Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members and other University leaders to prepare them for prospect meetings and solicitations.

Please note: Requires attendance at meetings and management of events outside of normal office hours (evenings, weekends, etc.). May be called upon to drive or provide own transportation to local meetings or events. Hybrid schedule available.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning- 15%

• Gathers data, assesses leads, and develops strategies designed to realize the current and life-time giving potential of individual prospects.
• Maintains consistent and appropriate contact with faculty members, administrators, program members as well as program-specific suspects, prospects and donors.
• Facilitates or makes solicitations with a focus on major gift commitments of $100K to $1M.
• Ensures effective stewardship with all existing and future constituents.

Collaboration - 20%

• Involves moderate to high level of collaboration with both internal department partners and moderate level of collaboration with broader University partners to identify and integrate resources in order to accomplish strategic goals and objectives.
• Key partnerships include:
  • Feinberg School of Medicine faculty and administrators in the Lurie Cancer Center, the Division of Hematology/Oncology, the Brain Tumor Institute, the Department of Urology and the Department of Dermatology.
  • Work with colleagues within Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Development and Alumni Relations to coordinate:
    • Moves management related to the gift officer's portfolio
    • Donor recognition and stewardship
  • Fundraising staff within Northwestern University (NU) and Northwestern Memorial Foundation (NMF):
    • Collaborates to achieve institutional goals, coordinate program prospects/constituents and fundraising efforts, and support moves management related to the gift officer's portfolio.

Prospects and Gifts - 30%

• Develops, plans and implements strategies, goals and approaches to qualify, cultivate, solicit and close major gifts.
  • Maintains responsibility for portfolio management and achieving measurable targets for each fiscal year in the areas of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects and donors, in order to meet annual and campaign goals.
• Partners with other areas of development, specifically Annual, Major and Principal Gifts colleagues internally and in central NU Alumni Relations and Development, Northwestern Memorial Foundation and other Northwestern Medicine affiliates.
• Identifies, qualifies, and personally solicits major gifts of $100K to $1M by managing a portfolio of approximately 75 prospects annually.
• Completes associated stewardship activities.
• Maintains up-to-date best practices and evaluates closed prospects.
• Recommends changes to enhance innovation, objectives and goals.

Volunteers - 10%

• Responsible for management and coordination of volunteers involved in third party, peer to peer and special event fundraising.

Events - 10%

• Responsible for management, planning and oversight of third-party fundraising events, peer to peer fundraising (i.e. crowdfunding) and special event fundraising.

Administration - 5%

• Gathers, records, and retrieves information about prospects and donors utilizing the university's donor and alumni tracking database, the Internet, meetings with development staff, faculty, etc.
  • Ensures compliance with prospect management guidelines for tracking and maintenance of contact and progress reporting.
• Prepares accurate and timely contact reports on meetings and interactions with key constituents as they occur.

Supervisory - 5%

• Assists in oversight of Program Assistant, as well as temporary workers as needed.
• Provides training to staff within or outside of immediate department or division in regard to function.

Other - 5%

• Performs related duties as required or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• 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.
• Four years of development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.
• High proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

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

• Knowledge of Feinberg School of Medicine's mission and the ability to effectively articulate (verbally and in writing) our impact on human health to the donor community.
• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices and the ability to cultivate and solicit donations from individuals at major gift capacity.
• Ability to manage one's time - simultaneously balancing multiple projects and prioritizing wisely.
• Ability to synthesize information, read situations, and solve problems using analytical thinking.
• Ability to work independently, collaborate with colleagues, and adapt with change.
• Inclination to learn about medical research studies from our faculty partners.
• Ability to teach faculty members about philanthropy and how to most effectively work with our office.
• Ability to handle sensitive information and situations with discretion, in accordance with the Northwestern Alumni Relations and Development Constituent Information Confidentiality Policy.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Experience working in philanthropy at an institution of higher education, an academic medical center, or a hospital.
• Track record of growing fundraising totals, sales, etc.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Strong writing skills to ensure that proposals and stewardship reports are succinct, clear, and compelling.
• Professional presence that conveys credibility and engenders trust.
• The ability to build strong collaborative relationships with all members of an operation across Northwestern and a diversity body of alumni and donors.
• Strong work ethic coupled with a sense of humor and perspective.
• Familiarity with planned giving vehicles, private foundations, and trends in grateful patient philanthropy.

Northwestern University, the Feinberg School of Medicine, and its Development and Alumni Relations office seek a diverse workforce and are actively recruiting candidates in accordance with the university's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $95,000-$98,000 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

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.