Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Donor Engagement

University of Illinois Chicago

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) invites applicants for the position of Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Donor Engagement (AVC). This position reports to the Vice Chancellor for Advancement and serves as a partner and active participant on the Advancement Senior Management team (SMT). The AVC is responsible for creating and leading meaningful, effective programs and relationships that provide a comprehensive constituent experience resulting in increased donor giving and alumni champions who actively support UIC’s mission. These efforts are intended to build and sustain lifelong relationships with the University’s alumni and philanthropic constituencies.

The AVC is a leader who supports, motivates and influences others to perform at the highest levels while embracing the mission, vision and values of our organization. The position directly manages a team of senior professionals who oversees central teams that drive university-wide initiatives and supports units in alumni engagement, annual giving, communications, donor relations and stewardship. The AVC improves collaboration, creates efficiencies and streamlines processes by redefining and implementing how we do business and ensures achievement of team performance expectations.

Success for the AVC is measured by the depth and breadth of formalized alumni and donor engagement and communications activities and associated metrics that are indicators of participants exhibiting the desired behaviors that actively support UIC’s mission.

Job responsibilities include:

• Creating and implementing a long-range plan for alumni and donor engagement, establishing strategic objectives, goals, and metrics for success that align with overall Advancement objectives.
• Providing leadership, management oversight, and strategic guidance for a comprehensive constituent experience involving annual giving, advancement communications, donor relations, recognition and events, and stewardship.
• Developing, leading, and implementing comprehensive, visionary strategies designed to continuously grow and improve programs, build alumni and donor engagement and activism, and provide donors with a superior giving experience and meaningful engagement points with the University.
• Optimizing coordination and collaboration between and among the college alumni and donor engagement programs and central Advancement. Building collaborative and supportive relationships with UIC leadership, deans, unit directors and SMT to facilitate alumni and donor engagement, participation, and stewardship.
• Formulating and executing strategies to connect alumni, friends and donors to the goals and priorities of the University; formulating and executing strategies to connect the University to the needs and priorities of alumni, friends, and donors. Developing programming which engages the Chancellor, campus administration, deans, and university officials with alumni and aligns UIC’s mission with alumni and donor passions.
• Overseeing development, coordination, and delivery of a comprehensive communication strategy to ensure all alumni, friends, and donors, as well as faculty and staff, are informed of and inspired by all that UIC is and does.
• Overseeing alumni and student philanthropy efforts focused on future alumni leaders and donors and annual giving efforts focused on acquisition, retention and upgrades thereby building a culture of philanthropy and a sustainable gift pipeline.
• Building and overseeing a comprehensive recognition and stewardship strategy and program, including centralized coordination of donor engagement strategies to assure quality, consistency, and effectiveness of all key aspects. Ensuring consistent donor engagement policies and protocols across the University and providing effective communication of these policies internally and externally.
• Managing high-level volunteer leadership on behalf of the University, including volunteer identification, cultivation, and ongoing engagement efforts.
• Partnering with the vice chancellor, AVCs, deans, public affairs, career offices, athletics, student affairs, and other university partners to engage alumni, friends, and donors to help meet overall University goals for success.
• Serving on and participating in university committees and representing the university at meetings and events.
• Overseeing the development and implementation of administrative processes associated with alumni and donor engagement activities, which includes: creating quantitative and qualitative measurement system to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all mass solicitations, events, communications, publications, marketing, stewardship and recognition programs.
• Managing the alumni and donor engagement team, providing training, direction, and guidance. Planning, assigning and reviewing work of staff to ensure that group objectives are met. Hiring, training, developing and managing staff to ensure that a qualified staff exists to meet group objectives.
• Performing other related duties and participating in special projects as assigned.

Job Knowledge & Skills, Education, Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
• Ten (10) plus years’ experience in higher education advancement, including development, major and annual giving fundraising, and alumni engagement. 
• Experience developing and implementing a successful donor relations and stewardship program(s) preferably in an institution of higher learning. 
• Strong track record of designing and implementing successful alumni relations strategies that have resulted in significant increases in alumni engagement and donor participation.
• Stature, credibility, and capacity to build and sustain effective relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organization and with external constituencies; to influence senior colleagues, often without authority; and to advocate for and secure resources in support of Advancement’s agenda.
• Demonstrated skill in achieving alignment, working cross-university, providing active support and close collaboration amongst a broad range of stakeholders in relation to strategic plans and execution.

University of Illinois Chicago

As a top research institute, a leading healthcare provider, and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse universities in the country UIC is paving the way for how modern, urban, global public education should work.  We are, and have been since our earliest days, dedicated to opening doors and clearing hurdles to provide an outstanding education to bright and ambitious students, no matter what.  This mission is amplified through our five-year, $750 million IGNITE Campaign that will redefine the model for student success, cultivate and empower faculty leaders, drive life-changing discovery and strengthen connections to communities. 

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement connects the vision and passion of UIC’s alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and corporations and foundations, with the pieces of our mission most meaningful to them.  We help donors create the impact they envision, whether it be scholarship for a promising student seeking a life-changing education, funding for researchers working to discover new knowledge in a particular arena or support for a university-community collaboration that will anchor stronger, healthier societies.

TO APPLY, PLEASE GO DIRECTLY TO THE UIC JOB BOARD: https://jobs.uic.edu/job-board/job-details?jobID=138961&job=assistant-vice-chancellor-for-alumni-donor-engagement.    FOR FULLEST CONSIDERATION PLEASE APPLY BY December 7, 2020.  RESUME AND COVER LETTER REQUIRED. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience.  UIC also offers a comprehensive benefits package.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

The University of Illinois may conduct background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899