Functional expert responsible for the planning, staffing, and tactical execution of the Feinberg School of Medicine’s grateful patient annual fund program, including identification, qualification, solicitation, and stewardship of grateful patient annual fund donors. Will implement broad-based relationship management plans, programs, marketing and outreach, and events designed to engage grateful patient donors.

The Assistant Director will contact and meet potential donors, and solicit annual fund gifts, as well as serve as a liaison to key partners within Northwestern University and Northwestern Medicine.

Specific Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning

• Administers and maintains existing strategic plans.
• Recommends changes and improvements to maximize and ensure most effective and efficient use of revenue streams ultimately leading to a culture of engagement and participation with the Feinberg School of Medicine.
  • Develops and executes a comprehensive stewardship plan specific to individuals giving between $1,000 and $25,000 annually.
  • Works with senior management (Associate and Assistant Deans) to establish goals and report on progress to those goals.

Collaboration

• Key partnerships include:
  • Grateful patient major gift officers
  • Associate Director, Annual Giving (Feinberg Alumni)
  • Feinberg Donor Relations/Communications team
  • Northwestern Memorial Foundation
  • External vendors
  • Northwestern University Annual Fund colleagues
  • Feinberg faculty and department administrators

Prospects and Gifts

• Under the mentorship of the Associate Dean, manages and executes all aspects of the Feinberg School of Medicine’s grateful patient annual fund program.
  • Calls upon grateful patient donors who consistently have made annual gifts of $1,000+ to clinical and research program areas across the Feinberg School.
  • Identifies consistent grateful patient annual fund donors and maintains a portfolio of individual donors who give between $10,000 and $25,000 annually, and who have the potential to increase their support.
  • Expected to devote the majority of time (60-75%) to contacting and visiting grateful patient annual fund donors and prospects.
  • Expands the Feinberg major gift donor base by more thoroughly engaging grateful patient annual fund donors and identifying and qualifying new major and planned gift leads.
  • Serves as a donor/champion liaison for Feinberg-related campaigns on the university’s Catalyzer crowdfunding platform.
• Coordinates with faculty and other gift officers to manage a select portfolio of major gift level prospects (prospective donors of $100,000+).
• Works with gift officers to develop strategic plans specific to cultivation of prospective major and planned gift donors, to maximize dollars raised and donor participation.
• Completes associated stewardship responsibilities.

Administration

• In concert with grateful patient fundraising leaders and teams, organizes and executes all aspects of acquisition and renewal mailings and communications to grateful patients.
• Manipulates data, documents results and response levels, and is responsible for tracking participants and engagement, and recording donor interactions in the Ellucian Advance database (CATracks).
• Manages timelines and related expenses.
• Communicates with coworkers and external vendors to coordinate graphic design, written content, and development of collateral materials.
• Optimizes the use of technology, including social media, for marketing, communications, and data reporting and analysis.
• Provides dashboards, metrics, and quantitative analysis of annual appeals.
• Reviews the prospect pool and develops relationships with prospective donors; tracks and documents progress and associated notes.
• Prepares contact reports on meetings and interactions with grateful patients and donors.

Volunteers and Events

• Assists with volunteer management, including generating reports and lists, coordinating updates, and other scheduled communications.
• Manages key annual programs and events.
  • Coordinates with leaders on interests in venue space, activities, and speakers.
  • Processes and maintains online event information, registration and/or databases.
  • Markets and promotes events using broadcast email, individual web pages, and/or social media.
  • Assists in scheduling details such as venue, space, caterers, musicians, technical requirements, name tags, etc.
  • Prepares event plans and summaries.
  • Reviews information and best practices, and makes recommendations for future events.

Budget

• Implements and administers approved budget for designated programs and/or events.

Supervisory

• Supervises part-time or temporary employees as needed.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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.
• Two years’ development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

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

• Organization, attention to detail, ability to take verbal/oral instruction.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with complex database programs/software.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); expert data management/Excel skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a university environment.
• Direct marketing/annual fund experience. 

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience using an Ellucian Advance database, iModules, or crowdfunding platforms.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more!

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care.  

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources.

Northwestern requires all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to limited exceptions. For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website.

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, 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.

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.