The University of Illinois Chicago Office of the Vice Chancellor of Advancement invites applicants for the position of Director of Leadership Annual Giving (DLAG) who are dynamic and results-oriented to join our team. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing and implementing a comprehensive program to enhance relationships with alumni and donors, fostering their engagement, and encouraging philanthropic support at the leadership annual giving level ($1,000 – $24,999). This role will build and oversee the Digital Gift Officer (DXOs) program and utilize strategic outreach strategies, population segmentation, and an omnichannel approach to manage and grow a portfolio of donors contributing up to $24,999. The DLAG is an Alumni and Donor Engagement team member in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement (OVCA).

As a premier public R1 research institution in Chicago, we are on the heels of a successful, unprecedented campaign that saw six years of consecutive enrollment growth, sponsored research records set and broken, and accolades that reflect our mission in excellence in public education, diversity, value and social mobility.
UIC is home to many nationally ranked colleges and programs and is ranked nationally in the Top 10 for “Best Value” by the Wall Street Journal. We have earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight into Diversity six years in a row.

On a trajectory driven by bold thought leaders who define the battles against societal challenges and push the envelopes of art, opinion and performance, UIC is building for its next campaign. With significant investment in talent and programming, we seek a diversity of development professionals ready to execute transformational, life-changing fundraising and are curious, forward-thinking and solution-minded to join our team.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Development and Management

• Using data, build and lead a robust Leadership Annual Giving program to bridge the gap between annual giving and major giving, and build a healthy and sustainable donor pipeline.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance alumni and donor relationships.
• Create and execute strategic outreach plans by segmenting populations and defining goals and expected outcomes to increase philanthropic support and enhance the donor pipeline.

Team Leadership

• Supervise and mentor staff, including Digital Gift Officers (DXO).
• Ensure DXOs effectively manage a large portfolio of 500-1000 donors.
• Provide guidance and support to DXOs in their outreach efforts and ensure proper tracking and follow-up.
• Effectively collaborate with colleagues across ADE and the colleges, schools and units.

Donor Engagement, Cultivation and Solicitation

• Develop and implement philanthropic outreach strategies to deepen donor relationships.
• Utilize an omni-channel approach (email, social media, phone calls, events) to engage donors.
• Qualify, engage, and solicit donors who are qualified to make gifts of $1,000 and more.
• Help identify and cultivate potential major gift prospects within the LAG portfolio.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Analyze donor data to inform segmentation and outreach strategies.
• Track and report on key performance metrics and outcomes.
• Use data to continuously improve and refine engagement strategies.

Collaboration and Communication

• Collaborate with other departments to align LAG strategies with overall development goals.
• Partner with the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF) to execute and implement strategies and data management.
• Communicate effectively with alumni, donors, and internal stakeholders.
• Represent OVCA at events and meetings as needed.
• Serve on committees and sub-committees related to advancement, annual giving and others as needed.

Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned 

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in annual giving, donor acquisition, fundraising, donor relations, or a related field.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful donor solicitation strategies and portfolio management.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis and CRM systems.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strategic thinking and planning
• Relationship building and donor cultivation
• Data-driven decision making
• Leadership and team development
• Effective communication and presentation

FOR FULLEST CONSIDERATION, PLEASE APPLY BY MAY 16, 2025.  RESUME AND COVER LETTER REQUIRED.