"Major Gifts Officer"

For more than 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top four graduate fine arts programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago Museum, on-campus galleries and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, and LeRoy Neiman.

Please click on the links below to view our competitive, comprehensive benefits package:

• Hiring Range: $68,000 - $82,000
• Benefits
• PTO Overview
• Job Classification: Full-Time Salaried Staff
• Grade Level: 8

JOB SUMMARY: The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) is a key member of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's (SAIC) Office of Advancement. The MGO develops and implements strategic initiatives to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors to ensure a strong base of perpetual financial support for SAIC.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Actively directs and manages a growing portfolio of approximately 40 major gift donors.
• Designs and implements innovative strategies to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors for major gifts ($25k and above).
• Provides bespoke, creative stewardship for individual major gifts donors.
• Ensures a pipeline of new donors by partnering with research staff to identify and qualify major gift prospects.
• Provides portfolio development support, strategic counsel, and assists with donor communications and events.
• Collaborates with research, advancement operations, and donor stewardship to maintain excellent data accuracy within donor profiles, gift records, and stewardship reporting.
• Collaborates with other development colleagues and partners across campus.
• Facilitates estate and legacy conversations with planned giving supporters.
• Utilizes CRM to track and manage donor/prospect portfolios and monitors individual results towards fundraising goals.
• Other duties and special projects as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED (an equivalent amount of training, education, and experience will be considered)

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 5-7 years track record of progressively responsible experience in a non-profit philanthropy environment or analogous work environment, including experience managing a donor portfolio and securing five and six-figure gifts
• Previous experience conducting major fundraising activities
• Previous experience managing planned gifts preferred
• Interest in art and the humanities is preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships, through bespoke, creative stewardship
• Ability to work independently and be self-driven towards goals
• Ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities
• Ability to understand a range of diverse cultural differences and work effectively with people from a range of social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
• Metrics focused with the ability to meet deadlines as necessary
• Excellent organizational skills, and meticulous attention to detail

WORK ENVIRONMENT (environmental and atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of the functions of this job)

• Office environment
• Some travel required

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES AND COORDINATION

• Not applicable

EQUIPMENT USED TO PERFORM THE JOB (may be representative but not all inclusive of those commonly associated with this position)

• Standard office equipment
• Personal computer and printer
• Raiser’s Edge or similar fundraising software
• MS Office, Google environment

UNION: This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Council 31.

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.