Senior Director

Department

ADV Communications

About the Department

The Advancement Office engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. Advancement raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.

The Advancement Communications team works with Advancement partners to shape and brand communications to engage, steward, and inform alumni, donors, and friends of the University of Chicago. The design team, which supports this group, utilizes communications and design best practices to shape impressions for signature events and other programming that supports Advancement philanthropic goals and strengthens the University’s identity in the world.

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Philanthropic Communications provides visionary leadership for the development, review, distribution, and alignment of high-impact donor-facing materials. The Senior Director is responsible for developing and driving strategies for gift proposals, bespoke donor materials, and annual giving stewardship reports, ensuring all communications resonate with diverse donor audiences and inspire philanthropic investment.

This role manages a team or multiple teams of managers and professional staff responsible for planning, preparing and disseminating information designed to keep the public informed of the University's perspectives, programs, and accomplishments. Develops and plans marketing, press relations, creative editorial and design services, and internal communications.

Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Executive Director, Stewardship and Events, and the Assistant Vice President, Advancement Communications, develops and implements a comprehensive strategy for philanthropic communications that aligns with organizational goals and donor engagement strategies. 
• Develops and implements strategies for distributing donor-facing content across appropriate channels to maximize reach and engagement. 
• Serves as a senior advisor on donor communications, providing guidance to leadership and fundraising teams on messaging, tone, and content personalization. 
• Directs the creation and delivery of proposals, stewardship materials, gift announcements, and customized donor content to ensure alignment with donor motivations and organizational priorities. 
• Provides leadership and oversight of the philanthropic communications team by managing workloads, setting clear goals, and supporting the professional growth of team members to ensure efficiency and collaboration.
• Fosters a culture of excellence by implementing standards, training, and feedback systems to enhance the professionalism and reputation of expertise of the writing team.
• Collaborates with internal teams to align content distribution efforts with organizational priorities and fundraising campaigns. 
• Identifies and leverages meaningful content created in other parts of the organization, ensuring alignment with donor communication goals. 
• Builds relationships with program teams, researchers, and organizational leaders to source compelling stories, data, and insights for donor materials. 
• Serves as a connector across departments, ensuring seamless integration of organizational content into philanthropic communications. 
• Leverages data and insights to craft content tailored to diverse donor audiences, emphasizing storytelling that connects donors to organizational impact. 
• Evaluates the effectiveness of donor communications strategies and materials, implementing data-driven improvements to enhance outcomes. 
• Innovates strategies for personalizing communications to strengthen donor relationships and inspire giving. 
• Builds strong partnerships with internal stakeholders, including fundraisers, program leaders, and senior executives, to support organizational objectives. 
• Represents the organization’s communications expertise in cross-departmental initiatives and donor-related planning. 
• Stays informed on trends and best practices in donor communications, philanthropy, and audience engagement. 
• Develops communication strategy, provides leadership and management of communications staff, liaises with other University and Unit offices as appropriate.
• Oversees the writing, preparation, and/or delivery of information from or about the unit. Is accountable for maintaining the unit's goals and communications strategy in publications, announcements, and speeches.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree.

Experience:

• Minimum seven years of professional experience in communications, marketing, public relations nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, sales, or similar professional field.
• Minimum four years leading a project team or managing staff.
• Minimum two years developing and monitoring budgets.
• Background within a higher education environment.
• Demonstrated success in managing donor communication initiatives for high-net-worth individuals or institutional donors. 

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's donor relationship management system.
• Proficient in Microsoft Windows.
• Deep understanding of fundraising practices, donor stewardship, and philanthropic principles. 
• Familiarity with audience segmentation, content personalization, and CRM tools.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven expertise in developing high-quality, audience-focused donor communications and publications. 
• Build, lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse team, and encourage growth and change in both people and programs. A strong commitment to personal and professional development, and foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting.
• Prioritize multiple projects and independently follow through with detail.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively.
• Outstanding writing, storytelling, and editorial skills, with a strong ability to synthesize complex information into compelling narratives. 
• Strategic thinker with a results-oriented mindset and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 
• Self-motivated and take initiative.

Working Conditions

• This position has a hybrid work schedule which includes weekly in office presence.
• Standard office environment.
• Travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.
• This position is located in Hyde Park at 5235 South Harper Court.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter, addressed to Hiring Committee (preferred)

Job Family

Communications

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$114,750.00 - $135,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.