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Director of International Advancement - Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement

Employer
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Location
Illinois, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Closing date
Sep 3, 2022

View more

Position Type
Fundraising, Major Gifts
Fields
Education
Employment Type
Full Time

Director of International Advancement

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement

University of Illinois

Based in Urbana-Champaign or Chicago with hybrid opportunities

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement (OVCIA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks a full-time frontline fundraiser for our international advancement operations.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a global, preeminent university, and since its founding in 1867, has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement. With almost 11,000 international students on campus, Illinois has the second highest number of international students of any university in the U.S., and an estimated 50,000 alumni and graduates live outside of the United States. Over 2,000 students study abroad each year and Illinois has partnerships with more than 400 top international academic institutions.

The University is on the cusp of successfully completing its most ambitious philanthropic campaign, “With Illinois,” raising over $2.6B. But we will not stop there as we continue to demonstrate the tremendous impact of support for Illinois students, faculty, research, and infrastructure. We will continue to elevate the values that make Illinois distinctive: a sense of boundless aspiration, collaborative research, and global perspective, while recognizing our generous philanthropic community of donors.

While primarily focused on frontline fundraising, the position will have broad responsibilities related to the University’s comprehensive fundraising and engagement program in key countries and will require substantial international travel of varying durations as well as strategic use of video meetings.

The successful candidate will have strong cross-cultural communication skills, an ability to thrive amidst ambiguity, and a commitment to creative approaches to prospecting. Frontline fundraisers are trained in Plus Delta’s Discipline of Frontline Fundraising program and new hires will enter a future trainee cohort.

The Director of Advancement should be a collaborative team member who values inclusion and innovation and is skilled at building strong internal and external collaborative relationships. This position is located at the Illini Center in Chicago, with an option to be based in the Urbana-Champaign area.

OVCIA is a central office that supports an innovative and collaborative work environment. To quote a team member: “What I value most as an employee in Advancement at Illinois is the collaborative and collegial relationships collectively representing one of the great institutions in higher education; an institution which now aspires to be the pre-eminent public research university with global impact. It is both empowering and humbling to be part of this grand vision!”

Organization Relationship

The Director of International Advancement will develop and build a portfolio of individuals in select international markets with the inclination, affinity, and capacity to philanthropically invest in the Urbana campus. Reporting to the Senior Director of International Advancement (Global Advancement Team Lead) and working closely with the Associate Director of International Constituent Engagement as well as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, this position will assist the colleges and their departments in designing strategies to broaden and strengthen the university’s international development, outreach and constituent relations activities, building upon existing relationships.

Job Summary
Will develop and build a portfolio of individuals in select international markets with the inclination, affinity, and capacity to philanthropically invest in the Urbana campus. This position will assist the colleges and their departments in designing strategies to broaden and strengthen the university's international development, outreach and constituent relations activities, building upon existing relationships.

Duties & Responsibilities

 

  • Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward international major and principal gift prospects and donors. Plan and implement an effective entrepreneurial approach to identifying and qualifying prospects and building relationships in markets that are still being developed. Actively contribute to volunteer engagement activities, parent giving, leadership annual giving, event planning, communications, and other responsibilities as needed to develop and sustain a major gifts pipeline. Document all activities and interactions in the alumni/donor database.
  • Develop and maintain close collaborative partnerships with campus and unit colleagues to ensure a strong baseline knowledge of campus, college, and unit programs and fundraising priorities and an ability to devise and execute sound prospect strategies.
  • Prepare university leadership, faculty, and volunteers to participate in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts as needed.

 

 

Impact in Your first Year

Advancement at Illinois, we value our employees and provide resources to help you continually learn and grow. We foster a strong, collaborative community of people who are driven by their ability to make a difference.

Within 3 months, you will:

  • Become familiar with the strategic vision and priorities of the OVCIA and units across campus
  • Attend training, professional development, and networking activities for newcomers within Advancement
  • Understand Illinois’ fundraising fundamentals and how those are operationalized in our alumni CRM system. Meet your assigned Prospect Development Analyst and begin working with your portfolio
  • Be introduced to fundraising fundamentals terminology adopted from Plus Delta Partners

Within 6 months, you will:

  • Begin cultivating relationships with key donors/alumni/prospects/volunteers and deepen those with unit and OVCIA colleagues, to create and implement major gift strategies
  • Partner with annual giving, events, alumni relations, communications, major gift officers, and stewardship and donor relations colleagues on initiatives

By the end of the first year, you will:

  • Cooperatively set annual goals with your supervisor
  • Continue portfolio growth of qualified prospects and successful solicitation strategies
  • Receive one-on-one coaching from Talent Management to help you transition to your new role
  • Build a robust network of colleagues across campus

Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree 

• Minimum five years documented success as a major and/or principal gift fundraiser in higher education or ten years of documented successful experience in a closely related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome driven components

• Global viewpoint and perspective as well as international travel experience

• Experience working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment

Preferred Qualifications
• Experience living abroad, second language fluency
• Documented success as an individual major gift or principal gift fundraiser in higher education
• Direct experience working with faculty leaders

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

 

  • Superb time management and organizational skills
  • Data driven and a flawless attention to detail
  • Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with an emphasis on engaged, active listening
  • Preferred:
  • Basic knowledge of gift planning
  • Completion of Plus Delta Discipline of Frontline Fundraising program or similar training in academic advancement best practices
  • A high degree of initiative and an ability to work independently

 

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications, while also considering internal equity. Salary range starts at $90k. 

Application Procedures & Deadline Information
Applications must be received by August 26, 2022. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Katie Walker at walker74@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

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