Overview
Director, Major Gifts – Medicine Jobs in Chicago, USA at Northwestern University
Location:
Chicago, Illinois
The Director, Major Gifts (Medicine) is a senior fundraising position responsible for the design and implementation of innovative programs to identify prospective major and/or principal gift donors to support the Feinberg School of Medicine. The role focuses on grateful patients and influential community leaders, devising plans to qualify, cultivate, steward and solicit donors while overseeing a robust prospect pool and collaborating with faculty and university partners.
Hybrid schedule available.
Prospects and Gifts
- Provides leadership, sets goals, and mentors staff in achieving quarterly fundraising targets for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects and donors under the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
- Engages stakeholders through special events, volunteer outreach, and key initiatives for major gift fundraising and program development.
- Represents Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine at donor cultivation events.
- Identifies and personally solicits high-profile major gifts by managing a portfolio of $100K+ prospects.
- Maintains up-to-date prospect information and coordinates contacts across teams.
- Travels locally and regionally to meet with donors and prospective donors.
Strategic Planning
- Creates & leads coordinated fundraising programs to increase the number and level of major ($100K+) and principal ($5M+) donors, focusing on grateful patients, families, and networks.
- Develops and executes strategies that involve institute and center leaders, medical faculty, and volunteers to identify new prospects.
- Provides strategy and leadership in staffing fundraising efforts at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
- Raises funds to support biomedical research and medical education.
Collaboration
- Reviews and proposes strategic alliances, joint ventures and key collaborations to accomplish campaign goals.
- Key partners include:
Institute and Center leadership, internal colleagues (gift officers, Donor Relations, Operations, Finance, Special Events), Northwestern Memorial Foundation counterparts, NU Alumni Relations and Development partners. - Mentors and coaches team members regarding collaborations.
Administration
- Oversees the concurrent administration of multiple major gifts.
- Ensures compliance with prospect management guidelines and reporting.
- Coordinates appointments and prepares materials for senior management, faculty, volunteers, and prospects.
- Manages administrative support, ensuring timely completion of proposals, pledges, agreements, documentation, new prospect evaluations.
- Strategically manages program budget to minimize expenses while maximizing return.
Events and Volunteers
- Manages fundraising events and volunteer committees related to Feinberg institutes and centers.
- Develops, plans, and implements strategies and goals to promote engagement and philanthropic opportunities.
- Identifies target audience(s).
- Creates innovative programs for in-person and virtual events.
- Produces event plans and summaries.
- Oversees event budgets, including revenue and spending.
Supervisory
- Provides peer leadership, mentorship, and coaching within the team.
- Hires and supervises temporary staff for major events or projects.
- Provides training to staff within or outside the immediate department in regard to function.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- A minimum of eight years of development, marketing, sales or equivalent experience.
Minimum Competencies
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel).
- Strong knowledge of Feinberg School of Medicine’s mission and ability to articulate its impact.
- Deep understanding of fundraising best practices and ability to cultivate major gifts.
- Excellent time management, prioritization, and skill in balancing multiple projects.
- Analytical thinking to synthesize information and solve problems.
- Ability to work independently, collaborate, and adapt to change.
- Interest in learning about medical research studies.
- Capability to educate faculty members about philanthropy.
- Discretion and adherence to confidentiality policies.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in philanthropy at higher education, academic medical center, or hospital, especially grateful patient fundraising.
- Experience with complex CRM, preferably Salesforce.
- Track record of growing fundraising totals, sales, or similar.
Preferred Competencies
- Strong writing skills for succinct, clear proposals and stewardship reports.
- Professional presence that conveys credibility and engenders trust.
- Cultivation of strong collaborative relationships with colleagues, alumni, and donors.
- Strong work ethic with sense of humor and perspective.
- Familiarity with planned giving, private foundations, and trends in grateful patient philanthropy.
Requires attending and staffing meetings and events outside of normal office hours (evenings, weekends, etc.).
Benefits
At Northwestern, we provide a meaningful and…
Title: Director, Major Gifts – Medicine
Company: Northwestern University
Location: Chicago, USA
Category:
