The Assistant Director for the Vice President’s office in Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) reports to the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Vice President. This person will manage and direct the annual trustee solicitations, serve as a critical internal point person and manage deadlines and materials for the quarterly Trustee Committee for Alumni Relations and Development. They will prepare briefings for the vice president’s development visits, maintains and updates CATracks with important correspondence and generates reports specific to the needs of the Office of the Vice President. This role manages a program assistant for the team. They will work closely with ARD team members and facilitate communications on behalf of the Office of the Vice President.

Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Gathers data and develops strategies designed to realize the potential of the board of trustees annual fund solicitation and determines strategies for donor engagement.
• Assists with development of annual fund yearly plan.
• Facilitates or makes annual solicitations and ensures effective stewardship.

Collaboration

• Involves collaboration with both internal department partners and with the Chairman of the board and/or the ARD Committee.
• Key partnerships and work include:
  • Interfacing with annual giving team to develop strategies.
  • Working with annual fund direct appeals team to meet annual deadlines for phone/mail/reunion solicitations.
  • Working with donor relations to ensure effective stewardship by the Chairman of the board or Chair of the ARD Committee.

Prospects & Gifts

• Oversees the annual fund solicitation of the board of trustees including the preparing statements of giving from previous years, response devices, renewals, and stewardship of gifts that arrive.
• Partners with the donor relations team to steward endowed and expendable funds.
• Recommends changes to enhance innovation, objectives & goals of the annual fund solicitation.
• Processes incoming gifts from trustees through gift and record services. Notifies donor relations to prepare acknowledgement letters, and prepares tailored gift receipt for trustee.

Volunteers

• Coordinates the materials, including talking points and power point presentations for the quarterly Board of Trustees Alumni Relations and Development Committee.

Administration

• Gathers, records and retrieves information about prospects and donors utilizing the University's donor and alumni tracking database, Internet, meetings with development staff, faculty, etc.
• Creates gift reports for the vice president.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Two or more year’s work experience, preferably in development or related field.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Organization; analytical thinking; customer focus; curiosity; independent teamwork/collaboration; writing abilities

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.