Assistant Director, McCormick School of Engineering

Aug 5

Written By Yolanda F. Johnson

Northwestern University
Evanston, IL

Anticipated Start Date: Open

Description

Location: Evanston, Illinois (Hybrid)
Job Summary:

The Assistant Director of Operations for the McCormick School of Engineering is responsible for collaborating across departments to enhance the fundraising and development operations needs of the school.

This role will report to the Director of Development for McCormick and will work with them to oversee the following programmatic initiatives: annual giving, alumni engagement, stewardship and donor relations, and major gifts.

This position involved significant collaboration with colleagues from teams across Alumni Relations and Development (e.g. leadership and annual giving, reunions, donor relations, marketing and communications, alumni engagement, prospect research and management, reporting and analytics, special events).

This role also interfaces with colleagues from the McCormick School of Engineering including deans, faculty, staff, program directors, and other University leaders. For full consideration, please submit a cover letter.

Responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities:

Administers & maintains existing strategic plans.
Recommends changes & improvements to operational services strategies to better meet client needs & objectives.

Administration

Innovate and improve team business processes by collaborating with internal partners to understand needs and goals
Liaise with the Dean’s Office to help efficiently coordinate the Dean’s visits with alumni and donors
Provides oversight and support to staff within the department Annual Giving
Enhance McCormick’s leadership giving program to strategically develop the prospect pipeline for future major gift donors
Draft and develop annual appeal and solicitation communications in partnership with Annual Giving team and Engineering departments to drive giving participation
Opportunity to contribute as a frontline leadership annual giving (LAG) fundraiser and visit and solicit LAG donors

Alumni Engagement

Partner with the Northwestern Alumni Association team and McCormick partners to scale meaningful engagement opportunities for McCormick alumni
Coordinate with prospect research team to identify potential board members and volunteers aligned with McCormick needs and Northwestern Alumni Association goals
Ensure that McCormick events and engagement opportunities are well-communicated to appropriate audiences to drive participation rates
Identify and track strategic McCormick faculty and programs to feature in alumni engagement opportunities and events

Stewardship

Liaise with Donor Relations team and McCormick staff contacts for annual expendable and endowed stewardship reports
Develop stewardship communications in line with school priorities for annual fund and leadership giving society, including acknowledgement letter templates and cards
Oversee and manage annual stewardship processes for key McCormick giving programs (Murphy Society and Undergraduate Research Awards)

Major Gifts Program Support

Develop effective communications materials (talking points, sample proposals, case-for-support documents) for priority major gift opportunities
Liaise with gift officers and prospect research and management team to identify strong major gift prospects to McCormick Support gift officer work to qualify, cultivate, and solicit top donors and prospects

Miscellaneous

Completes other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
4 years operations, administration, development or the equivalent experience is required.

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

Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs
Strong written and oral communication skills
Organizational and multi-tasking skills
Experience in a professional setting working on multiple projects at the same time

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

Experience in fundraising operations
Experience in higher education setting

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: commitment to an inclusive workplace; demonstrates effective strategies to engage diverse audiences; strong understanding of complex and nuanced issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Strategic and Critical Thinking: prioritizes planning, goal-setting, and long-term vision. Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Organized and Dependable: organization, time management, and clear communication with stakeholders.
Curious and Adaptable: interest in growing and learning; ability to remain flexible and contribute where needed.
Collaborative and Effective Communicator: ability to work well with other colleagues across a complex department and organization; experienced at strategically aligning efforts across teams and units; exemplary communication skills.
Driven and Goal-Oriented: proactive; demonstrates the qualities of a self-starter who is driven by success. Demonstrated ability to take initiative, follow through, and take responsibility for outcomes.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

Target hiring range for this position will be between $63,500-$67,000 per year.

Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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 requires all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to limited exceptions.

For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website.

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. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply for this Job

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About the Organization

Northwestern is one of the country's leading private research and teaching universities, located in Evanston, IL.

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