Careers

Job Description:

• The Senior Assistant Director, Development Communications writes a broad spectrum of fundraising materials created for a specific audience such as a prospective donor, family foundation, corporation, or volunteer solicitor. 
• Takes comprehensive responsibility for the materials such as, but not limited to: building a persuasive case for each written piece; considering the specific audience; identifying influential facts or statistics; fact checking; and establishing, monitoring, and executing a timeline. 
• Responsible for written materials and projects such as: proposals; correspondence including acknowledgement letters; cultivation visits/meetings; stewardship reports; Power Point presentations; and conceptualization of a stewardship meeting. 
• The Senior Assistant Director may project manage the teamâ™s activity and be responsible for implementing tactical next steps to ensure goals and objectives are met. As such, they closely monitor team activity and anticipates and tracks deliverables, including letters, briefings, reports, presentations, and proposals. 
• Facilitates internal meetings and facilitates fundraiser visits with donors and prospective donors to advance prospect strategy.
• Researches, writes, and edits a variety of communications, publications and/or reports.
• Writes analytic, interpretive, or highly individualized features utilizing personal subject matter expertise.
• Determines, researches, verifies, writes and edits content material.
• Coordinates efforts and collaborates with other teams at MBSD such as Communications (including graphic design and the Senior Writers); Protocol; Events; Strategic Research and Analysis.
• Under supervision, may assist with writing and/or editing technical/scientific material for manuals or journals.
• From time to time, may be asked to take on a project that requires project management or analytical skills (examples include: budget analysis and prospect portfolio analysis).
• Participates in the design and planning of communications strategies.
• Researches, verifies, writes and edits publications, which can includes technical/scientific material for manuals or journals.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• A bachelorâ™s degree or higher in journalism, English, communications or a relevant field.

Experience:

• Experience in a university setting or a similarly complex institution.
• Experience with writing in a scientific field or a complex subject material.
• Experience in a large or complex organization or subject matter.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven expertise taking complicated information from various sources and synthesizing it to identify and clarify key issues and opportunities, as well as developing a compelling message.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple details while adhering to a broader concept or purpose.
• Ability to understand finance and quantitative documents.
• Capacity for identifying and evaluating basic issues, for bringing together information from a variety of sources, and for selecting appropriate analytical and creative approaches in dealing with immediate responsibilities.

Working Conditions 

• Office Environment (hybrid schedule)

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

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

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