Assistant Director/Associate Director/Director of Advancement

Based in Urbana-Champaign with hybrid opportunities.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement (OVCIA) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign invite applications and nominations for one full-time major gift officer. The Assistant Director/Associate Director/Director of Advancement will secure private support for funding priorities within the College as determined by the Dean, Unit Heads, and Assistant Dean for Advancement. This gift officer may be assigned to liaison/represent various departments/units and will play a critical role in efforts to further implement an integrated approach for impact and mission-driven priorities across the college, departments, and units.

Be a part of our story. You will be part of a remarkable community of faculty, staff, and students within the College of ACES who are striving to meet the critical challenges of our time. The Assistant Director/Associate Director/Director of Advancement position is housed within the ACES Office of Advancement, which includes frontline fundraising, advancement communications, corporate and alumni engagement, and stewardship and donor relations. Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding.

We have nearly 38,000 living alumni and raise approximately $20 million annually in private support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Our annual expenditures from all sources are more than $160 million. ACES plays a key role in national and international research initiatives in bioenergy, biotechnology, integrated landscapes, environmental sustainability, food and agricultural systems, global climate change, family resiliency, public policy, and much more.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director/Associate Director/Director of Advancement reports to the Assistant Dean for Advancement and works closely with advancement colleagues, unit heads, faculty, and staff throughout the college and the university. The primary responsibility is to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000 or more in support of ACES. A willingness to travel approximately 30% is required, and includes some evenings and weekends. The successful candidate will be a collaborative team member who is a self-starter, strategic thinker, internal and external relationship builder, trusted connector in their assigned academic departments/programs, and inclusive partner.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Identify, assess, analyze, and design appropriate strategies for approaching prospects and donors, making the vitally important connection between donors' philanthropic interests and the College's programmatic and curricular needs. Plan and implement effective outreach and cultivation activities to enhance prospect identification and move forward solicitation and stewardship processes. Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major gift prospects, with an emphasis on gifts of $25,000 or more, determining the frequency of contact needed. Document all activities and interactions in the alumni/donor database.
• Develop and maintain close collaborative partnerships with faculty and staff to gain a strong knowledge of the academic and research programs to identify and define priorities to be funded through private support. Attend faculty meetings, departmental alumni activities, and appropriate ACES events to further build connections. Partner closely with other advancement professionals, including individual and corporate gift officers and alumni relations, stewardship, and donor relations professionals.
• Determine and prioritize lists of donor prospects, alumni, and other stakeholders to be contacted for personal visits.
• Prepare and educate faculty and other unit volunteers to participate in cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major gifts as needed.

Impact in Your First Year

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

Within 3 months, you'll:

• Become familiar with the strategic vision and priorities of College of ACES
• Become embedded in your assigned academic departments/programs
• Meet your assigned Prospect Development Analyst and begin getting acquainted with your portfolio
• Attend professional development and networking activities for newcomers within Advancement
• Be introduced to fundraising fundamentals terminology adopted

Within 6 months, you'll:

• Begin cultivating relationships with key prospects/donors/alumni in effort to create and implement solicitation strategies
• Partner with colleagues working in stewardship and donor relations, events, alumni relations, and communications on unit-wide initiatives
• Be able to share multiple meaningful impact stories of transformative gifts

By the end of the first year, you'll:

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

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree For the title of Assistant Director, a minimum of two years of successful advancement experience or three years of experience in a closely related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome-driven components. For the title of Associate Director, a minimum of three years of successful advancement experience or more than six years of experience in a closely related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome-driven components. For the title of Director, a minimum of ten years of successful advancement experience or ten years of experience in a closely related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome-driven components. Experience working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment

Preferred Qualifications

Documented success as a major and/or principal gift fundraiser Advancement experience in an academic unit that produces degrees and conducts rigorous academic research. Experience working with academic leaders, faculty, and staff and demonstrated experience in teaching and engaging them directly with prospects and donors. Demonstrated strategic planning and/or fundraising campaign planning in higher education.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Superb oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with an emphasis on engaged, active listening. Demonstrated ability to represent an organization in visits with key constituents Understanding of major donor prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship Strong relationship management skills Knowledge of advancement strategies including best practices related to development at institutions of higher education.

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 competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range for the title of Assistant Director is $65,000-$75,000; for the title of Associate Director is $75,000-$85,000; for the title of Director is $85,000-$105,000.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on August 4, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting and upload a resume, cover letter, and the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Amanda Wahba at wahba3@illinois.edu and/or visit our Application Tips site for helpful tips. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Please note: Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The Illinois Advancement community is committed to an ongoing, proactive process to foster and achieve diversity and inclusion in its development, alumni relations and communication activities. We will respect and encourage different voices, perspectives, and ideas as we strive to represent individuals of all backgrounds and cultures which includes but are not limited to the following: nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, spirituality, age, and ability who represent our alumni, donors, and friends of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150