Associate Director of Development – Major Gifts & Campaigns

About The Department

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures was founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted with the financial support of John

D. Rockefeller Jr. and was originally envisaged as a research laboratory for the investigation of the early human career that would trace humankind’s progress from the most ancient days of West Asia and North Africa. The goal of the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures is to be the world’s leading center for the study of the ancient civilizations of West Asia and North Africa by combining innovation in theory, methodology, and significant empirical discovery with the highest standards of rigorous scholarship.

The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum was opened to the public in 1931. The majority of ISAC's collections are from its expeditions in West Asia and North Africa during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. A major reinstallation of the Museum, including the construction of a climate-controlled wing for housing collections and archives, took place in the 1990s and early 2000s.

A complete renovation of the Museum was completed in 2019 in celebration of ISAC's centennial. The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures is a unit within the University of Chicago and the name of the corporation is 'The University of Chicago.' The corporation was originally incorporated on September 10, 1890.

The Associate Director of Development – Major Gifts & Campaigns will help lead ISAC’s immediate and long-term growth and success. This position will play an important revenue‑generating role for capital gifts, annual giving, and other priorities, especially as regards any upcoming capital campaign. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Associate Director of Development will be an essential part of a Development & Membership team’s efforts to seek five‑figure annual gifts and major gifts of $100,000 or more for capital, endowment, operational and special projects.

This position will collaborate closely with the Director of Development, senior ISAC leadership, and volunteer leadership to develop and pursue ambitious yet achievable annual fundraising, proposal/solicitation and visit goals.

• Participates in the cultivation, qualification, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts, in collaboration across the team – along with developing and maintaining an active personal prospect portfolio of 75‑90 encompassing both annual and capital giving.
• Secures, renews, upgrades, and stewards annual $10,000+ gifts through personal outreach and visits with individuals that have the capacity and interest to make five and six‑figure gift commitments.
• Collaborates in identifying, crafting strategies, cultivating, and solicitation prospective new donors who have the capacity to make financial commitments of $1M – $2M or more.
• Creates and manages high‑touch valued donor relations communications and cultivation matrix, with weekly updates for the Team and senior leadership.
• Achieves personal fundraising activity goals monthly, quarterly, and annually.
• Creates, manages, and delivers important development projects with complex budgets, such as travel events.
• Works with Regional Advancement teams and Discovery Officers to identify new prospective supporters and coordinate potential cultivations/solicitations – and expand presence in key cities and regions through visits and events.
• Collaborates with Development team, senior leadership, and volunteers to plan, produce, implement and attend donor‑related ISAC events.
• Helps ensure meeting goals and time frames for effective acknowledgement process and general donor relations and stewardship.
• Coordinates with Foundation and Corporate Relations office on grant strategy. Project manage select grants with content experts.
• Collaborates with Development & Membership team to create development communications: write appeal letters, briefings, and proposals; create and oversee prospect content for print and digital publications; ISAC website; and related projects.
• Maintains active and regular local/national travel schedule to meet with prospective donors as needed, with occasional foreign travel.
• Utilizes…