Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff

Assistant Vice President & Chief Of Staff

The job provides leadership and direction through managers, overseeing and planning all development activities; typically within the undergraduate college, a large academic department or professional school, or the central development office. Directs fundraising projects and cultivation programs for prospective donors and for advisory councils.

• Reporting to the Vice President & Associate Dean for Medical and Biological Sciences Development, the Assistant Vice President & Chief of Staff serves as a senior strategic leader for fundraising, operations, and organizational initiatives supporting UChicago Medicine's philanthropic mission and the newly launched Chicago Minds $10B Campaign.
• Acts as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the Vice President, helping drive fundraising performance, campaign execution, principal gift strategy, and organizational effectiveness across MBSD. In addition to their own major gifts portfolio, the Assistant Vice President oversees core functional areas including: strategic research, analytics, & donor relations; outreach engagement; and marketing & communications.
• Leads and executes two critical components of the organization's comprehensive development strategy: providing strategic direction and support to affiliate hospital fundraising programs and partnering with the medical center's international programs to advance philanthropic engagement and growth. The Assistant Vice President will drive program development, foster collaboration, and identify opportunities to expand fundraising success across both areas.
• As a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), collaborates closely with senior university and medicine leadership, faculty, trustees, campaign volunteers, and advancement professionals to advance philanthropic priorities and support health and medicine's goal of raising $2B during the campaign.
• Manages complex initiatives, builds high-performing teams, navigates a highly matrixed academic medical environment, and represents the Vice President in interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Participates on the UChicago Medicine Board of Trustees Development Committee.
• Collaborates with University Advancement, monitors progress toward meeting goals and achieving benchmarks, and analyzes data produced by their research and analytics team.
• Manages and executes other special projects on behalf of the Vice President in priority areas as requested, contributing strategy, critical thinking, and analysis, and may lead or participate on project teams, such as grateful patient programs and/or faculty training.
• Develops and maintains a broad understanding of the UChicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, and the broader University in order to represent the University to a variety of stakeholders. Holds a deep appreciation for its mission, its science, and its contributions to society; forming and maintaining productive and positive relationships with the EVP/Dean of the Medical Center, administrative staff of the University, and President of the UCM Health System, civic leaders, and colleagues across MBSD and Advancement.
• Manages, motivates, and mentors large teams, including up to 5 direct reports and up to 30 staff in total. Holds a deep understanding of these functions and provides management, mentorship, empowerment, and strategic direction to ensure their direct reports and their teams are effective in reaching their goals and impacting fundraising results.
• Facilitates interdepartmental cooperation to maximize productivity and meet the needs of the department's fundraising goals, empowering MBSD to raise $150M+ per year. Provides policy advice and decision-making strategies for MBSD. Considerable judgment and experience are necessary in order to analyze organizational issues, identify department-wide impacts, and make sound recommendations.
• Works closely with the Vice President, AVPs, Managing Directors, UCM, BSD and University faculty, and other key leaders in establishing and executing multi-faceted fundraising plans that meet or exceed established fundraising goals and enhance the organization.
• Manages a small principal and major gifts portfolio.
• Serves as a role model by mentoring staff and implementing best practices that drive fundraising success and operational effectiveness. Reinforces the interconnected nature of fundraising goals and operations, fostering a culture in which all team members understand and value their role in advancing organizational goals.
• Drives both philanthropic growth and operational effectiveness across MBSD and Central Advancement.
• Provides strategic leadership and guidance to affiliate hospital fundraising programs, supporting the growth and effectiveness of community-based and grateful patient fundraising initiatives. Identifies opportunities, shares best practices, and strengthens their fundraising capacity. Leads efforts to develop and enhance grateful patient fundraising…