Director of Development, Foundation and Corporate Relations

Description

Columbia College Chicago is an acclaimed undergraduate and graduate institution that provides a comprehensive education in the arts, communications, and public relations. We constantly aim to reach our full potential as an educational innovator, incubator of new creative practice and generator of real-world success for young creatives. We are in the heart of Chicago, across the street from historic Grant Park, and housed in some of the most iconic buildings in the South Loop.

Columbia College Chicago is a private urban institution of approximately 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, four-year College offering a distinctive curriculum that blends liberal arts, creative and media arts and business is currently searching for a Director of Development, Foundation and Corporate Relations .

In collaboration with the Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations, the Director of Development, Foundation and Corporate Relations is responsible for growing philanthropic revenue from local and national foundations and corporations in support of all programs at Columbia College Chicago. This position will be responsible for developing and executing a strategy for foundation and corporate relations designed to build and strengthen partnerships, outreach, and engagement activities that advance the mission of Columbia. The Director will partner with faculty, staff, senior administrators, and volunteers to understand, interpret, and promote Columbia's programs and initiatives. The Director will proactively identify Columbia's needs and opportunities, help identify and research new foundation and corporate prospects, and partner and engage with faculty and colleagues across Columbia to direct and / or assist in program and proposal development, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies. The Director will develop compelling narratives, proposals, and other communications tailored to each funder and will maintain the annual grant and reporting calendar. Additionally, the Director will collaborate with colleagues to develop financial budgets and reports and will ensure that Columbia accurately tracks and reports against stated metrics for successful grants.

Flex work options are available.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Assess current and potential giving needs and opportunities and create a plan to maximize philanthropic support from foundations and corporations locally and nationally.
• Manage a portfolio of foundation and corporate prospects to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts and grants.
• Conduct prospect research, and devise and execute plans to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward institutional funders.
• Coordinate with faculty and staff to explore, synthesize, articulate, and prioritize ideas for foundation and corporate support, and develop written products (i.e., narratives, proposals, letters, reports, case materials, acknowledgments, etc.) that capture, and relay need and opportunity in compelling ways.
• Builds, networks and nurtures effective working relationships with senior management, deans, faculty, and staff to identify and prioritize funding needs.
• Communicate with and respond to corporate and foundation program officers as appropriate and ensure that all proposal and reporting requirements are met.
• Plan and implement effective outreach and cultivation activities to enhance new prospect identification and move solicitation and stewardship processes forward.
• Partner with faculty and staff to develop and coordinate cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts. Arrange meetings with foundation and corporate representatives and prepare senior leadership and colleagues for these meetings and other interactions with funders.
• Support the execution of department operations and processes, improving and coordinating procedures for optimized efficiency and productivity.
• Support department-wide communications initiatives and strategic planning processes and ensure execution of strategies, project management, timelines, and outcomes are met.
• Maintain department shared files and ensure best practices for maintaining complete and accurate documentation.
• Manage part-time support staff in grant writing and foundation and corporate prospect research.
• Assist in special initiatives, including cultivation of sponsors for the Gala and other signature events.
• Perform other related duties and / or responsibilities as assigned or required.

Qualifications

Position Minimum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary : $110,000 / per year

Position Maximum Hourly Rate or Annual Salary : $130,000 / per year

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including department budget.

At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work / life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits. Click here for more information.

At Columbia, we offer a rewarding work environment for our faculty and staff. We take pride in offering competitive benefits with affordable health, dental and vision coverage; flexible spending accounts; commuter benefit program, life, and accidental, death & dismemberment coverage; paid and unpaid leave options; work / life benefits; educational assistance programs; and retirement and financial planning benefits.

We invite you to join our talented faculty and staff and become part of our collective aspiration to ensure Columbia prepares students for success in their creative fields through innovation, engagement, and real-world experiences.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Columbia College Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil rights. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,