Charitable Advisor (Major Gifts Officer)

About North Park
Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world. Located for over 125 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its Faculty and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Charitable Advisor (Major Gifts Officer) manages the qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of approximately 125-150 major gift prospect households. The Charitable Advisor also plays a collaborative role in the success of the Advancement and Alumni Engagement team at North Park.

• Develop a thorough understanding of the culture and constituency of North Park University and the ethos and practices of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement.
• Manage an assigned primary portfolio of 125-150 major gift prospect households.
• Qualify, cultivate, and solicit assigned households and other North Park alumni, parents, and friends toward the goal of increasing annual and major gifts to the University.
• Plan and execute the moves management of assigned major gift prospects. Annual guidelines for cultivation and solicitation of prospects will include 100+ meaningful and substantive donor interactions, 50 written major gift solicitations presented to donors, and an increasing minimum goal for dollars raised, based on portfolio performance, time in the role, and the fundraising goals of the team.
• In partnership with the Prospect Strategy Manager, manage the discovery and qualification of new potential major gift prospects to help build the pipeline of future leadership donors.
• Participate in the formulation of Advancement Office objectives and the development of annual fundraising plans, strategies, timetables, and budgets required to achieve those objectives.
• Use Raiser’s Edge NXT database to plan moves management of assigned prospects, organize workflow, and thoroughly document activity for the purpose of preparing regular status reports and maintaining accurate constituent records.
• Assist as needed in the identification, cultivation, and recruitment of volunteers for alumni engagement activities, career development/mentoring, and other volunteer needs of the University.
• Provide staff support to University Board of Trustees, senior staff, and other volunteers, as assigned by supervisor.
• Work as a collaborative member of the Advancement and Alumni Engagement team to collectively determine and achieve annual departmental goals and objectives.
• Develop an understanding of the educational, operational and financial needs of the University and its overall case for support and serve as a positive spokesperson for the University in the community and among various North Park constituencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Three to five years of progressively responsible professional experience in development or related experience.
• Highly self-motivated, flexible, and an ability to thrive in a hybrid work environment.
• Confidence and comfort in engaging with high net worth individuals and in discussing and asking for money.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including comfort with presenting to groups of all sizes, and strong listening skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective relationships with North Park major gift prospects, donors, and volunteers as well as Advancement team members.
• Proficiency with standard office productivity software and constituent database programs.
• Understanding of and personal commitment to North Park’s mission of Christian higher education.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50%.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.

NOTE: Nothing in this job description restricts the supervisor’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Prescription Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Commuter Benefit
• Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Remission
• Helwig Recreation Center