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Director, Annual Giving

Northwestern University
life insurance, parental leave
United States, Illinois, Evanston
633 Clark Street (Show on map)
Sep 23, 2026
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Job ID
54516
Location
Evanston, Illinois
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Department: Kellogg Campaign Strategy
Salary/Grade: EXS/13

Job Summary:

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is an elite business school that is proud of its global network of more than 72,000 alumni.With our broad network, we know how important it is tofacilitateconnections between and among alumni and the school to build a strong, engaged, supportive community.To sustain and elevate our ability to create positive impact, Kellogg has recently launched the $600M Full Circle Campaign, with significant alumni engagementand fundraising activityled by Kellogg's Alumni Relations and Development department, including the Annual Giving team.

The Director, Annual Giving provides strategic leadership for Kellogg's Annual Giving program in support of the school's alumni engagement and fundraising priorities. This role leads a team responsible for raising expendable gifts, increasing alumni participation, strengthening volunteer engagement, and encouraging sustained philanthropic support from alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and other constituents. This Director also manages a portfolio of high-profile prospects and donors.

The Director develops and implements strategies that advance engagement, participation, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship goals. The role translates strategic priorities into actionable plans, monitors results and emerging trends, evaluates program strengths, opportunities, and resourcing needs, and works closely with Annual Giving team leaders, development colleagues, senior department leadership, University partners, the Northwestern Alumni Association, volunteers, donors, and external vendors to achieve program and organizational goals.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

  • Primary responsibility for development & implementation of strategic plans focused on engagement and participation of alumni, friends, faculty and staff.
  • Oversees, relationship management groups creating, implementing, and managing these plans to incorporate cutting edge & best practices to dramatically increase engagement & participation.
  • Initiates, plans and implements innovative & visionary organizational change & takes calculated risks to develop new strategies to continually expand engagement & participation across the globe.
  • Works closely with senior department management and other senior managers to set goals and to develop and implement overarching relationship management strategies, including prospect identification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship programming.
  • Oversees programmatic performance evaluation and resourcing, process improvement and research.

Collaboration

  • Reviews & proposes strategic alliances, joint ventures & key collaborations with department and other University partners to identify opportunities to integrate University strategic plan goals.
  • Oversees and coaches team members regarding department collaborations.

Prospects & Gifts

  • Plays a primary role in developing and managing relationship strategies including the creation & implementation of world-wide programs & services for alumni, students, parents, friends and groups of volunteers and prospect/donor pools that ultimately result in increases in philanthropic contributions.
  • Maintains up to date current knowledge on key alumni and high level donors.
  • Tracks and manages the emerging prospect pool to develop reports and monitor program results.

Events

  • Oversees development & management of events & programs designed to expand constituent engagement & participation across the globe.
  • Reviews and approves event plans & summaries ensuring that overall goals & objectives are attained.
  • Works directly with high level volunteers & donors to ensure that individual needs are met.

Administration

  • Manages multiple teams, provides leadership, determines & evaluates individual goals, develops & implements training and mentoring, assigns and monitors coverage of primary areas of focus ensuring that goals & objectives are attained.
  • Conducts associated ongoing data analysis to determine trends, results & future plans.
  • Encourages & optimizes the use of technology, social networking, and other virtual engagement tools to increase & broaden NU's & school's global reach to prospects & donors.
  • Selects and manages high-level vendor/consultant relationships, including determining goals and coordinating activities with department and University staff.

Budget

  • Strategically manages a department budget ensuring to minimize expenses while maximizing return.

Supervisory

  • Supervises 2 or more staff.
  • Provides training to staff within or outside of immediate dept or division in regard to function.
  • Leads, coaches and evaluates performance of direct reports

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

  • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
  • 8 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

  • Team leadership; analytical thinking, complex problem solving and planning; global/organizational perspective; ability to work in fast-paced environment; comfortable with change and associated ambiguity

Target hiring range for this position will be $145,000 - $160,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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