Assistant Director, Operations

Assistant Director, McCormick School of Engineering DevelopmentDepartment: Alumni Relations & DevelopmentSalary/Grade: EXS/7Target hiring range for this position will be between $63,500-$65,000 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.The Assistant Director is responsible for collaborating across departments to enhance the fundraising and development operations for the McCormick School of Engineering. This role will report to the Director of Development for McCormick and will work with them to oversee the following programmatic initiatives: annual giving, alumni engagement, stewardship and donor relations, and major gifts.This position involves significant collaboration with colleagues from teams across Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) (e.g. leadership and annual giving, reunions, donor relations, marketing and communications, alumni engagement, prospect research and management, reporting and analytics, special events).This role also interfaces with colleagues from the McCormick School of Engineering including deans, faculty, staff, program directors, and other University leaders.Specific ResponsibilitiesStrategic PlanningAdministers & maintains existing strategic plans.Recommends changes & improvements to operational services strategies to better meet team needs & objectives.CollaborationInvolves high level of collaboration with internal department partners and moderate level of collaboration with University partners in implementing and expanding existing relationships to accomplish strategic goals.Innovate and improve team business processes by collaborating with internal ARD partners to understand needs and goalsLiaise with the Dean's Office to help efficiently coordinate the Dean's visits with alumni and donors and ensure timely and accurate briefing materialsProvides oversight and support to staff within the departmentProspects & GiftsDevelop effective communications materials (talking points, sample proposals, case-for-support documents) for priority major gift opportunitiesLiaise with gift officers and prospect research and management team to identify strong major gift prospects to McCormickSupport gift officer work to qualify, cultivate, and solicit top donors and prospectsEnhance McCormick's leadership giving program to strategically develop the prospect pipeline for future major gift donorsDraft and develop annual appeal and solicitation communications in partnership with Annual Giving team and Engineering departments to drive giving participationStewardshipLiaise with Donor Relations team and McCormick staff contacts for annual expendable and endowed stewardship reportsDevelop stewardship communications in line with school priorities for annual fund and leadership giving society, including acknowledgement letter templates and cardsOversee and manage annual stewardship processes for key McCormick giving programs (Murphy Society and Undergraduate Research Awards)Events and Alumni EngagementPartner with the Northwestern Alumni Association team and McCormick partners to scale meaningful engagement opportunities for McCormick alumniCoordinate with prospect research team to identify potential board members and volunteers aligned with McCormick and department needsEnsure that McCormick events and engagement opportunities are well-communicated to appropriate audiences to drive participation ratesIdentify and track strategic McCormick faculty and programs to feature in alumni engagement opportunities and eventsProvide on site and planning support for events involving McCormick faculty and/or alumniAdministrationCompletes day-to-day oversight, maintenance, continuity and consistency of business processes related operational services.Implements ongoing operational services data integrity initiatives including participating in review, testing and quality assurance of processes, software, hardware, etc.Compiles & analyzes data; prepares reports; shares results and recommendations with clients.Reviews processes and systems and recommends changes to incorporate state-of-the-art processes and technology as appropriate into operational services; streamlining the delivery and/or accessibility of information.Identifies service improvement opportunities that will better enable operational services to achieve its goals and objectives.Creates and maintains documentation, procedures, standards, and policies related to operational services.Researches best practices, peer institutions, market/economic conditions and government rules and regulations and recommends changes and enhancements to improve administrative effectiveness, services and/or resources.SupervisorySupervises part-time, temporary, and/or work/study employee.MiscellaneousPerforms other duties as assigned.Minimum Qualifications: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.3 years operations, administration, development or equivalent experience is required.Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)Collaboration: Demonstrates the ability to build trust and foster strong working relationships across teams and levels of the organization. Effectively initiates and sustains teamwork, manages diverse stakeholder interests, and communicates clearly and respectfullyAnalytical Thinking & Problem Solving: Quickly learns and adapts to new systems, software, and processes. Applies critical thinking to identify root causes, analyze complex issues, and develop practical, effective solutions.Creativity and Innovation: Exhibits curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas. Thinks creatively and brings fresh perspectives to challenges, contributing to continuous improvement and innovation.Reliability and Initiative: A proactive self-starter who takes ownership of tasks and projects, follows through with minimal supervision, and consistently delivers high-quality results. Demonstrates accountability and dependability in all aspects of work.Time Management & Organizational Skills: Effectively manages multiple, overlapping priorities in a dynamic environment. Adapts to change with agility and maintains focus and organization to drive outcomes and meet deadlines.Preferred Qualifications:Experience working within a higher education environment, including collaborating with faculty, staff, and academic departments to achieve institutional goals.Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)Strong writing and editing skillsProject management skillsAdvanced knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs