Associate Director, Strategic Development Communications

Job Title: Associate Director, Strategic Development Communications
Department: Philanthropy
Shift: 1st
Specialty: Philanthropy
Job Number: 2021-2620
Date Posted: 08/17/2021
Position Type: Philanthropy

Job Qualifications:

Associate Director, Strategic Development Communications
Philanthropy Department

Position Highlights:
The Associate Director, Strategic Development Communications is responsible for planning, writing and executing original proposals and other deliverables that contribute to high-priority donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. While this is not a fundraising role, the Associate Director works closely with colleagues who are fundraisers, leveraging writing and organizational skills to help gift officers build relationships and secure gifts. The Associate Director also will work directly with clinical and academic faculty and staff throughout Rush University Medical Center and Rush University to define and articulate philanthropic opportunities and report on impact of donors' support. Reporting to the Director, Strategic Development Communications, the Associate Director is an integral role on the Office of Philanthropy's Strategic Development Communications team, which develops and articulates messaging for Rush's current philanthropic campaign; defines and cultivates the campaign's menu of philanthropic opportunities; drafts proposals, impact reports and cultivation materials for donors; and provides writing and editorial support as needed. The individual who holds this position exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Position Responsibilities:
Serve as primary author of and project manager for assigned donor proposals, working in collaboration with individual giving team members who manage prospect relationships.
Craft original prose that inspires, builds trust and imparts a sense of urgency, answering the questions "why Rush?" and "why now?"
Assimilate information in a variety of forms to articulate the case for support and communicate complex concepts in easy-to-grasp messaging.
Set and monitor timelines for project deliverables and stakeholder review/approval; mobilize colleagues from across the institution to meet established deadlines.
Assure that all elements of each proposal - narrative, budget, supporting information - are complete, accurate, tailored to the prospective donor's philanthropic interests and goals, and reinforce consistent messages.
Serve as a subject matter expert for select clinical and/or academic programs.
Keep abreast of institutional facts, figures and news, and of relevant themes and trends in health care.
As assigned, create and update stewardship reports, campaign materials, presentations, toolkits and one-pagers, and other philanthropy content.
Act as a liaison to fundraising teams and to Rush's central Office of Marketing and Communications, drawing from and contributing to the department's shared library of content.
Develop, pilot and implement tools to improve all processes listed within this job description.

Position Qualifications Include:
Bachelor's degree required, preferably in journalism, marketing, English or a related field;
A minimum of five years' experience writing in health care and/or higher education, with philanthropy experience preferred.
Exceptional oral and written communication skills required, including the ability to articulate Rush's mission and the campaign vision to a variety of constituencies with poise and diplomacy.
Professional demeanor.
Strong analytical and interviewing skills. Curiosity about health care and the biomedical sciences. Ability to master and then convey complex concepts, synthesizing information from multiple sources to produce original persuasive prose.
Broad experience working collaboratively on communication-related deliverables; welcomes constructive criticism and strives for continuous improvement.
A track record of shepherding multiple projects with overlapping deadlines from inception to delivery.
Poise in interacting with and eliciting information from clinicians, researchers, administrators and senior leaders.
Familiarity with Associated Press style is essential.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint required; willingness to learn new technology preferred.

Preferred Job Qualifications:
Master's degree in related field.
Company Highlights:
Rush University is ranked 22nd on the Times Higher Education's 2016 list of the world's top 150 universities under 50 years of age.
Rush University is a health science university that is integral to Rush, an academic health system that includes three hospitals and numerous outpatient care facilities.
Rush University's Nursing Administration program is ranked in the top four in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.