Description

Assistant Director of Advancement - College of Fine & Applied Arts
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Based in Urbana-Champaign with hybrid opportunities

The Office of Advancement within the College of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA) invites applications and nominations for one full-time Assistant Director of Advancement to secure philanthropic support for one of the university’s premiere public presenting and performance institutions, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (KCPA). The Assistant Director of Advancement will play a critical role to maximize overall support and opportunities for collaborative corporate and organizational giving. The successful candidate will serve as a member of the FAA advancement team.

The College of Fine and Applied Arts is dedicated to the advancement, practice, and understanding of the arts. The central focus of the college is the synergy between research and the preparation of students for professional careers in the creation and interpretation of the environmental, visual, and performing arts. Deeply related to that focus is the commitment to elevate and sustain the study of the arts as both a necessary mode of understanding and a vibrant expression of human experience within the local, national, and international communities.

Organizational Relationship

The Assistant Director of Advancement reports to the Associate Dean for Advancement and will work closely with advancement colleagues, the KCPA director, FAA academic department heads, and members of the FAA and university faculty.

Job Summary

This position will assist Krannert Center for the Performing Arts to broaden and strengthen advancement activities, performance sponsorships, corporate philanthropy, and annual fundraising through digital and/or print communications, phone calls, video conferencing (Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, etc.) and in-person meetings. The positionwill require some travel of varying durations and locations, up to 25%, including some evenings and weekends.  This position will also require attendance at most KCPA performances to cultivate and steward corporate partners, donors and patrons in attendance. The successful candidate will be a collaborative team member who values inclusion and is skilled at building strong internal and external collaborative relationships. This position will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding organizational and corporate giving prospects and donors to increase philanthropy in supportof KCPA and other possiblephilanthropic interests relatedto the arts at Illinois.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Identify, assess, analyze, and design appropriate strategies for approaching prospects and donors and making the vitally important match between donors’ philanthropic interests and KCPA’s programmatic and performance needs. Plan and implement effective outreach and cultivation activities to enhance prospect identification and move solicitation and stewardship processes forward. Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of organization and corporate giving prospects, determining frequency of contact needed. Document all activities and interactions in the alumni/donor database.
• Develop and maintain close collaborative partnerships with faculty and staff to gain a strong knowledge of the academic and research programs, along with performances throughout the season, to identify and define priorities to be funded through private support. Partner closely with other advancement professionals, including gift officers, stewardship and donor relations, alumni relations, and corporate relations professionals.
• Determine and prioritize lists of donor prospects and other stakeholders to be contacted for meetings and solicitations.
• Prepare and educate unit volunteer leadership and advisory boards (Ex: Krannert Center Advancement Council), faculty and staff members, and other unit volunteers to participate in cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of annual gifts as needed.

Impact in Your First Year

At Advancement at Illinois, we value our employees and provide resources to help you continually learn and grow. We foster a strong, collaborative community of people who are driven by their ability to make a difference.

Within 3 months, you’ll:

• Become familiar with the strategic vision and priorities of KCPA and FAA
• Meet your assigned Prospect Development Analyst and begin to dig into your portfolio
• Attend professional development and networking activities for newcomers within Advancement
• Be introduced to fundraising fundamentals and terminology adopted from Plus Delta Partners

Within 6 months, you’ll:

• Begin contacting and cultivating relationships with key prospects/donors/alumni to create and implement solicitation strategies
• Partner with stewardship and donor relations, events, alumni relations, and communications colleagues on department and College-wide initiatives
• Be able to share multiple meaningful impact stories of transformative gifts

By the end of the first year, you’ll:

• Cooperatively set annual goals with your supervisor and portfolio management team
• Continue portfolio growth of qualified prospects and successful solicitation strategies
• Receive one-on-one coaching from People and Culture to help transition to your new role
• Build a robust network of colleagues across campus

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close date. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience while also considering internal equity.  The budgeted salary range is $60,000 - $65,000.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on March 5, 2026. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting and upload a resume, cover letter, and the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of three professional references. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Zsayla Brummett at zbrummet@illinois.edu and/or visit our How To Apply site for application tips.  For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Please note: This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — the state’s flagship public university and one of the world’s leading research institutions — every staff member helps shape what’s next. Founded in 1867, Illinois is home to a vibrant community of 59,000 students from all 50 states and 129 countries, supported by 15 colleges and instructional units, more than 20 research institutes, and one of the most comprehensive student service ecosystems in the nation. Whether you’re empowering first-generation students, fueling breakthrough innovation, or strengthening communities across Illinois and beyond, your work here has a far-reaching and deeply meaningful impact. The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and financial security. Join a top 10 public university that has launched over 330 startups and continues to redefine excellence — where the Illinois Value Proposition ensures that your contributions are recognized, your potential is nurtured, and your career can thrive.

Champaign-Urbana

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.

The Illinois Advancement community is committed to creating inclusive environments and practices that support engagement from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. We will respect and encourage different voices, perspectives and ideas as we strive to represent individuals of all backgrounds and cultures which includes but are not limited to the following: nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, spirituality, age and ability who represent our alumni, donors and friends of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY:

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs about 3,000 faculty members who serve over 33,000 undergraduates and 17,000 graduate and professional students. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu.

The university is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana (total population 226,000) in east-central Illinois, and is situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution

For more information about the community, visit: Living in Champaign-Urbana, Experience  Champaign Urbana, or Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

Health insurance is available to employees (with the option to purchase coverage for spouse and dependents), required participation in State Universities Retirement System (SURS), with several options for participation in additional retirement plans. Learn more about employee benefits at the  University of Illinois. Newly hired employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social  Security and are subject to this deduction.

The University of Illinois has a strong commitment to work-life balance and family-friendly programs for faculty and staff: Work-Life Balance & Family-Friendly Programs and Other Work- Life Programs.

When you pursue a career with Illinois Advancement, you’ll join our tight-knit community of professionals who treat each other with as much care and respect as we treat our donors. At Illinois, we invest in you. Our leaders are eager to partner with you on the next phase of your career and have the tools and experience to help you succeed. Illinois Advancement values creativity and fosters a collaborative, flexible environment to develop new ideas that become best practices – and we’re looking for your unique skills. Learn more about what others have to say about their experiences: Opportunity Awaits.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of two years of successful advancement experience or three years of experience in a closely related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome-driven components.
• Experience working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Documented success as a fundraiser
• Experience fundraising in higher education or in the arts

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively and collaborate with others in a professional environment
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization in meetings with key constituents
• Strong relationship building and management skills