Employment - About - Smart Museum of Art — The University of Chicago

About

Staff positions

Director of Development and External Relations

As a member of both the Smart Museum of Art's senior leadership team and the University Development Schools and Programs leadership team, the Director of Development leads the Museum's overall development program during a university-wide, multi-billion-dollar campaign.

Duties

Lead the Smart's fundraising as well as its public relations and marketing efforts to significantly enhance the Museum's operational base of support, build its endowment, prepare for a capital campaign, and further heighten its visibility locally, nationally and internationally. Develop an overall strategic fundraising strategy and projections for the future, cultivate major gifts and further strengthen the Museum's advisory Board of Governors in its function and effectiveness. Oversee a robust program of individual, corporate, and foundation giving-a program that has enjoyed consistently increasing levels of success in recent years-while also providing critical leadership in shaping the Museum's enhanced communications efforts.

Lead a team that encompasses development managers, public relations and marketing staff as well as student interns and freelancers. Collaborates and coordinates with the University of Chicago's Alumni Relations and Development department and various university units to effectively advocate for the Smart Museum and pursue development efforts in the context of the University's greatly expanded and more comprehensive arts strategy. As a vital member of the senior staff of the Museum together with the Museum Director, the Deputy Director and Chief Curator, and the Director of Finance and Administration, is deeply involved in the comprehensive planning for the institution's future ensuring Museum programs and activities obtain the funding they require and that all available funding opportunities are maximized. Ensure Museum communications demonstrate the greatest clarity and consistency, propelling the Smart to reach its strategic and fundraising goals.

Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance. Performs other duties as assigned.

Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in nonprofit management, development, alumni relations, marketing, public relations or similar work required.
A minimum of three years of experience soliciting and closing 6+ figure gifts required.
A minimum of three years of management experience, including staff, required.
A minimum of two years of experience in managing senior leadership, Trustees or board members required.
A minimum of one year of experience developing and monitoring budgets required.
Demonstrated record of organizing successful fundraising, marketing or membership programs required.
Demonstrated experience working with the highest levels of board members, executives, deans, donors or similar required.
Demonstrated experience building and maintaining new processes in an environment that is constantly changing required.
Demonstrated experience developing successful corporate, foundation and/or government proposals preferred.
Demonstrated experience with capital campaigns preferred.

Competencies

Demonstrated comfort, ability and success in individual gift solicitation and donor cultivation, including working with volunteer support groups required.
Ability to participate personally in successful high-level gift strategies and solicitations required.
Ability to work under intense pressure and respond positively to deadlines and requests imposed by others required.
Strong verbal and writing skills, high attention to detail and follow-up, and excellent organizational skills required.
Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact required.
Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including Griffin (the University's Donor Relationship Management System), Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access required.
Strong leadership qualities, including the ability both to delegate and to execute, thereby leading by word and by example required.
Ability to work collegially and collaboratively in a team setting required.
An exceptional work ethic and track record of personal initiative required.
Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, to speak and to write well required.
Flexibility and adaptability to new programs in an emerging and changing environment required.
Willingness and ability to travel to campus and/or non-campus locations for University business required. Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends required.
Current authorization to work permanently in the United States required.
Dress code of business or business casual attire required.
Valid driver's license required.
Understanding of the University of Chicago, its history, organization and modus operandi preferred.

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher required.

To Apply

To be considered, all job seekers must meet the requirements and apply online at the University of Chicago's jobs site. Search requisition number 087997 or visit http://bit.ly/087997DirSmart.

University of Chicago student positions

The following jobs and internships are only available to University of Chicago students.

Student Docent Program

Smart Museum docents serve as public ambassadors for the Smart Museum and assist the Museum in fulfilling its educational mission as gallery teachers for a range of K-12, University, and adult audiences. Docents lead the Smart Museum’s efforts in reaching K-12 audiences through the curricular tour programs—smART Explorers for fifth grade and Art in Focus for third grade—in addition to assisting with single visit tour requests from university, adult, and other student audience groups. Docents also assist with the facilitation of family programming at the Smart Museum and the Blackstone and Bessie Coleman branch Chicago public libraries.

Applications for the next docent class will be made available late summer 2012.

Internships

University of Chicago students gain direct experience in museum work through year- and summer-long internships in a variety of areas, including our curatorial, registration, education, marketing, and business offices. Qualifications vary by department; all positions are paid and require approximately 10–19 hours of work each week.

Interns are typically hired in the fall for one-year, renewable positions. Currently, there are no internships available.

Baristas

When positions are open applications are made available at the Museum's information desk.

Gallery Attendants

The Smart Museum of Art’s Gallery Attendants are responsible for maintaining security within the Smart Museum gallery and lobby areas during public hours. Within this role, the Gallery Attendant acts as a public representative of the Museum and the University by greeting patrons and providing information as needed. Work schedules are flexible quarterly and can be designed to fit around a student’s class schedule. Docents who wish to receive additional working hours at the Museum are strongly encouraged to apply and will receive a premium hourly rate.

Qualifications

University of Chicago student. Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills. Interest in visual art encouraged. Ability to stand for long periods of time. Work-study encouraged, but not required.