Assistant Director of Advancement - College of Fine & Applied Arts

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 position will 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 support of KCPA and other possible philanthropic interests related to 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

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

• Superb oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with an emphasis on engaged, active listening
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization in meetings with key constituents
• Strong relationship building and management skills

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 closing date. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range is $60,000 to $65,000.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on October 21, 2025. 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 will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Zsayla Brummett at [email protected] and or visit our site for application tips. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Please note: Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits .

The Illinois Advancement community is committed to an ongoing, proactive process to foster and achieve diversity and inclusion in its development, alumni relations and communication activities. We will respect and encourage different voices, perspectives and ideas as we strive to represent individuals of all backgrounds and cultures which incudes 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 .

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 .

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify .

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal , or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected] .

Requisition ID : 1032950
Job Category : Professional and Administrative
Apply at:

Looking for more University of Illinois Positions?

We invite you to search for positions at each of the University of Illinois' locations, the University of Illinois System Office and the University of Illinois Foundation. The University of Illinois System Office supports the primary missions of teaching, research, public service, and economic development for all of the Universities and offers positions in all locations. The University of Illinois Foundation is the official fundraising and private gift-receiving agency for the University of Illinois and also offers position in all locations. Click the links below to search for other University of Illinois positions.

Illinois Human Resources
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Personnel Services Building - MC 562
52 E. Gregory Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820
217.333.2137 | [email protected]
humanresources.illinois.edu