Project Manager, Strategic Development Planning

About The Department

The Advancement Office engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents, and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. Advancement raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute. Advancement’s Development team provides strategic leadership for fundraising and engagement efforts across the University of Chicago, aligning institutional priorities with philanthropic opportunities.

Job Summary

The Project Manager, Strategic Development Planning, supports the Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer (CDO) by providing strategic planning, project management, and analytical support for Development priorities, with a particular focus on supporting the prioritization and execution of the CDO’s highest impact priorities.

Responsibilities

• Partners with the Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer (CDO), to support planning, priorities, and decision-making.
• Develops and maintains integrated project plans, charters, and status reports to promote transparency and shared accountability.
• Translates strategic priorities into actionable initiatives, structured workplans, timelines, and measurable milestones across development teams.
• Tracks progress against established goals, proactively identifying risks, gaps, and interdependencies requiring alignment or escalation.
• Collaborates cross-functionally to coordinate and execute major initiatives.
• Sustains momentum and clarity during a period of increased development complexity and scale by supporting development-related planning, coordination, and execution.
• Supports the CDO in moves management, including creating briefing documents, synthesizing stakeholder input, and tracking CDO activity to inform priorities.
• Develops concise strategic briefings, synthesis materials, and presentations to support informed decision-making.
• Represents the CDO in selected meetings to advance priority initiatives and ensure alignment.
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance.

Requirements

• Minimum five years of professional experience in advancement, campaign planning, strategic planning, project management, or related fields.
• Development strategy, including moves management.
• Data analysis and communicating complex topics to non-technical people.
• Managing complex cross-team projects with multiple stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to Advancement, including Phoenix, the University's Donor Relationship Management System.
• Proficient in a Microsoft Windows computer environment, especially with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.