Special Assistant for Strategy and Advancement

Department

IOP: Administration

About the Department

The Institute of Politics (IOP) empowers University of Chicago students to engage meaningfully in politics and public service. Through nonpartisan, extracurricular programming, the IOP inspires civic participation at the local, state and national levels and serves as a cornerstone of the University’s commitment to free expression and open inquiry. With more than 300 internships annually, student-led civic engagement programs, a world-class fellowship bringing in top policymakers and journalists, and one of the country’s most respected political speaker series, the IOP is a hub for conversation and action at the highest levels. It is a model for civil discourse and free expression.

Job Summary

The Institute of Politics (IOP) at the University of Chicago seeks a highly organized, collaborative, and mission-driven professional to support the IOP’s front office by providing critical high-level support to the Director and Executive Director in the areas of executive support, fundraising and donor relations, and stakeholder engagement work. This role plays a critical part in advancing the IOP’s philanthropic and strategic goals, strengthening the IOP’s alumni network, and ensuring sound operations that enable the Institute’s programming and strategic priorities in a cross-functional way. This role reports to the Executive Director but will receive assignments and provide direct support to both the Director and Executive Director. Travel with the Director, domestically and internationally, may be required.

You'll work directly with the IOP's Director and Executive Director, managing their strategic outreach, tracking donor and alumni relationships, and keeping the front office running at a high level. This means helping draft external communications; maintaining the systems and records that keep fundraising efforts organized and moving; and serving as a connective point across teams, stakeholders, and priorities.

Responsibilities

• Supports development and fundraising efforts in partnership with University Advancement and IOP leadership.
• Serves as a trusted point of contact and organizational hub for the broader network of the front office, maintaining touchpoints with key stakeholders including donors, members of the advisory board, students, alumni, etc.
• Coordinates and researches for donor meetings, events, and communications, ensuring a high-quality donor experience.
• Assists with donor cultivation, stewardship, and recognition, including preparation of personalized letters, briefing materials, proposals, reports, and impact updates.
• Creates and maintains a strong system of correspondence tracking, ensuring timely communications from the front office are made and recorded.
• Tracks gifts, pledges, and donor activity, ensuring timely acknowledgment and compliance with University policies.
• Plans, coordinates, and supports alumni engagement initiatives, including events, communications, and volunteer opportunities that strengthen long-term relationships with IOP alumni.
• Maintains accurate alumni records and engagement data in coordination with University systems.
• Serves as a point of contact for alumni inquiries and collaborates with internal teams to enhance alumni experiences.
• Works closely with IOP leadership, programming staff, and University partners to align alumni, development, and financial efforts with institutional goals.
• Supports planning for major events, programs, and initiatives that involve alumni, donors, or key stakeholders.
• Manages office hours and meeting requests from current students.
• Takes the lead in drafting high-level correspondence to maintain momentum with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Owns the Director’s and Executive Director’s calendars and manages the administrative rhythm of the front office, prioritizing fundraising and partnership goals. Coordinates scheduling and responds on their behalf, either confirming or respectfully declining, liaising directly with requesters to handle logistics and expectations.
• Manages and prioritizes their complex travel schedules, including national and international trips; arranging internal and external meetings; supporting the Director and Executive Director with preparation for all meetings and calls; and maintaining calendar integrity and timeliness. Travels with the Director as needed.
• Conducts top-line research, drafts briefings, and gathers content to inform leadership ahead of all major external engagements with bios, backgrounds on hosting organizations, key talking points, and other relevant information tailored to the situation.
• Implements processes, tools and systems for the effective and timely management of the Director and Executive Director’s workload and schedule.
• Works with the executive office to plan and coordinate Board of Advisor’s meetings, in-person and remote, attending meetings, drafting minutes and capturing action items to manage the follow-through process.
• Leads or supports special projects as directed by the Director or Executive Director.
• Assists with researching funding opportunities, preparing grant proposals, and drafting and/or editing other written materials with moderate guidance.
• Coordinates events, researches logistics, assists with planning and preparing presentations, event outreach, and post-event write ups.
• Assists with other administrative projects as needed and acquire higher level guidance and skills.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of experience as an executive assistant for a CEO or relevant experience in a similar fast-paced environment.
• Background working in government, higher education or a mission-driven nonprofit organization is a plus.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Excellent command of Microsoft Outlook, to manage a significant volume of emails and scheduling needs in a timely manner.
• Familiarity with or ability to quickly master donor databases/CRMs and financial, project management software, and G suite tools.

Preferred Competencies

• Interact with external and internal partners with the utmost level of discretion and professionalism.
• Superb relationship-management skills to build professional relationships at a senior level with key stakeholders, donors and partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, exceptional attention to detail, meet deadlines, and anticipate needs.
• Manage a highly demanding travel schedule.
• Highly motivated and able to thrive in a fast-paced ambiguous environment while managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and working independently as well as collaboratively.
• Exceptional personal and professional integrity, operating with a high level of professionalism and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Support fundraising campaigns or donor stewardship activities.
• Interest in politics, public service, civic engagement, or related fields aligned with the IOP mission.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid work schedule with occasional travel to coincide with the executive’s schedule.
• This position is based at the University of Chicago Hyde Park campus and may include occasional evening or weekend work to support events or donor activities.
• Travel with the Director according to their schedule may be required throughout the year.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$75,000.00 - $100,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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