Associate Vice President, Alumni and Community Experiences (Chicago)

DepartmentADV AdvancementAbout the DepartmentThe University of Chicago has retained Lindauer ( a global search and talent firm, to support this recruitment. Faith Montgomery, Executive Vice President ( is leading this search. Inquiries, applications, and nominations must be sent by email to Andrew Machado, Senior Consultant ( Please note all job seekers wishing to be considered for the position must also submit their materials through the University’s Workday site at University of Chicago Advancement team cultivates lifelong connections with more than 220,000 alumni, current students, parents, and friends worldwide, building community through intellectual, professional, and other meaningful experiences on campus, around the world and online. Advancement empowers every division, school, department, and institute to thrive, generating support for esteemed faculty, pioneering researchers, visionary practitioners, and ambitious students. During the Chicago Minds campaign, Advancement seeks to raise over $1 billion annually. This unprecedented philanthropic effort is designed to stretch the boundaries of what is possible, fueling bold discovery and amplifying the University’s global impact. Our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful connection and lasting experiences inspire ambassadorship and enduring commitment. We champion a culture of innovation and excellence, inviting every member of our community to participate in a future defined by creativity, intellectual rigor, and shared purpose. Through collaborative partnerships, strategic stewardship, and investment in talent, Advancement is reimagining alumni and donor engagement while ensuring UChicago remains a catalyst of impact for generations to come.Job InformationJob Summary:Reporting directly to Vice President Armin Afsahi, this leader will join the Advancement executive leadership team and provide strategic direction and oversight for key teams that drive community building and engagement. This role demands a collaborative, change-oriented leader who will strengthen the University’s capacity to deliver meaningful experiences, develop talent across the organization, and ensure its global community remains deeply connected to the institution’s mission and future.As a critical partner to senior academic and administrative leaders, volunteer boards, and University stakeholders, the AVP will craft and execute strategies that inspire alumni, donors, and friends to deepen their commitment to UChicago. The role is also central to executing the University’s ambitious Chicago Minds campaign launching in 2026, positioning this leader as a key architect in achieving historic fundraising and engagement goals. The successful candidate will bring a passion for creating meaningful, human-centered experiences that deepen constituent connection, a talent for inspiring and developing high-performing teams, and a proven ability to innovate and execute programs that resonate with today’s alumni and donors. The AVP will champion a culture of excellence and impact by fostering an environment where staff are empowered to deliver transformative programs and build enduring connections across the University’s vibrant global network.The Associate Vice President, Alumni and Community Experiences will join University of Chicago Advancement at a moment of dynamic evolution and opportunity, as the institution emphasizes deepening the human and experiential dimensions of engagement for its 220,000 alumni, parents, and friends worldwide. Under this vision, Advancement has grown from a $600 million annual fundraising organization to one that aspires to raise in excess of $1 billion each year, fueled by the conviction that investing in meaningful connection, indelible experiences, and a universal sense of community will strengthen ambassadorship and philanthropic commitment at every level of giving. The AVP must bring both the intellectual rigor to think critically about organizational readiness and the practical leadership to evolve current systems thoughtfully and ambitiously. This is not a role for incremental maintenance; it calls for a leader willing to assess what exists, envision what is possible, and build toward it with intention across volunteerism, stewardship, events, annual giving, and communications.Responsibilities:Experience Architecture - serve as the institution’s chief architect of constituent experiences, designing a cohesive and intentional experience pathway that deepens connection, inspires belonging, and reflects the University’s values at every engagement touchpoint. Identify and strengthen the signature experiences that define the UChicago community and give alumni, parents, and friends compelling reasons to remain engaged across a lifetime.Strategic Leadership and Vision - develop and implement a comprehensive vision for alumni and community engagement that aligns University priorities and the goals of the upcoming campaign, setting measurable objectives that drive participation, donor retention, and volunteer leadership.Change Leadership - lead thoughtfully and ambitiously through a period of meaningful organizational change. Assess current capabilities and performance with honesty and rigor, establish a clear direction for growth, and bring staff and partners forward with confidence. Balance the need to preserve what is working with the imperative to strengthen and evolve what is not.Integrated Portfolio Oversight - provide oversight and strategic direction for critical Advancement functions, including alumni relations, stewardship, annual giving, communications, and event programming while ensuring cohesive, innovative, and mission-driven initiatives.Campaign Strategy Execution - lead the campaign execution in partnership with the Advancement leadership, ensuring volunteer leaders are activated and prepared to serve as effective ambassadors of the University, and create intentional experiences that drive constituent engagement and philanthropic support.Donor Relations Strategy - drive the development of a comprehensive donor relations operating strategy that strengthens stewardship and impact communication.Annual Giving - design an innovative, centralized direct marketing / annual giving program to strengthen and expand the institutional pipeline, increasing donor acquisition and retention rates and generating critical unrestricted resources on a yearly basis. The AVP will bring a contemporary and integrated philosophy to this work, demonstrating command of evolving industry trends and ensuring annual giving is connected strategically to the broader goals of engagement and the campaign.Team Development - invest actively in identifying, nurturing, and developing talent across the organization. Understand what individual team members need in order to grow and create conditions where they are empowered to take ownership, assume accountability, and build meaningful careers. Model the caliber of leadership expected throughout the organization.Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance, including building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions and with an eye towards broadly diversifying the advancement profession.Performs other related work as needed.Competencies:Vision and Enthusiasm for the Role - the successful candidate will be genuinely inspired by this opportunity and energized by the scope of change already underway at UChicago Advancement. This leader will bring a clear point of view about where the work must go and a deep commitment to helping the institution realize its most ambitious aspirations.Strategic Alignment - work across the enterprise to foster cohesion among systems, people, culture, strategies, and tactics. Ensure teams have clear, shared priorities and hold staff responsible for focusing on and implementing the strategy. Build talent and operational capacity to meet current and future enterprise needs.Continuous Improvement - drive a culture of data-informed decision-making, continuous evaluation, and innovation to adapt to evolving institutional needs and the dynamic landscape of higher education advancement.Team Development - provide guidance and support to help team members learn and grow. Create a challenging and supportive environment for direct reports and others to assume ownership for programs and results, take intelligent risks, and learn from mistakes. Provide direct feedback and coaching that ensures accountability, professional development, and team success.Innovative and Accountable Leadership - approach the work with a spirit of experimentation and measured risk-taking, accepting the invitation to test new ideas, learn from outcomes, and build a culture where thoughtful failure is a pathway to growth. Champion shared accountability by fostering mutual trust and ensuring that bold ambitions are matched by disciplined follow-through.Partnership and Collaboration - cultivate strong, collaborative relationships with University leadership, volunteer leaders, and other partners across schools, divisions, and units to amplify engagement efforts and foster a unified, university-wide approach to advancement. Connect with peer organizations and professional associations to build UChicago Advancement’s national reputation and presence. Ensure partners’ experience is top of mind in all areas of Advancement activity.Operational Excellence and Fiscal Management - oversee departmental budgets and resources with financial acumen, fostering operational excellence and ensuring efficient, timely, and cost-effective execution of programs and initiatives.Executive Leadership Presence - operate as a sophisticated, emotionally intelligent member of the Adv