Job Description
Job Description
SUMMARY OF POSITION : The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is the Chief Advancement Officer at Converse University, responsible for the overall leadership and performance of resource development and external constituents' engagement with the University. The Vice President oversees the daily operations and strategic management of philanthropy and fundraising, institutional advisory boards, special advancement-oriented events, alumni engagement, relationship management, and donor communications, as well as all outreach activities. The Vice President will drive efforts and formulate policies and programs that grow financial and human investment in the University; will coordinate and oversee the University's relationships and partnerships with external entities; will oversee the evolution and implementation of a cohesive fundraising strategy for the University in all forms of outreach to external and internal constituencies; and will supervise and expand efforts that broaden the visibility, reputation, and utilization of the University and its resources to external constituencies.
The Vice President will serve on the University's executive leadership team and works directly with the Board of Trustees to build visibility, relationships, and resources The Vice President will provide strategic direction and oversight for the functional areas of Philanthropy and Relationship Management (fundraising, cultivation, and stewardship), Advancement Services, Advisory Boards, Alumni Engagement and Donor Relations, Grant Support, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Communications and Marketing, and Special Donor and Alumni Events.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES / NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :
Strategic Executive Leadership 30%
Specific responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to :
- Act as Chief Advancement Officer supporting the President and the Board of Trustees in building relationships and facilitating programs and initiatives designed to engage a broad range of constituents, including alumni, donors, athletic boosters, corporations, foundations, public officials, and other friends of the University.
- Work closely with the Board of Trustees and University Leadership to develop multi-year fund-raising goals and corresponding strategies for sustainable long-term growth.
- Serve as a member of the President's Executive Leadership Team and collaborates with other members in the assessment, development, and implementation of institutional initiatives, policies, and procedures.
- Counsel and advise the President and Executive Leadership Team on Institutional Advancement matters, including the success of departmental day-to-day operations, conveying an atmosphere of excellence and distinction in support of the University's mission, vision, core values, and goals.
- Partner with the President and collaborate university-wide, actively driving the strategic plan forward in alignment with system and state initiatives. Participate in the development and implementation of strategic long-term plans.
Management
Philanthropy, Advancement Services, Alumni, Grants and Marketing and Communications) 70%
Lead Institutional Advancement staff to build an integrated organization that significantly increases targets for unrestricted, restricted, and endowment funds at the university and institutional levels while managing fund-raising costs.Set and Lead Institutional Advancement and Communications Unit Outcomes in accordance with the university's accrediting body, SACSCOC.Collaborate, partner, and meet with leaders and team members within the department to ensure alignment of goals and activities.Support and facilitate a work environment that encourages high team morale, quality of service, and enthusiastic motivation to accomplish established goals and objectivesCommunications and Marketing
Direct the development and effective execution of comprehensive and cohesive communication, marketing, public relations, and brand-building strategies to internal and external constituencies to meet advancement goals for various targeted and general populations while utilizing different media platforms.Manage, develop, and implement a communications and marketing strategy to enhance the mission, share the impact, and convey the university's progress to internal and external audiences.Advancement Strategy and Operations
Develop and implement a comprehensive Institutional Advancement plan.Both directly and indirectly, supervise all Institutional Advancement staff, including all associated management responsibilities.Ensure continuous oversight of Institutional Advancement finances, including all applicable departmental budgets, grants, and investments.Develop an annual report of activities for distribution to board members, donors, college officials, and other interested parties.Represent Institutional Advancement at community meetings, including a summary of activities, key accomplishments, challenges, and upcoming focuses.Manage budgets, restricted and unrestricted accounts, and record-keeping systems of the investment portfolio.Collaborate with the Business Office with regard to accounts, resources, investments, and financial statements. Respond to audit findings regarding development activities in conjunction with the college's investment account, as necessary.Assure adherence to state and federal regulations, institution policies, and relevant accreditation standards to contribute to the university's overall success by performing all other duties and responsibilities assigned by the President.Provide strategic direction and support to grant management to ensure that opportunities are assessed and applied within the University's overall strategic plan and focus, to expand financial resources and program delivery, and to identify priorities for funding. Prepare, review and / or submit public and private grant proposals.Oversee the administration and compliance of grant awards. Within the college and surrounding community, works to heighten awareness of the benefits of grants and their positive impact on the college and student success.Oversee efforts of advancement services to include prospect research, gift processing and donor / alumni database management.Oversees efforts of donor relations to provide thoughtful and timely stewardship.Philanthropy
Steward all activities to achieve revenue targets for the University's current comprehensive campaign, planned giving, annual giving, and special initiatives.Plan and lead future large-scale capital or endowment campaigns, including planning, executing, and evaluating their successes.Utilize extensive experience in securing large gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including direct solicitation and stewardship of high-net-worth donors.Oversee the broader donor landscape, including annual fund campaigns and effective alumni engagement.Manage alumni relations, research, and operations components of Advancement to a high level of efficiency to streamline and optimize giving opportunities.Cultivate and entertain alumni and prospective donors at various events, some of which may be held during evenings or weekends as required and may involve domestic and international travel.All other duties as assigned by the President or Board of Trustees.JOB QUALIFICATIONS : The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will be a person of character, drive, creativity, and integrity. He or she will be a leader who can work both autonomously and as a member of a collaborative, tightly-knit team under strong presidential leadership. He or she will be an effective and inspiring manager who is a strong communicator, who has excellent organizational and writing skills, and who provides vision, accountability, leadership and support to the division as a whole and individual team members. He or she will have a deep understanding of and commitment to the value of a historic women's college as well as the benefits and opportunities of expanding and advancing the institution. He or she will appreciate being driven to achieve results and will develop a results-oriented team.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS : Bachelor's degree required with a minimum 10 years of progressive responsibilities in the following areas : institutional advancement; philanthropy / fundraising ; donor relations; advancement services; capital and comprehensive campaigns; cross-department collaboration, budget management, financial acumen, community engagement, customer relationship management, communications, and marketing; and successful experience supervising a team of employees specifically in those areas.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :
Additional experience in the areas of communications, marketing, management and / or sales is also preferred.An advanced degree in a related field, preferred CFRE or Certificate in Nonprofit Management is a plus.Experience with cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques, especially as they pertain to principal gifts. The Vice President will be expected to manage a prospect portfolio that includes major and principal gift prospects.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES :
Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills and a mindset prioritizing clear, congenial, effective, and open communication.Demonstrated excellent management skills in such areas as goal-setting and accountability, staff hiring, supervision, delegation and evaluation, budget planning, and management.Proven experience with marketing and communications in service to achieve the goals of a comprehensive campaign for Converse University.Well-grounded philosophy of honesty, integrity, and respectDemonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with various constituents, including both internal to the organization and with the publicAbility to work with and engage a diverse group of peopleAbility to work independently yet value and support a team-based environmentDemonstrated professionalism and positive attitudeVisionary Thinking : Ability to create and communicate a compelling vision for the institution's future, aligning advancement efforts with the university and community mission and strategic goals.Experience in Strategic Planning : Developing long-term fundraising strategies and campaigns that reflect the university's priorities and maximize revenue potential.Cross-Department Collaboration : Work effectively with senior leadership, faculty, trustees, and other departments to integrate advancement efforts into the larger institutional strategy.Major Gift Fundraising : Extensive experience in securing large gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations, including direct solicitation and stewardship of high-net-worth donors.Campaign Management : Proven ability to lead large-scale capital or endowment campaigns, including planning, executing, and evaluating their successes.Planned Giving : knowledge of legacy giving strategies and donor-focused approaches to long-term wealth transfer and estate planning.Annual Giving and Alumni Support : Understanding the broader donor landscape, including annual fund campaigns and effective alumni engagement.Strong Interpersonal Skills : Ability to build and sustain relationships with key stakeholders, including alumni, donors, faculty, staff, board members, and external partners.Alumni Relations Expertise : Developing programs that engage alumni as not just financial donors, but also as lifelong supporters, advocates, mentors, and volunteers.Stewardship and Engagement : Ensuring donors feel valued and engaged, leading to long-term relationships and continued support.Community Engagement : Building partnerships with local, national, and international communities to foster goodwill and support for the university.Budget Management : Experience in managing a large advancement office budget, allocating resources efficiently, and measuring ROI.Data-Driven Decision Making : Using analytics to evaluate fundraising progress, identify trends, and optimize strategies.Analytics and Reporting : Ability to analyze data to make informed decisions and produce reports that track the progress and effectiveness of advancement programs.GUIDELINES AND SUPERVISION : The Vice President reports directly to the President and serves as member of the President's Executive Leadership Council. Direct reports to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement include : the Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy; the Assistant Vice President for Advancement Services; and the Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications. Overall, the Vice President provides leadership for the University's strategic vision plan and especially in the development of campaign planning, fundraising, communications, and execution.
Hours : The University's operating hours are Monday through Thursday 8am-5pm and Friday 8am through 1pm. This position will operate under the standard University business hours and will be expected to work other hours as the business would demand. However, this position does require regular travel including occasional overnight and weekend commitments.
Licenses : Certificate in Nonprofit Management is a plus.
DISCLAIMER : The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.
We believe that a diverse faculty and staff are essential to achieving academic excellence; thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates from all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
