Associate Vice President, Primary Giving

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefit, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here.

At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), we are UNlike any other.  With more than 300,000 students, faculty and staff, we are a mix of attitudes, styles and stories. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others can’t. Or won’t. Focused on impact, we pursue a future that is built by us rather than preserving a past that’s been left to us. We are home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing, and we prove everyday that different works. VCU offers employees work flexibility, a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work.  To explore our benefits further, please visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/university-and-academic-professional-benefits/. So if you’re interested in blazing trails, then you too can be UNstoppable here.

The mission of VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is to maximize philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders with all VCU schools, programs and campuses as one development and alumni relations community. We implement best practices and efficient strategies to achieve a comprehensive development program. 

Job Overview

The Associate Vice President of Primary Giving is an inaugural role that offers a significant opportunity for an ambitious fundraising professional to create a  comprehensive pipeline development program as VCU prepares for the launch of its most ambitious philanthropic campaign. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations, the AVP will lead four experienced teams (total 26 staff) dedicated to healthcare and university fundraising for donors under $50,000. By leveraging staff expertise with institutional trends and practice, the AVP will be accountable for philanthropic impact and growth at the primary giving level (donors giving less than $50,000).

The AVP will be critical in planning future universitywide and grateful patient campaigns, identifying new donor pipelines and building a positive team environment. As a visionary and strategic leader, the AVP will collaborate with departments and stakeholders to align primary giving initiatives with college, school and unit needs. The AVP will be accountable for building data-driven strategies that engage, solicit and retain donors. This position requires strong analytical, communication and relationship-building skills to foster productive partnerships and drive fundraising outcomes.

Responsibilities of the role include:

Strategy and Administration

• Guide and partner on the strategy and execution of all primary giving programs, shaping distinct, customized methods of solicitation for VCU and VCU Health constituencies, including alumni, grateful patients, employees, retirees, students, families and friends
• Lead and motivate teams of fundraising professionals, intentionally developing career pathways, maximizing strengths and identifying opportunities
• Leverage traditional solicitation methods with powerful digital initiatives that optimize emerging technologies
• Set programmatic performance targets in order to measure, evaluate and adapt tactics and investment. Targets include goals such as alumni participation, faculty/staff participation and grateful patient giving.
• Develop and execute a plan to integrate annual giving, leadership annual giving and affinity giving to ensure a consistent donor experience
• Collaborate with development communications teams on creative concepts and briefs, copywriting and design for all primary giving efforts
• Collaborate with information systems, prospect development and business analytics teams to organize information to create reports that inform primary giving strategies, enhance data integrity and maximize use of the university’s constituent relationship management system

Philanthropic culture and investment

• Develop and sustain in-depth knowledge of VCU’s education and healthcare funding priorities
• Build strong relationships with DAR leaders responsible for marketing, communications, signature events, alumni and constituent relations, information systems, philanthropic services, prospect development, and business analytics 
• Partner with senior fundraisers across DAR, including college, school and unit teams, to ensure all strategies and goals are communicated, aligned and optimized
• Present performance reports to VCU and VCU Health partners on a regular basis
• Leverage crowdfunding and peer-to-peer engagement opportunities, including Giving Day, to build cohorts of advocates
• Serve on university, health system and DAR committees related to philanthropy

Business planning

• Serve on the Development and Alumni Relations leadership team
• Participate in annual planning activities to optimize VCU and VCU Health investment
• Develop, administer and monitor annual operating budgets
• Coordinate, support and drive operational efficiency in primary giving
• Anticipate and protect DAR from creating risk to the university and health system enterprise, especially reputational and data protection risks 
• Engage stakeholders in institutionally-related foundations, colleges, schools, and units to understand shared goals and vision
• Identify and address best practices in change management
• Ensure documentation of project management and business processes

As a team member, you will:

• Create productive relationships across DAR, university and health system partners, and VCU’s institutionally related foundations
• Seek constant improvement in strategy and business process
• Work in a complex, performance-based professional environment
• Establish relationships with peer institutions, including research universities, academic medical centers and cancer centers, to add to DAR’s collective understanding of primary giving systems and strategies
• Align with DAR’s core purpose and values
• Practice appreciative leadership and an outward mindset across teams of diverse talents and backgrounds

Required qualifications/skills 

This position oversees multiple types of fundraising programs, and the candidate is expected to provide vision, leadership and strategic ideation. Therefore, the position requires the following minimum hiring standards:

• Senior leadership experience in annual giving and frontline fundraising, particularly in an institution of higher education and/or healthcare
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in a fast-paced, highly complex fundraising environment
• An undergraduate degree from an accredited university or equivalent education and experience
• Sound professional judgment, including proven ability to solve problems, prioritize tasks, respond to questions and make decisions while also functioning as a leader in a shared governance organization
• Success in developing and advocating for staff of varying expertise and accountability
• Enthusiasm for new opportunities in the fundraising discipline of donor pipeline development, affinity giving and primary giving
• Experience in project management and business process development 
• Strong proficiency with data analytics and technology tools 
• Strong executive communications skills, including an ability to articulate plans and present results
• Professional demeanor required to engage and leverage senior leadership, volunteer leadership and other fundraising stakeholders
• Experience with MS Office Suite software including MS Word and Excel
• Experience with G-Suite including google docs, drive, sheets, and slides
• Proven track record of effective change management
• Commitment to the mission and strategic goals of VCU and VCU Health 
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so at VCU

Preferred qualifications

• A graduate degree in higher education, public administration, marketing or related field or work experience at a level that equates to an advanced degree
• Experience implementing innovative technical solutions, such as AI and digital fundraising
• Experience with affinity and peer-to-peer giving strategies
• Knowledge and experience in both alumni and grateful patient fundraising

A cover letter and diversity statement are required for consideration.

Izzy Kane
irkane@vcu.edu