Associate Vice President for Advancement

 

Primary Role

The Associate Vice President for Advancement will be the chief advancement officer reporting to the Vice President for Advancement and Marketing, As a member of the Cabinet (responsible for providing advice and counsel to the President and to each other), the AVP for Advancement will be responsible for providing visionary leadership in building, maintaining and strengthening relationships between the College and alumni, parents, and friends including corporations and foundations, while effectively communicating and managing five directors and their staff. Key responsibilities will include securing the financial support needed for the College to achieve its objectives and the promotion of teamwork and cooperation throughout the department and the College as a whole.

Typical Duties & Responsibilities

  1. Identify and meet college constituencies, promoting and cultivating support for the college through effective communication of the needs, accomplishments and goals of the College.
  2. Develop and maintain a research driven and results oriented three year plan for the development team that encourages innovation and growth and plan, organize and conduct simple and complex campaigns, fund development and gift planning for departments and the College as a whole to achieve the objectives of that plan.
  3. Understand the needs and priorities of donors, recognizing past gifts, cultivating future gifts, and successfully completing asks.
  4. Develop strong volunteer involvement by working collaboratively with all areas of the College to promote acceptance and effective use of volunteers, strongly supporting programs to recruit, deploy and recognize volunteers drawn from all college constituencies.
  5. Provide strong support of budgetary control by recommending effective ways to reduce or control costs of mailing, printing and travel. Recommend strategic investments necessary to enhance volunteerism, constituent relationships and giving.

Education

BS/BA is required. An advanced degree would be desirable.

Position Qualifications

  1. Excellent communication skills and a keen ability to build, maintain and foster relationships on all levels.
  2. A minimum of five years of increasingly responsible experience in charitable gift programs sufficient to demonstrate competency and capabilities with: alumni relations, gift proposal design, estate gift and tax planning, solicitation of gifts from widely varying constituencies, recruitment and utilization of volunteers, and budget management.
  3. Demonstrated and successful record in personal solicitation of gifts.
  4. Substantial experience as a volunteer and in managing programs in which volunteers have had a significant impact on goal attainment.
  5. Intellectual curiosity and the ability to think strategically.
  6. A proactive manner, and with strongly held opinions and the ability and inclination to articulate them and make things happen.
  7. Ability to consult with and advise at the college leadership and staff level on a range of issues related to development and fundraising strategies and activities.
  8. Upbeat, unpretentious intelligent professional and with the presence and confidence to assume a leadership role in a dynamic environment.
  9. Effective at all levels of the organization; ability to listen well and instill trust.
  10. An accommodating leadership style. A team player with the proven ability to lead a staff and to delegate responsibility.
  11. Willingness to travel extensively and work non-traditional hours.
  12. Strong technology skills and demonstrated understanding of application of technology initiatives that support fundraising and alumni development.
  13. Personal characteristics that demonstrate maturity, self-confidence, adaptability and flexibility.