Vice President University Advancement

Vice President for University Advancement

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The Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA) provides strategic and operational leadership for all advancement functions, including Development, Alumni Relations, and Marketing and Communications, across Midwestern University’s two campuses in Downers Grove, Illinois, and Glendale, Arizona.

As a key member of the President’s senior leadership team, the VPUA will design and implement a comprehensive, institution-wide advancement strategy that strengthens the University’s philanthropic support, alumni engagement, and brand visibility. This leader will foster collaboration across both campuses while honoring their distinct cultures and traditions.

The VPUA will play a pivotal role in shaping and advancing Midwestern University’s priorities, including student scholarships, academic innovation, clinical and health service expansion, and One Health initiatives. This position will guide a high‑performing, collaborative team and integrate advancement initiatives with the University’s mission and long‑term sustainability.

• Partner with the President, Chief Academic Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and other senior leaders to develop and execute a multi‑year Advancement Strategic Plan aligned with institutional goals.
• Lead and align advancement strategies across both campuses, ensuring consistent best practices, shared services, and responsiveness to campus‑specific needs.
• Serve as a key partner in planning major capital initiatives, program launches, and clinical expansions where philanthropy plays a strategic role.
• Represent the University to major donors, foundations, corporations, and alumni communities nationwide.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators across major and planned giving, annual giving, alumni engagement, stewardship, and campaign progress.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and ethical, data‑driven fundraising across all advancement operations.

• Oversee the full advancement cycle, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Strengthen major and planned giving programs to expand endowment resources, foster transformational gifts, and build long‑term philanthropic partnerships that sustain institutional priorities.
• Lead annual giving initiatives and digital campaigns that build donor participation and broaden philanthropic engagement.
• Advance corporate and foundation relations by cultivating strategic partnerships aligned with the University’s academic and clinical mission.
• Oversee alumni relations programs across both campuses, including communications, mentoring networks, regional chapters, and signature engagement events.
• Ensure rigorous and consistent donor recognition, gift agreement compliance, reporting, and stewardship across campuses.
• Oversee marketing and communications efforts that advance both philanthropic and enrollment goals by strengthening storytelling, brand consistency, and digital engagement strategies that connect donors, alumni, and prospective students with the institution’s mission and impact.
• Leverage data analytics, CRM systems, segmentation, and reporting to strengthen donor pipelines and advancement effectiveness.

• Build, mentor, and retain a talented, collaborative advancement team across both campuses.
• Foster a unified advancement culture that values professional development, shared accountability, and cross‑campus partnership.
• Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in advancement staffing, volunteer engagement, and donor relations.
• Align advancement activities with academic leadership, faculty, staff, and clinic partners to fully integrate philanthropy into institutional life.
• Manage advancement budgets and optimize shared service models to ensure efficient use of resources.

• Ensure all advancement operations comply with federal and state laws, institutional policies, and ethical standards (CASE, AFP, AHP).
• Maintain policies for gift acceptance,…