Vice President Institutional Advancement

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The University seeks an accomplished advancement executive to serve as Vice President for Institutional Advancement, a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the president and serving as a key member of the university’s executive team. The Vice President for Institutional Advancement supervises multiple units of professional and para-professional staff.

This role is designed for a senior leader with demonstrated experience planning, leading, and executing comprehensive fundraising and engagement strategies. The Vice President will be responsible for building the strategic, organizational, and operational framework required to sustain long-term philanthropic growth, and strengthen donor relationships in support of the university’s mission.

As the university’s chief advancement officer and executive director of the university’s foundation, the Vice President will oversee development, alumni relations, and foundation operations, ensuring alignment across teams, systems, and priorities. The role requires a leader who can translate institutional vision into a disciplined advancement strategy, guide major and principal gift activity, and partner effectively with the president, senior leadership, governing boards, and volunteer leaders to advance the university’s mission and long-term philanthropic growth.

The successful candidate will bring a proven record of securing significant philanthropic support, leading high-performing advancement teams, and managing complex fundraising initiatives in dynamic environments. Experience with campaign governance, volunteer structures, donor strategy, and post-campaign transition planning is highly valued, as is the ability to modernize advancement practices while building trust and momentum across the institution.

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will serve as a visible institutional leader, representing the university to donors, alumni, community partners, and external stakeholders, and playing a central role in positioning the university for its next phase of growth and impact.

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is charged with providing leadership, vision, oversight, planning and management of all aspects of development to advance the university’s mission, including community, private foundation, and alumni relations. The role oversees and directs the operations of assigned units such as Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement and serves as the executive director for the university’s foundation. The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is primarily responsible for the diversification of revenue sources for the university’s long-term growth and success.

This position develops and manages annual budgets and staffing levels with responsibility for staff planning, hiring, and evaluation.

The following examples of duties illustrate the general range of tasks assigned to the position but are not intended to define the limits of required duties. Other essential duties may be assigned consistent with the general scope of the position.

• Establishes, plans and manages all aspects of the university’s Institutional Advancement strategic goals and objectives as well as the creation of strategic partnerships including the university’s foundation and alumni relations.
• Directs, manages and provides executive leadership, vision and oversight of the university’s multi-function, complex organizational development, fundraising, relationship building and development activities.
• Develops long-term strategic plans with measurable objectives and implementation time frames that will better align current goals and strengthen the focus and productivity of current resources, diversifying and identifying potential new revenue sources.
• Strategically develops and implements fundraising initiatives including campaigns, the identification of new donors, and the solicitation of private, community and corporate gifts in collaboration with the university’s foundation.
• Directs the university’s Alumni Affairs by fostering and strengthening relationships and maximizing alumni giving campaigns.
• Represents the…