Vice President – Position

Vice President for Advancement – Staff Position

JOB SUMMARY:

William Penn University seeks an experienced, mission-driven advancement leader to serve as Vice President for Advancement. Reporting directly to the President and serving on the President’s Cabinet, the Vice President provides strategic leadership for the University’s comprehensive advancement enterprise, including fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, and institutional communications. The Vice President serves as a key partner in advancing institutional priorities by strengthening philanthropic support, enhancing institutional visibility, and aligning advancement strategy with enrollment growth, student success, and long-term financial sustainability.

This role combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, sustaining fundraising momentum while building systems and relationships that position the University for future growth. The Vice President mentors and develops a growing advancement team, fosters collaboration across campus, and serves as a primary ambassador of the University to donors, alumni, community leaders, and external partners. The position ensures continuity, confidence, and coordinated engagement among stakeholders while reinforcing a culture of philanthropy throughout the institution.

DEPARTMENT:
Advancement

William Penn University seeks a leader who is collaborative, humble, relationship-centered, mission-aligned, and steady in times of transition—someone who builds trust quickly and leads with integrity and practicality. Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel computer applications. Strong people skills, demonstrated organizational skills, detail oriented and time management skills. Must have strong communication skills – verbal and written. Team oriented office environment with demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple tasks.

Able to travel, work occasional evenings and weekends.

A. Education

Master’s degree preferred, but not required

B. Experience

• The successful candidate will bring significant experience in higher education advancement or a related nonprofit setting, demonstrated success in major and/or corporate and foundation fundraising, comfort working hands-on in resource-constrained environments, and experience mentoring developing professionals. Familiarity with mission-centered or faith-informed institutions is welcomed.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience, including supervision of professional staff, budget oversight, and strategic planning within advancement, fundraising, marketing, communications, or a related field. Experience leading comprehensive campaigns, annual giving programs, alumni engagement initiatives, and integrated marketing efforts is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations, including the ability to build long-term donor relationships and close complex gifts. Experience working closely with institutional leadership, governing boards, and volunteer leadership groups is highly valued.
• The candidate should possess experience aligning advancement strategy with institutional priorities such as enrollment growth, student success initiatives, capital projects, and long-term financial sustainability. Experience implementing data-informed decision making, establishing performance metrics, and improving operational effectiveness within an advancement organization is preferred.
• Background managing advancement systems, donor databases, reporting structures, and stewardship practices that support sustainable fundraising growth is desirable. Experience navigating organizational change, rebuilding trust, or leading teams through transition is strongly preferred.

• The Vice President leads an integrated advancement operation encompassing major and planned gifts, annual and leadership giving, alumni and family engagement, grants, stewardship, advancement operations, as well as all university marketing and directly oversees a team of eight professionals. Fundraising Leadership and Execution:
  Sustain fundraising momentum; personally engage…