Vice President of Institutional Advancement​/Chief Development Officer

Job Category

Non-Classified

Vice President of Institutional Advancement/Chief Development Officer

President

WVSOM Main Campus, Lewisburg, WV

37.5

Exempt

Summary:

Reporting to the President of WVSOM, the Vice President of Institutional Advancement/Chief Development Officer serves as the senior administrative officer responsible to the President for providing strategic leadership and direction for all institutional advancement functions. This includes development and fundraising, donor and alumni stewardship, stakeholder and community relations, and advancement‑related research and planning.

The Vice President establishes overall goals and strategies for increasing private and public philanthropic support, strengthening external relationships, and advancing WVSOM’s mission. This position works collaboratively with the President, Senior Leadership, the Alumni Association, and the WVSOM Foundation to build and sustain a comprehensive advancement enterprise. The Vice President will also serve as the primary administrative liaison to the Alumni Association Board and the WVSOM Foundation Board and will provide regular advancement updates to the WVSOM Board of Governors.

This is a full-time, non-classified administrative position with full state benefits based on the final candidate’s qualifications. The position is exempt from FLSA provisions regarding overtime. Not all activities of this position occur within the confines of an 8:00-4:30 schedule and will require regular evening and weekend scheduling. Travel including overnight travel is required. This position has been designated as essential.

This means that when WVSOM is faced with an institutional emergency, employees in such positions may be required to remain at their work location or to report to work to protect, recover and continue operations at WVSOM.

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is an equal opportunity employer.

Master's

A master’s degree in a related field is required, along with extensive experience in institutional advancement within higher education or the nonprofit sector. Candidates should have at least ten years of progressively responsible work in fundraising, development, or external relations, and a minimum of five years of senior‑level administrative leadership experience. The position requires demonstrated success in major gift fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, campaign planning, and building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Strong leadership and team‑management abilities, excellent communication and strategic planning skills, and the ability to meet institutional priorities and state‑mandated deadlines are essential. Experience overseeing advancement operations, managing budgets, and ensuring compliance with applicable policies and regulations is also required.

• Commitment to the mission of WVSOM and to advancing osteopathic medical education, healthcare access, and service to the residents of West Virginia.
• Extensive knowledge of fundraising principles, including major and planned giving, annual fund strategies, capital campaigns, donor stewardship, and endowment development.
• Proven success in securing philanthropic support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and governmental partners.
• Experience designing and implementing strategic advancement plans aligned with institutional goals and priorities.
• Ability to build and maintain strong donor, alumni, and stakeholder relationships, including high‑level volunteer boards, community leaders, government officials, and philanthropic partners.
• Skilled in managing comprehensive advancement operations, including prospect management, donor research, gift processing, database oversight, acknowledgement systems, stewardship activities, and IRS/CASE compliance.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit, foundation, and higher‑education fundraising standards, including legal, regulatory, and ethical requirements.
• Demonstrated success in community relations and external…