Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations

The Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations is the Chief Advancement Officer at Converse University, responsible for the overall leadership and performance of resource development and external constituents’ engagement with the University.  The Vice President oversees the day-to-day and strategic management of philanthropy and fundraising, institutional advisory boards, special advancement-oriented events, alumni engagement, relationship management, and donor communications, as well as all outreach activities.  The Vice President will drive efforts and formulate policies and programs that grow financial and human investment in the University; will coordinate and oversee the University’s relationships and partnerships with external entities; will oversee the evolution and implementation of a cohesive fundraising strategy for the University in all forms of outreach to external and internal constituencies; and will supervise and expand efforts that broaden the visibility, reputation and utilization of the University and its resources to external constituencies.  For more information, please visit https://www.converse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Vice-President-for-Advancement-and-Alumni-Relations-2022.pdf

The Vice President will serve as a member of the University’s executive management team and work directly with the Board of Trustees to build visibility, relationships and resources for the University.  The Vice President will oversee functional areas of: Philanthropy and Relationship Management (fundraising, cultivation and stewardship); Advancement Services; Advisory Boards; Alumnae Engagement and Donor Relations; Communications and Marketing; and Special Donor and Alumni Events.      

Reporting Relationships & Responsibilities

The Vice President reports directly to the President and serves as member of the President’s Cabinet. Direct reports to the President include: Director of Advancement Services; Director of Alumni Relations and Advisory Boards; Director of Donor Relations; Director of Institutional Grants; Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy; and the Administrative Assistant for Institutional Advancement.  Overall, the Vice President provides leadership for the University’s strategic vision plan and especially in the development of comprehensive campaign planning and execution.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to:          

• Act as chief advancement officer supporting the President and the Board of Trustees in building relationships with a broad range of external constituents including alumni, donors, athletic boosters, corporations, foundations, and other friends of the University.
• Work closely with the Board of Trustees, President, Provost, deans, and other senior administrators to develop a multi-year fund-raising strategy for sustainable long-term growth.
• Steward all activities to achieve revenue targets for the University’s comprehensive campaign.
• Lead Advancement and Alumni Relations staff in restructuring efforts to build an integrated organization that significantly increases targets for unrestricted, restricted, and endowment funds at the University and institutional levels while managing fund-raising costs.
• Manage Alumni relations, research, and operations components of Advancement to a high level of efficiency to streamline and optimize giving opportunities.
• Directs the development and effective execution of a comprehensive and cohesive communications, marketing, public relations and brand-building strategy to internal and external constituencies to meet advancement goals for various targeted and general populations and utilizing different media platforms.
• Cultivate and entertain alumni and prospective donors at various events, some of which may be held during evenings or weekends as required and may involve domestic and international travel.
• Assures adherence to state and federal regulations, institution policies and relevant accreditation standards.

Requirements / Qualifications

Personal Qualifications

The Vice President will be a person of character, drive, creativity and integrity.  He or she will be a leader who can work both autonomously and as a member of a collaborative, tightly-knit team under strong presidential leadership.  He or she will be an effective and inspiring manager, who is a strong communicator, who has excellent organizational and writing skills, and who provides vision, accountability, leadership and support to the division as a whole and individual team members.  He or she will have a deep understanding of and commitment to the value of a historic women’s college as well as the benefits and opportunities of expanding and advancing the institution.  He or she will appreciate being driven to achieve results and will develop a results-oriented team. 

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree in a related field preferred.  CFRE or Certificate in Nonprofit Management is a plus.
• Minimum ten years of experience in: institutional advancement; philanthropy/fundraising; and supervising a team of employees, preferably in those areas.  Additional experience in the areas of communications, marketing, management and/or sales is also preferred. 
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communications skills, and a mindset that prioritizes clear, congenial, effective and open communications.
• Demonstrated excellent management skills in such areas as goal-setting and accountability, staff hiring, supervision, delegation and evaluation, budget planning and management.
• Experience with cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques especially as pertains to principal gifts.  The Vice President will be expected to manage a prospect portfolio that include both major and principal gift prospects.
• Proven experience with marketing and communications in service to achieve the goals of a comprehensive campaign for Converse University.

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary and benefits package.

Converse University will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, staff, and faculty who are physically present on our campus. As a prospective and/or a new employee at Converse, you will be required to comply with the University's vaccination and other current protocols. Proof of full vaccination must be provided within the first thirty days of start of your employment. Exemptions may be granted on the grounds of religious beliefs or medical circumstances.

DISCLAIMER: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

We believe that a diverse faculty and staff are essential to achieving academic excellence; thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates from all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds