Executive Director of Strategic Volunteer Initiatives

Job Description

Virginia Tech Advancement is hiring an Executive Director of Strategic Volunteer Initiatives to develop and lead a comprehensive strategy to nurture university-wide volunteer leadership and foster the “culture of philanthropy” mindset throughout our alumni and university-level volunteers. By developing meaningful and aligned service and engagement opportunities, this position will ensure volunteers are instrumental in achieving Virginia Tech's ambitious aspirations.

The Virginia Tech Advancement Division oversees three externally-facing functions of the university: fundraising, engagement, and communications and marketing. Advancement staff within each College and Unit are overseen by both their dean or director and central Advancement leadership. The 300+ person division aligns under a shared work plan, mission and values to achieve the university's philanthropic goals.

As a senior advancement professional with experience in strategic planning and volunteer engagement, the Executive Director will bring a track record of success in advancement leadership positions. Reporting to the Chief of Staff for Advancement, this position will closely partner with the Senior Vice President for Advancement and all members of the Leadership Teams to support collaboration and coordination with various university stakeholders (deans, directors, vice presidents, advancement staff, alumni, friends, and donors) to create and maintain a vision for the overall strategy to deepen, integrate and align volunteer leaders to the university’s strategic priorities. They will develop effective volunteer engagement and recognition opportunities to complement the Advancement Division’s priorities and goals. The Executive Director will direct opportunities for industry and executive alumni leaders and donors to serve the university with a goal of progressing strategic initiatives by serving on advisory committees and leadership boards. The Executive Director will build their own relationships with leadership volunteers across the university.

Building upon a culture consistent with Virginia Tech’s Principles of Community and the Advancement mission statement, the Executive Director will build and oversee a team that works to coordinate and integrate the recruitment, onboarding, retention, cultivation, stewardship, and evaluation of volunteers across the university.

The successful candidate will demonstrate significant experience and success in building effective strategies for volunteer engagement in support of university priorities and campaign goals. The successful candidate will have experience in developing a strategic direction and goals for university-level volunteer engagement and overseeing a team that works across divisions within a university to successfully realize goals. This includes a strong commitment to recruiting, developing, and empowering volunteer leadership, with a thoughtful emphasis on those from under-represented groups and communities.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated and extensive experience in Advancement, including alumni volunteer
relations, higher education administration, donor relations, capital campaign management,
fundraising, and advancement operations
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of fundraising and engagement strategies under
an Advancement model in a public land-grant university
• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills to develop relationships with
high-capacity individuals
• Experience in change management within a university
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning
• Possesses human-centered skills to build loyalty, and impactful long-term relationships,
• Experience in overseeing and managing personnel and/or a team
• Ability to maintain a broad institutional perspective
• Master’s degree in a related or applicable field or Bachelor’s degree with extensive experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in developing university-wide strategic volunteer initiatives for a land-grant
university

Pay Band

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Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Review Date

August 12, 2024

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance . These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Advancement HR at advhr@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: August 1, 2024
Applications close: