Vice President For Institutional Advancement

Title: Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Department: Institutional Advancement

Reports to: President

Category: Exempt

Summary/Objective

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is the College's senior leader who provides direction and leadership for all fundraising, alumni relations and donor engagement functions of the College. The Vice President must be strategic, passionate about the College, focused and determined, yet wholly genuine and authentic in her or his approach to the role and to our constituents. The person holding this position must embrace and value the mission of Lees-McRae College and champion that mission to our external audiences.

Essential Functions

• Serves as a member of the President's cabinet and maintains close working relationships with cabinet colleagues, trustees and donors to the College.

• Works closely with the president in all phases of fundraising and engagement work, and actively manages the president's fundraising activities so that effective time is being spent advancing the philanthropic agenda of the College.

• Creates and executes dynamic fundraising plans to accomplish the goals for annual fund, major gift development, planned giving, alumni engagement and capital campaigns.

• Leads the Legacy Campaign, Lees-McRae's next major capital campaign, and ensures its overall campaign goal is achieved.

• Develops and manages a broad network of engaged volunteers and leaders who assist the College in meeting its philanthropic goals.

• Continues to strengthen alumni engagement in the total life of the College, including fundraising, career assistance to students, admissions, and broader engagement using affinity groups.

• Strengthens the use of data and predictive modeling to inform fundraising activities and improves data management and integration.

• Maintains and manages an active portfolio of personal development prospects and manages them through qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.

• Directs, coaches and inspires staff toward accountable, goal-oriented outcomes.

• Serves as the staff leader for the Institutional Advancement committee of the Board of Trustees, and guide the work of that committee.

• Develops a vision and plan for the growth of the Institutional Advancement office that will grow along with the College as strategic objectives are realized.

• Travels as necessary to meet the objectives of the position.

• Other duties as may be assigned by the President.

Competencies

The Vice President will display a record of leadership and accomplishment in the field of development with a proven track record of fundraising success. The Vice President must have broad experience in planning and leading a capital campaign, and must be a skilled major gift professional. The abilities to be a good teammate, as well as a team member, are essential. Strong organizational, supervisory, and leadership capabilities are required, along with exemplary interpersonal skills.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position manages the work efforts of five additional professional staff in the Institutional Advancement office.

Work Environment

Work occurs in primarily an office setting, but will also include significant travel and engagement with donors and alumni outside of the College's campus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work may vary, but are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This position will require frequent evening and weekend work.

This position is considered "essential". In order to meet the needs of the College, the person holding this position must be available for recall to the College in emergency situations.

Travel

Significant travel is expected for this position.

Required Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in a field that lends itself to success in the position.

• Minimum of ten years of progressive experience in development and fundraising, with preference for individuals who have served, or currently serve, at the Vice-Presidential level.

• Experience in private, higher education

Additional Eligibility Qualifications

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Preferred Qualifications Physical Demands

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Stand or walk on various surfaces.

• Occasionally lift or carry up to 50 pounds

• Ability to stay calm in stressful or emergency situations.