Vice President for University Advancement

Marquette University is seeking a highly experienced, charismatic and dynamic advancement leader with an exceptional fundraising track record and consummate interpersonal skills to join the campus community as its vice president for university advancement (VPUA) and lead the university’s next campaign, approved by the Board of Trustees in December 2016, to unprecedented success.

Under the transformational leadership of its first lay president, Michael Lovell, Ph.D., Marquette is a university that is on the move. With a student body of more than 11,000, including 8,200 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate and professional students, Marquette’s goal is simple: to be recognized among the most innovative and accomplished Catholic, Jesuit universities in the world. Big ideas and breakthroughs don’t happen by chance—they take a plan. Beyond Boundaries, Marquette’s strategic plan, empowers Marquette to think and act differently. It provides an inspirational and tangible framework for Marquette to embrace new and collaborative methods of teaching, learning, research and service, all while enriching and uplifting the well-being of humankind. The plans outlined in Beyond Boundaries are ambitious if not bold. Marquette must not only keep pace with the changing landscape of higher education and the greater marketplace, it must outpace it. A Marquette education offers students a virtually unlimited number of paths and destinations and prepares them for the world by asking them to think critically about it.

Among the key components of Marquette’s ambitious plans include: A new innovative and pioneering core curriculum; new academic programs in health care data analytics, data science, and other areas designed to address urgent societal need; a new residence hall, currently under construction, that provides a unique student experience focused on community and wellness; and robust community engagement opportunities where Marquette students give more than 100,000 hours of community service annually to the larger Milwaukee community. Furthermore, Marquette has embarked on a forwarding-looking campus master plan featuring new developments such as Innovation Alley, bringing together engineering, business, student and faculty researchers into an integrated facility including makerspaces to inspire exploration, creativity, innovation and collaboration; a BioDiscovery District to bring together top programs in health sciences and biological sciences to advance discovery; a new Health and Wellness Center to meet student wellness, recreational, counseling and medical needs; and an Athletic Performance Research Center (APRC) which will serve as a premier destination for elite scientists and scholars to foster breakthroughs in physiological and psychological aspects of human and health performance.

Never has there been a more exciting time to join Marquette. President Michael Lovell has fostered a new energy on campus, one that is reflected in his dynamic senior leadership team. As the newest member of this team, the VPUA will play a vital role in achieving Beyond Boundaries and helping to transform the landscape of Catholic, Jesuit education in the U.S. by leading the equally bold and ambitious comprehensive campaign currently in the first year of its silent phase.

As Marquette’s chief fundraiser and philanthropic strategist, the VPUA will focus first and foremost on building exceptional relationships that will engage trustees, donors, alumni, corporations and the community in the life of Marquette. These relationships will ultimately result in significant philanthropic support to enable Marquette to achieve its ambitions. The VPUA will also develop strong and collaborative relationships within Marquette: to inspire and motivate the advancement team of development and alumni engagement professionals toward higher levels of achievement; to foster deeper philanthropic engagement and support from the Board of Trustees, alumni and major donors; to partner with and contribute to the President’s Advisory Team as a university leader; to work closely with the university's successful varsity athletic teams, who are members of the Big East Conference and compete in the NCAA's Division I in all sports; and to engage the provost, deans and other academic leaders to support transformational ideas and attract unprecedented levels of philanthropy. The VPUA’s leadership and relationships—in partnership with the president, trustees, faculty, administration, academic leaders and staff—will drive the success of Marquette’s campaign.

The VPUA will be will be a highly-experienced advancement professional with an exceptional track record of fundraising and organizational success and leadership within the context of a campaign in the mid-high nine-figure range. He or she will have experience partnering effectively with a president and trustees in creating sophisticated philanthropic gift strategies and closing transformational gifts in the high seven- to eight-figure range and above. Likewise, the VPUA will have demonstrated success in leading a large and highly productive team of development and alumni engagement professionals in an inspiring and accountable way. He or she will embrace the mission of a Catholic, Jesuit institution and demonstrate the ability to fully and wholeheartedly integrate into the life of the university and local community. The VPUA will have a proven ability to develop and sustain authentic and deep relationships on behalf of the university. Higher education experience is highly preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by August 1, 2017. Candidates are asked to provide a resume, letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the leadership profile and the names and contact information of five references. Candidate confidentiality will be respected and references will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. Inquiries and application materials should be sent via email to the search consultants, Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D. and Suzanne Teer at MarquetteVPUA@wittkieffer.com. Questions may also be directed to the consultants through the office of Eden Stroud at 630-575-6154.

Marquette University does not discriminate in any manner contrary to law or justice on the basis of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran's status or national origin in its educational programs or activities, including employment and admissions. At the same time, Marquette cherishes its right and duty to seek and retain personnel who will make a positive contribution to its religious character, goals and mission in order to enhance the Catholic, Jesuit tradition. Marquette University hires only U.S. citizens and aliens lawfully authorized for work, and requires all new employees to submit documents necessary for certification of work eligibility under Federal Law.