Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Emerson College invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

 

Established in 1880, Emerson College is named for its founding president, Charles Wesley Emerson, an orator, preacher, and teacher. Over the years, the institution has evolved from a small New England school of oratory to a multifaceted college with campuses in Boston, Los Angeles and the Netherlands and degree programs in Boston, Paris and Lugano, Switzerland. While Emerson remains committed to its historic mission as a specialized academic institution, its curriculum reflects the emergence of interdisciplinary study as a mode for teaching and learning, and affirms new directions for the fields of the arts, communications and the liberal arts. Located in the heart of Boston, Emerson is internationally recognized in its fields of specialization, which include: communication studies; marketing communication; journalism; communication sciences and disorders; visual and media arts; the performing arts; and writing, literature and publishing.

 

Led by President Lee Pelton, Emerson is home to 3,800 undergraduate students and over 700 graduate students representing 50 states and more than 55 countries. The students are independent minds from diverse backgrounds who develop their own personal voice and expertise in professions that profoundly shape society and culture in the 21st century. The 503 full-time and part-time faculty members teach 26 undergraduate majors and 41 minors in the communication and arts discipline and 18 graduate programs offered in flexible formats.

 

The Vice President reports directly to the President and provides vision, leadership and oversight of a large and diverse communications, marketing, alumni relations and development unit that supports the academic mission of the College by creating awareness, building enduring relationships and generating philanthropic support. The Vice President serves as the chief development officer for the campus and advises the President and other senior-level leaders on all development matters. As a key member of the President's senior leadership team, the Vice President participates in strategic planning and works collaboratively with leadership across the institution to support key academic and College priorities, initiatives and opportunities. The Vice President manages a staff of 54 and a budget of $6.8M for FY19. Superior ability to think strategically at the institutional, departmental and individual prospect levels is of the utmost importance. The College seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking and goal-oriented development leader with a robust track record as a major/principal gift fundraiser and manager of a sophisticated fundraising operation who will have played a leadership role in one or more comprehensive campaigns for the institutions he or she has served. The ideal candidate will have a genuine passion for the arts and will have succeeded in environments that required the development of multiple strategies for success with both alumni and non-alumni.

 

Emerson seeks an entrepreneurial advancement leader with demonstrated success in leading a large and productive team of marketing relations and development professionals and a strong track record of fundraising and organizational success. Substantial leadership and management acumen is required, and thus the ideal candidate will have successfully led or had a major leadership role in development or advancement programs for at least 10 years, with a significant proportion of that experience in the service of one or more institutions of significant complexity and accomplishment. As would be expected, superior communication and relationship-building skills are required, with an advanced degree preferred. A track record for building strong, actionable relationships across the entire academic and co-curricular spectrum of one or more institutions will be a distinct advantage.  A facility with data and an approach that uses data to drive strategy is required. The incoming Vice President should be a strong communicator with superb management skills and possess a collaborative and open leadership style and values consistent with Emerson College, its mission and its focus on student success. The Vice President will be an inspirational team builder with the capacity for embedding development best practices within institutional values and aspirations. The successful candidate will serve as an encouraging manager and mentor capable of bringing further cohesion to a department of eager, committed and engaged development professionals.

 

Applications, nominations and inquiries may be directed in confidence to Manny Berger and Veena Abraham, Esq., the Witt/Kieffer consultants assisting Emerson College with this search, at EmersonVPIA@wittkieffer.com. Electronic submissions are required and should include a letter of interest and current curriculum vitae. For best consideration, please send materials by June 3, 2019.

 

Emerson College values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.