Associate Vice President, Development

Associate Vice President, Development 

 

The Opportunity

The University of Virginia seeks a dynamic, collaborative, and experienced fundraising professional to serve as Associate Vice President, Development. This is a remarkable opportunity to lead a multi-faceted and high-achieving advancement team as the University of Virginia publicly launches its $5 billion Honor the Future Campaign.

 

Reporting to and in partnership with Vice President for Advancement, Mark M. Luellen, the Associate Vice President will provide vision and leadership in articulating the University’s values and vision for the future in a way that inspires donors to higher and more meaningful levels of philanthropic engagement. The AVP provides strategic fundraising oversight and management to school and unit-based partners as well as significant pan-University program initiatives, and works directly with school, unit, and University leadership to accomplish shared fundraising goals.

 

The AVP will be a senior and accomplished professional and leader with an exceptional track record in staff leadership and management, principal and major gift fundraising, and successful campaign implementation.

 

Key Responsibilities

Development Program Management

  • Assist in leading the Honor the Future Campaign in collaboration with University and Advancement leadership.
  • Lead 70+ team of advancement professionals overseeing major gifts for key University-wide programs including reunion giving, parent giving, need-based scholarship program, and other pan-University initiatives and priorities. Support and manage school- and unit-based fundraising teams with direct reporting lines to University Advancement in partnership with deans, program directors, and foundation leadership.
  • Ensure and encourage collaboration with other non-reporting fundraising partners across the University.
  • Work with assigned programs, schools, units, and University-affiliated organizations to recruit, lead and mentor high-performing, collaborative team members to support fundraising priorities; set clear performance expectations and maintain comprehensive metrics to track areas of success and improvement.
  • Oversee all fundraising operations for assigned areas, including personnel, finance, compliance, and related matters.
  • Actively manage a targeted portfolio of prospects and leverage leadership role to assist with high-level donors/volunteers by helping move key gift conversations forward as a senior leader in University Advancement. Travel for donor/prospect visits and participate in joint visits with leadership.
  • Contribute to and enhance a culture of aspiration, innovation, collaboration, transparency, and high-performance within the team.

 

Leadership and Relationship Building

  • Proactively offer strategic and tactical advice to University and Advancement leadership to secure major and principal gifts for University, school, and unit priorities.
  • Serve as a collaborative partner to deans and program leaders in the management and support of assigned school- and unit-based development teams.
  • Work closely with foundation boards, advisory boards, and campaign volunteers to achieve shared campaign goals.
  • Serve on University Advancement leadership team and partner with colleagues to strengthen University-wide advancement community.

 

Inclusive Excellence

Demonstrate strong commitment to and record of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recruit and retain a diverse team and develop a culture in which everyone feels valued and supported.

The Honor the Future Campaign

The Associate Vice President, Development will join the University at an exciting time in UVA history—the beginning of both a comprehensive campaign and a new University presidency. Having celebrated its bicentennial in 2017, UVA has embarked on a groundbreaking $5 billion capital campaign, the Honor the Future campaign, that will advance the priorities of every school and unit, support new and existing programs, and fund capital projects. The campaign launched publicly in October 2019.

 

The Associate Vice President will have the opportunity to join a strong team that is on a positive fundraising trajectory, fueled by record-breaking fundraising results in the last two fiscal years.  

 

 

The University of Virginia

The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 to advance human knowledge, educate leaders and cultivate an informed citizenry. Today, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UVA in the top four or higher among public universities and in the top 30 of the nation’s public and private universities combined.

 

The University of Virginia is a thriving and diverse global community of nearly 54,000 students, faculty and staff. University students hail from nearly every state in the nation and 111 countries, and our 230,000 alumni around the world actively support our mission to serve the greater good.

 

To learn more about UVA, visit http://www.virginia.edu

 

 

Candidate Profile

The University of Virginia seeks an energetic and charismatic leader with a strong affinity for the mission and values of the University and who has had success in an academic or comparable organization. Preferred candidates will have been part of a $1 billion or greater capital campaign, have significant development leadership experience, and an understanding of fundraising in a large integrated university. They will have the desire to build on a foundation of excellence and a proven record of exceeding goals and improving annual outcomes. They will also have proven leadership and relationship building skills.

 

Substantial personal energy and passion are required to establish strong, authentic relationships, both within the University community and externally, with its many prospects, donors, and friends. The establishment of such relationships will require a leader who demonstrates the highest levels of integrity, judgment, creativity, decisiveness, intellectual curiosity, self-awareness, and a sense of humor.

 

Professional Experience

  • A minimum of 10 years of experience in development and in leading major gift and campaign fundraising programs.
  • Significant experience building exceptional teams and an open, accessible, and transparent approach to management.
  • Expertise and experience in leading large teams that cover a wide range of fundraising activities.
  • Ability to work and collaborate across organizational boundaries and to manage complex systems.
  • Experience with budgeting, strategic planning, and working with senior leaders.

 

Education

  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

 

Interpersonal Characteristics

  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills. Ability to address challenges with grace, wisdom, and presence. Proven ability to communicate across a broad range of audiences.
  • Service-oriented leadership style and ability to build professional relationships with University Advancement Leadership, units, foundations, fundraisers, volunteers, donors, and colleagues.
  • Demonstrated command of cultural sensitivity and the desire and ability to embrace cultural, political, and social differences. The AVP will contribute to an environment that encourages diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

To Apply or Nominate:

To learn more about this opportunity, please visit http://executivesearch.virginia.edu/searches.

 

Applications should include a resume and letter of interest. The search will be carried out with full confidentiality; candidates will be notified before references are contacted. To be officially considered for this position, all applicants must apply through UVA Workday.

 

For confidential inquiries or to nominate someone for this opportunity, please contact Jeremy Duff, Director of Recruiting, UVA Executive Search Group at jeremyduff@virginia.edu

 

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.