Vice President of University Advancement

Functional Title: Vice President for Advancement
Classification: Salary – Exempt
Department: University Advancement
Reports To: President of the University

Supervises:

• Director, Data Management
• Director, Alumni & Community Relations
• Director, Annual Fund/Board Relations
• Other University Advancement staff

Relates to:

University Leadership, Board of Trustees, Administrative Leaders, Faculty, Staff, Donors/Prospective Donors, Alumni, Students and Families, Volunteers, Community and Civic Leaders, Media, Churches of Christ and the Faith Community, and the Public at large.

General Information:

The Vice President for University Advancement is a critical and visible leader at LCU who provides leadership to the university’s fundraising and alumni relations program. The Vice President for University Advancement is responsible for overseeing annual and comprehensive campaigns, corporate and foundation relations, endowment and gift planning, major donors, donor stewardship, prospect research and reporting, and alumni and donor-centric special events.

The position will be tasked with building strong cross-campus connections and partners amongst academics, student life, athletics, and various university ministries. He/she will need to develop and nurture strong working relationships with all University stakeholders: leadership, faculty, staff, the Board of Trustees, alumni, students, donors, donor prospects, volunteers, and the community.

The next Vice President for University Advancement will enter at an exciting time in the University’s history as it will coincide with the approach of the University’s 70^th or Platinum Anniversary in 2027 and the 5^thyear of the University’s President, Dr. Scott McDowell. The Vice President of University Advancement will partner and work closely with the President in fundraising for the institution.

Goals & Expectations:

During the first 18 to 24 months, the new Vice President for University Advancement will need to establish credibility as an astute leader and advocate for LCU, advancing the institution’s fundraising and alumni relations.

Specific goals will likely include:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategic fundraising plan with clearly defined goals, timeframes and metrics; increase contributions for annual fund operational support from $800,000 to $1M over 2-3 years; increase efforts in estate giving.
• Oversee the recruitment, management, development, and retention of donors.
• Serve as the primary support in facilitating the President’s involvement and integration in fundraising efforts, work closely with the President’s Office in all phases of advancement and campaign leadership activities.
• Promote a cohesive fundraising vision that prioritizes the donor experience, focuses on the impact of philanthropy, and connects with the mission of the University.
• Strengthen data support structures: reporting, stewardship, cultivation management, strategy development, data integrity, and system integration with other University databases.
• Ensure best practice standards are achieved in both operations and personal solicitation efforts.
• Refine prospect research and donor cultivation cycle in support of personal solicitation to increase performance.
• Establish and actively manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors.
• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with alumni.
• Oversee the recruitment of new staff, appropriate onboarding, and reinvigoration of support for the University among employees; evaluate the current department structure to determine if it will meet the short- and long-term needs of LCU advancement.
• Establish aggressive productivity (individual and operational) expectations, using accountability standards that are quantifiable and supportive of management reports and measures.
• Ensure University Advancement financial health through balanced budgets and positive operating margins.
• Serve on the President’s Senior Leadership Team; partner with the President, the Board of Trustees, and other leaders in the development of the tactics necessary to carry out the University’s Strategic Platinum Plan, helping LCU to navigate current crises within higher education with confidence, hope and innovation.
• Establish a strong bridge of understanding, collaboration, internal communication, and trust between University Advancement and other University stakeholders; partner with school deans in advancement efforts: offering data, and training as needed in conjunction with gaining insights from deans on school activity that may be noteworthy to donors.
• Partner with the President and leadership in refining and enhancing the vision, image, and “story” of the University within the higher education community, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
• Promote high visibility through frequent attendance at events; willingness and ability to speak publicly on behalf of the University; and cultivate a climate of trust throughout the LCU community and beyond.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Primary characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Vice President’s position will include:

Experience/Skills:

• Demonstrated creative and constructive leadership in fundraising through strategic, data-driven and tech savvy approaches driven by best practices in the field; higher education experience preferred.
• Successful experience across all fundraising operations including alumni relations, grant development, government and community relations and advancement services.
• Proven personal success in securing significant gifts through identification, cultivation, and solicitation.
• Record of campaign management, cultivating and soliciting transformational gifts from existing and new donors at every level, including corporations and foundations.
• Ability to assess current programs, projects and staff assignments to create a dynamic, future-oriented University Advancement operation.
• Leadership style that emphasizes relationships, is accountable, pliable, engages openly with staff, University leadership, the Board, faculty, donors/prospective donors, alumni, students/prospective students and families, volunteers, media, civic leaders and the community.
• Proclivity towards seeking mutually beneficial partnerships, internally and externally, that advance the mission and philanthropic goals of the University.
• Professional communicator and presenter who listens well and can collaborate and influence at all levels of the organization.
• Deep understanding of the philanthropic opportunities and challenges of the higher education and Christian higher education communities.
• Propensity to cast and articulate the vision for LCU to stakeholders, including a broader vision than found in traditional higher education environments.
• Ability to promote the Christian mission and values of LCU as well as work collaboratively with various stakeholders and government and civic leaders.

Education and Experience:

Well-prepared academically, with an earned bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred).

Personal Characteristics:

• Inspirational, mission-driven servant leader with a deep commitment to Jesus Christ. whose spiritual example will be known and respected.
• Impeccable integrity, guided by a carefully considered understanding of ethical principles.
• Propensity to think strategically while maintaining an eye for detail.
• Motivates others through a love of fundraising; enjoys making "the ask."
• Ability to manage, to make difficult decisions, and place principles of integrity over expedience.
• Demonstrated relationship skills that foster trust, teamwork, and mentorship with a common focus on excellence in all areas.
• Management style, which is fair, spiritually driven, consistent, open, and inclusive, but emphasizes accountability and measured results, considering the learned engagement with constituents to shape effective policy alongside the trustees.
• Desires to be an integral part of the campus community.
• High levels of energy, creativity, initiative and innovation.
• Lives graciously, practices discretion, and maintains a positive outlook and a good sense of humor.
• Cultural and political awareness to assist in navigating potentially charged situations.
• Agreement with LCU’s mission, purposes, policies and objectives, coupled with an ability to articulate these elements in a winsome way to all segments of the LCU constituency.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee will be required to do the following:

• Be ambulatory around campus and in buildings.
• Required to regularly sit and stand.
• Frequently use wrist, hands, and/or fingers to make small repetitive movements such as typing, distributing mail, and picking up small objects.
• Ability to talk frequently to convey detailed and/or important instructions or ideas accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Be able to hear average or normal conversations and receive verbal information.
• Required to lift packages and/or move heavy objects, 25+lbs.

NOTE: All LCU employees are required to complete Title IX & Information Security (FERPA) training and Data Security Training at the time of new hire and on an annual basis thereafter. Some positions/departments may require additional training for security or data needs.

Disclaimer:

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and/or other management as required. LCU reserves the right to revise or change job duties, required skills or qualifications as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.