Vice President for University Advancement

Division: University Advancement
Reports To: President
Status: Full-Time, Exempt, Cabinet-Level Executive

Position Summary

The Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA) is a senior executive officer of the University and a member of the President’s Cabinet. The VPUA provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for a comprehensive advancement operation that advances Marywood University’s mission, strategic priorities, and long-term institutional sustainability.

The Vice President is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating a broad-based advancement program, including major and principal gifts, annual giving, comprehensive and capital campaigns, grants, corporate sponsorships, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, alumni relations, donor stewardship, advancement operations, and advancement-related events. The VPUA serves as the President’s chief advisor and lead gift officer for leadership-level philanthropy and plays a central role in cultivating a culture of philanthropy and engagement across the University community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide vision and leadership for the University’s advancement strategy in alignment with the institutional strategic plan and long-term financial goals.
• Advise the President and Board of Trustees on advancement performance, campaign progress, philanthropic trends, grant opportunities, corporate partnership development, and emerging revenue streams.
• Serve as a key contributor to University-wide strategic planning as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
• Foster a campus-wide culture of philanthropy, engagement, and stewardship.

Fundraising, Grants, and Campaign Management

• Lead the planning, execution, and successful completion of the University’s fundraising campaigns and initiatives, including annual giving, major gifts, grants, and special fundraising efforts.
• Direct major and principal gift strategies, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Oversee annual giving, planned giving, leadership gifts, grant-seeking, and corporate sponsorship initiatives to ensure balanced, diversified, and sustainable growth.
• Provide executive oversight of foundation, corporate, and government grant strategy, including prospect development, proposal prioritization, alignment with institutional goals, and coordination across academic and administrative units.
• Strengthen and expand corporate partnerships and sponsorships that support academic programs, student success initiatives, athletics, events, and strategic priorities.
• Ensure fundraising, grant, and sponsorship activities adhere to ethical standards, donor intent, and applicable laws and regulations.

Alumni Relations and Engagement

• Provide leadership for alumni relations programs that build and sustain meaningful engagement across generations and geographies.
• Engage alumni as volunteers, ambassadors, advocates, donors, and corporate or foundation partners in support of the University’s mission.
• Oversee alumni events, volunteer leadership structures, and engagement initiatives aligned with institutional priorities.

Donor Stewardship and Advancement Operations

• Ensure effective donor, grantor, and sponsor stewardship practices that demonstrate accountability, transparency, compliance, and impact.
• Oversee advancement operations, including advancement services, prospect research, data management, reporting, compliance, and performance metrics.
• Ensure appropriate coordination with Finance & Administration on grant budgeting, restrictions, reporting, and closeout.
• Utilize data analytics, dashboards, and CRM systems to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate advancement, grant performance, sponsorship effectiveness, and return on investment.

Leadership and Administration

• Provide leadership and supervision for a multidisciplinary advancement team, including professional staff, support personnel, grant professionals, and volunteers.
• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing advancement, grant, and corporate partnership professionals.
• Manage the division’s budget and resources responsibly and in alignment with institutional priorities.
• Promote collaboration across University divisions to advance shared fundraising, grant, and sponsorship goals.

Mission and Values

• Ensure advancement, grant, and corporate partnership activities reflect and support the values and mission of Marywood University and the IHM Congregation.
• Lead with integrity, inclusivity, and a commitment to service, stewardship, and institutional responsibility.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree required; terminal degree preferred.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in university advancement, fundraising, grants, or related philanthropic leadership.
• Demonstrated success in major and principal gift fundraising, grant acquisition, corporate sponsorship development, and comprehensive campaign leadership.
• Proven experience managing complex advancement and grant operations, teams, and budgets.
• Strong strategic planning, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building abilities.
• Commitment to ethical fundraising, grant compliance, and mission-driven leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading advancement, grant, and sponsorship efforts at a tuition-dependent, mission-driven institution.
• Successful experience working with Boards of Trustees and senior executive leadership.
• Familiarity with advancement systems, CRM platforms, and data-driven fundraising and grant management models.
• Experience expanding foundation, corporate, government, and sponsorship funding portfolios.

Work Environment and Expectations

• Occasional evening and weekend work required for donor, alumni, sponsor, and institutional events.
• Travel required to support donor cultivation, alumni engagement, grant funders, and corporate partners.

How to Apply

Completed applications are due by April 6, 2026. To ensure full consideration, you will be required to submit: 1) a current resume or CV; 2) a cover letter addressing the position; and 3) the contact information for three professional references (a current or former supervisor, a current or former direct report, and a professional colleague). The search page, which includes the Executive Search Profile and application and nomination links, is located at https://rhperry.com/marywoodvpua

RH Perry & Associates, a national executive search firm, is assisting Marywood University in this search. All confidential communications may be directed to our search team: Mr. Kevin Cavanagh, Senior Consultant, at 646-342-1700, or Dr. Michael Pressimone, Senior Consultant, at 610-927-7300, or to MarywoodVPUA@rhperry.com.