Assistant Vice President for University Advancement

Mercy is in Motion at Gwynedd Mercy University. In 2023, the University kicked off its 75th Anniversary and a historic comprehensive campaign to support an ambitious vision to expand the University’s reputation for preparing professionals who can navigate a changing world and make the world a better place. Driven by three strategic goals: fuel healthcare innovation, invest in student success, and sustain our Mercy mission, the campaign aims to elevate GMercyU's commitment to fostering positive, global change through higher education firmly rooted in Mercy values.

As the University Advancement team builds upon its campaign success, we are seeking an energetic, innovative Assistant Vice President for University Advancement. Reporting to the Vice President for University Advancement, the AVP serves as the UA team’s Chief Operating Officer, assisting the Vice President with budget management and staff development including direct oversight of the annual giving and engagement teams and strategy and oversees the overall departmental communications plan. The AVP will strengthen the University’s partnerships with alumni and industries by facilitating revenue-generating and philanthropic opportunities that mutually benefit industry, current and prospective students, and the University and its surrounding communities. The AVP will also serve as a lead fundraiser, managing a portfolio of major and planned giving prospects.

External Relations

• Secure philanthropic support by building and maintaining strategic relationships with key corporations and industry organizations, particularly amongst the GMercyU alumni community

• Leverage private funding opportunities and create revenue-generating programs (e.g., up-skilling, re-skilling, corporate training) by engaging alumni and community partners

• Partner with and involve deans, directors, faculty, and alumni, both locally and throughout key regions as part of outreach efforts to expand industry partnerships and diversify philanthropic support

• Explore and secure sponsorships of University events including Athletics to grow the visibility of the University

• Provide timely stewardship, progress reports and analysis to ensure the overall success of programs, projects, and activities funded by corporate donors

Annual Giving and Constituent Engagement

• Oversee the overall communications plan for University Advancement including ensuring synergies across the department and in collaboration with University Marketing and Communications

• Along with the Vice President, provide strategic oversight and execution of all aspects of alumni, parent, and friend engagement including campaign and engagement events

• Regularly oversee, analyze and assess key performance indicators for annual giving, strategy development and execution. Anticipate, adjust and leverage data to drive and maximize efforts, and to inform decisions.

• In collaboration with the Vice President and departmental staff, establish and adhere to annual operating budgets ensuring that development programs are operating in a fiscally prudent and productive way.

Management and Operations

• Supervise, evaluate, and collaborate with direct reports: Director of Annual Giving and Director of Engagement and Affinity Giving to ensure the success of programs and initiatives

• Contribute to the ongoing professional development of all team members

• Support the Vice President in departmental budgeting, annual reports, and overall departmental strategic planning

• Represent University Advancement (UA) at key partnership meetings; communicate information and best practices to and from advancement; ensure integration and coordination of giving and volunteer opportunities and data with UA; serve as a resource for all faculty and staff and University leadership

Major Gifts

• Develop cultivation, solicitation and stewardship plans to secure major gifts and leadership annual gifts, and maintain a portfolio of prospects, particularly those with multiple giving interests.

Qualifications and competencies:

• Bachelor's degree required, master's degree or higher preferred.

• 7 years of progressively responsible and related experience, preferably in higher education advancement, particularly in the areas of alumni engagement, annual giving, corporate relations, and/or major gifts.

• Demonstrated success in leading and growing alumni engagement and annual giving programs.

• Demonstrated experience in initiating and proactively managing successful, productive relationships on and off-campus

• Extensive supervisory experience of professional staff

• Frontline fundraising experience in leadership annual giving and major gifts

• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, as well as analytical, research and management skills; ability to think strategically on an enterprise level

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage, initiate, and prioritize multiple complex projects; ability to build consensus amongst various stakeholders

• Discretion with highly confidential information

• Familiar with digital engagement best practices and interest in learning new technologies

• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations and a commitment to the core values and mission of Gwynedd Mercy University

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using Customer Relationship/Database Management systems, particularly Blackbaud's The Raiser’s Edge/NXT

• Experience and knowledge of healthcare industry

• Experience in corporate sponsorships

Position requires travel and occasional evening and weekend work to attend events or meet with alumni and donors

This position is hybrid in conjunction with the University’s remote work policy and in collaboration with the Vice President for University Advancement.