Position Description 

The Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer is the senior leader of the University’s Advancement area, reports to the President, is a member of the President’s Steering Team, and serves as a co-liaison to the Board of Regents for the Advancement and Public Affairs Committee. The Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer is responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive institutional advancement strategy that includes both carrying on successful legacy elements and instituting new ideas to enhance University relationships and fundraising. This includes the analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation of fundraising, alumni affairs, and university events – and the oversight and management of these departments. Because relationship development is so critical to the success of these areas, the Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer is specifically charged with cultivating new and deeper partnerships with key stakeholders, including alumni, donors, foundations, corporations, government and community leaders, board members, and friends. This must be coordinated and managed through a staff of approximately 100 full-time employees in the advancement, fundraising, alumni affairs, and university events teams. In addition to creativity and strategic thinking, this position requires an individual with exemplary leadership skills, sound financial and personnel management, and a collaborative working style.

Qualities for Success in this Role 

The University’s mission is foundational for the Pepperdine community and must animate Pepperdine’s advancement efforts and its leader. In this vein, the Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer must be capable of calling alumni home, drawing in those who see and believe in Pepperdine’s value to current and future students, and envisioning that which is still to be achieved. The Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer should care deeply about Pepperdine, live out its mission, and be able to effectively articulate its promise and possibility to people familiar with and new to the University.

A successful candidate will in word, deed, and professional image represent the highest ideals of respectability, integrity, competence, judgment, tact, and discretion. The right individual for this position will also be able to demonstrate an intimate understanding of Pepperdine’s truest identity and the University’s history, which includes the University’s foundation in and affiliation with the Churches of Christ. An ability to think strategically about the University’s future, from the perspective of its current position, will be important. Also critical is the ability to comprehend, create, implement, and lead a comprehensive advancement strategy that informs and supports the University’s Strategic Plan. An applicant must possess the necessary attributes to steward transformational gifts and manage a portfolio of donors. He or she must demonstrate a record of service and success that matches the candidate’s stated vision. With a division of this size, the candidate must be experienced in and have the ability to identify opportunities for departmental progress and reorganization, as well as the capability to reimagine the division’s organizational and operational support structures. A collaborative work style and demonstrated accomplishment in executive leadership, and personnel and budget management are also important for success in this role.

Duties 

The Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer is the senior leader of the University’s Advancement area, reports to the President, is a member of the President’s Steering Team, and serves as a co-liaison to the Board of Regents for the Advancement and Public Affairs Committee. This position’s key responsibilities include:

• Further the University’s Christian mission by living the precepts of the Christian faith in a sincere and genuine manner, exemplifying Christian leadership.
• Recognize the student as the heart of the enterprise, centering work around this core principle.
• Hire, manage, mentor, and retain talented, committed fundraisers and support staff to achieve the University’s aspirational fundraising goals.
• Oversee the Advancement division, including Leadership Gift Officers, Major Gift Officers, Annual Giving Officers, The Pepperdine Fund, Corporations and Foundations, Center for Estate and Gift Planning, Crest Associates, Pepperdine Associates Program, Alumni Affairs, Parents Program, Prospect Research, Advancement Gifts and Records, University Events, Stewardship, Donor Communications, Strategic Initiatives, Advancement Communication and Donor Relations, Advancement Services, and Trusts and Estates.
• Lead Advancement and develop a collaborative and professional culture, in which relationship-building, participation, respect, transparency, and excellence are fostered. Establish and promote engaging relationships and open communication. Reward demonstrated ability and accomplishment.
• Promote and build collaborative and interdisciplinary relationships among the Schools within Pepperdine University, as well as other institutions and partners.
• Develop and successfully manage a major area budget.
• Develop a comprehensive data analytics approach to prospect research.
• Develop and implement strategies to meet the University’s fundraising goals and alumni giving and engagement goals.
• Collaborate with the President, Chancellor, senior leadership, and senior gift officers, as well as with internal and external stakeholders, to establish fundraising and alumni affairs strategies and priorities.
• Lead and serve as the Campaign Director for the next comprehensive fundraising campaign.
• Serve as a co-liaison to the Board of Regents for the Advancement and Public Affairs Committee.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Qualified individuals should be able to articulate a strong commitment to diversity, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.