Description of University

Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or University.
• Minimum of ten years of senior-level fundraising and high-level administrative experience in higher education or in non-profit organizations, including a successful track record of managing and supervising a team of fundraisers or similar experience commensurate with these qualifications.
• Experience managing a portfolio of prospects and a proven track record of closing major gifts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing major gifts officers to reach fundraising goals.
• Ability to work with colleagues across the University and establish and foster relationships that encourage a collaborative and collegial work environment to reach shared goals.
• Demonstrated experience in the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gifts, preferably with comprehensive campaign and development experience at an academic institution.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.
• Solid computer user skills: word processing, PowerPoint, spreadsheet, database, CRM Software, and internet.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required by geographic location of prospects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of basic business terminology, financial matters, and the ethical, legal, and tax-related issues regarding the solicitation, transfer, and management of charitable gifts.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative, manage competing priorities, coordinate diverse and multiple projects, and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Well versed in Human Resources issues with personnel and budget management experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor.
• Lead, supervise, and train a team of development directors that represent different areas of the University, while managing her/his portfolio of high-level prospects.
• Lead and supervise a prospect management team to ensure prospect portfolios are strong and research is being conducted on top prospects.
• Serve as a resource consultant for all development officers to develop joint strategies and solicitations for key major gifts and corporate/foundation prospects with an emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, and open communication.
• Provide consultative advice to the Vice Chancellor and senior university administration on advancement issues and direction.
• Understand current funding needs of the university and potential funding opportunities of the areas of the university through frequent interface with administrators, deans, development officers, and department heads.
• Provide institutional guidance on the pursuit of gifts and the pursuit of grants.
• Prepare briefing materials, proposal ideas and solicitation strategies for fundraising calls and oversee the development of promotional brochures and written material in support of specific fundraising activities.
• Coordinate advancement efforts by the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors.
• Assist the Vice Chancellor by promoting sound fundraising practices using metrics for accountability measurements.