Detailed Job Description: 

Reporting to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, the Associate Vice President for University Advancement (AVP) will serve as a member of the senior leadership team and oversees nearly all university fundraising staff. The AVP will help build and lead a comprehensive development program that integrates both college-based and central fundraisers to drive fundraising success at RIT, significantly raising the level of philanthropic support.
The AVP is a strategic advisor to the vice president and functions as the division’s chief operating officer.  S/he supports the vice president, as well as other senior campus leaders including the president, provost, vice presidents, deans, and members of the Board of Trustees.  The role has significant managerial responsibility, yet also demands a personal responsibility for a select portfolio of top donors and prospects.  The AVP has managerial oversite of the following:  College Advancement, Regional Advancement, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Parent Engagement, and Planned Giving.  The AVP will directly and indirectly manage a team of over 40 staff members.

Major Responsibilities: 

• Provide strategic oversight and active leadership of RIT’s development program; advise and collaborate with the vice president and senior leadership team in planning and achieving the university’s fundraising goals.
• Oversee College Advancement, Regional Advancement, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Parent Engagement and Planned Giving, ensuring effective collaboration and maximization of philanthropic support. Supervise the directors of these programs, including the responsibility for hiring, motivating, mentoring, and evaluating success of the staff.
• Partner with senior campus leaders to understand and ensure support is garnered for the university’s top priorities.
• Develop strategic plans for the department, in concert with the Division’s and university’s plans; sets measurable goals and objectives.
• Manage a select portfolio of major and principal gift prospects from identification to stewardship; set a personal example of frontline fundraising success for the development team; monitor and report on progress of donor-related activities and gift solicitations.
• Serve as a role model and resource for staff on matters of prospect strategy and offer new approaches and techniques; seek to provide creative solutions to complex solicitations; rely on past experience in the industry, while remaining current with evolving trends in philanthropy.
• Provide leadership and strategic fundraising direction within Development and Alumni Relations and with campus partners to expand RIT’s donor base, both geographically and beyond traditional pools of support, ultimately increasing financial commitments in all fundraising programs.
• Through partnerships within the division and across the university, inspire full engagement and effective participation of volunteer councils, boards, alumni, and support groups.
• Foster a culture of personal accountability, innovation, creativity, and growth. Ensure goals are achieved, implementing mitigation plans early and often as needed to ensure staff success.
• Work in partnership with Alumni and Constituent Relations to identify key prospects to participate in alumni events and serve in volunteer leadership roles.

Required Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree, graduate and/or professional degree, preferred
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible and fundraising and managerial experience in advancement, preferably within a complex university setting.
• Strong understanding of best practices in all key areas of advancement; significant experience with comprehensive and capital fundraising campaigns.
• Proven track record of success personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts of six-, seven-, and eight-figures from individuals, corporations, and/or foundations.  Demonstrated management skills and record of accomplishment building a high-performing fundraising team, including recruiting, training, mentoring, and evaluating staff.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.  Clarity and succinctness in writing and speaking; ability to communicate clear vision and process.
• An eye for operational efficiency and effective use of resources, including an understanding of budgets and experience managing them.
• Proven negotiating and marketing skills.
• Excellent program planning and implementation, management and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in goal-oriented environment and contribute to a team effort.
• An undergraduate degree is required as are strong technical and communication skills.
• High energy, initiative, flexibility, a good sense of humor, and a commitment to RIT’s mission are required.  Comfort with ambiguity.
• High degree of computer literacy.
• Willingness to travel and to work evenings and weekends as required.
• Intellectual curiosity and desire to engage deeply in life at RIT.
• Share in RIT’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Experience working within a complex university setting desired.