Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Morningside University Morningside University seeks a Vice President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA) to lead an institution-wide culture of philanthropy and giving. Reporting to Morningside’s newly appointed President (Dr. Albert Mosley), the VPIA will be responsible for designing and implementing strategic, comprehensive institutional advancement goals, including annual fund, corporate and foundation relations, major gifts and gift planning, endowment, and comprehensive campaigns. The successful candidate will display a record of leadership and accomplishment in advancement with a proven track record of fundraising success, especially with campaign planning and execution and in major gift solicitations. Strong organizational, supervisory, and leadership capabilities are required. This individual must have the capacity to build and nurture relationships, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with all levels of the University’s senior management team, faculty, students, staff, board of directors, and members of the community. The new VPIA must meet the following requirements and expectations: be an ambitious and dynamic development leader who is dedicated to supporting a strong culture of philanthropy throughout the institution; have a successful history of cultivating and securing major gifts and identifying, attracting, and engaging new donors; partner with the President in all phases of university advancement and engage the Board of Directors, as appropriate; demonstrate effective skills in developing and executing strategies to connect and engage alumni, faculty, donors, and local and national philanthropists; be creative, innovative, and have a strong background of leadership and collaboration; and have a passion for the impact Morningside can have on students, alumni, and the broader community.

Key Job Functions Culture of Philanthropy and Case for Support - Support and promote a culture of philanthropy among the board, alumni, faculty, donors, and other university constituents. Direct the development of a compelling case for support to advance the University's strategies and goals.

Strategic Direction and Planning - Develop an overall strategy for the University's fundraising, including financial modeling and projections, consistent with the goals established in the University's forthcoming Strategic Plan.

Fundraising/Development - Develop fundraising plans, tactics, and tools to implement the strategies calibrated to achieve critical advancement goals and objectives. Oversee fundraising programs, including the following: (1) Annual Fund appeals; (2) Major Gifts solicitations; (3) fundraising events; (4) Corporate and Foundation Relations; (5) Government and Foundation Grants; (6) Planned Giving; and (7) Comprehensive Campaigns.

Relationship Management - Develop effective, strategic relationships with donors, alumni, faculty and staff, the corporate community, and student groups. Provide support to the President, Board of Directors, and faculty and staff, for fundraising activities, including training, development of materials, relationship management, and ongoing donor cultivation efforts. Participate in University and community events to represent the University and to build relationships. Cultivate and solicit the highest tier individual and institutional donors; manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, and close gifts to meet annual and campaign goals.

Advancement Operations - Oversee and support advancement operations activities, including donor stewardship and recognition, donor data records and tracking, and planning, budgeting, and reporting. Oversee the development and implementation of advancement office policies, procedures, and systems to ensure the highest level of credibility and integrity of fundraising efforts.

Qualifications: A Bachelor's degree in an appropriate field. Significant experience (ten+ years) in the management of fund development functions and staff. Experience in managing effective teams, engaging constituencies, and working with volunteers. Record of developing and implementing effective fund development plans, and achieving metric-driven goals.

Desirable Qualifications: A graduate degree and a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential are desirable. Successful experience at a similarly sized higher education institution and knowledge of private higher education. Demonstrated and successful comprehensive and capital campaign experience. A demonstrated ability and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.