Another Source Hiring for AVP of Advancement Western Washington University at Bellingham, WA  Full Time

ID

101186

Western Washington University, nationally recognized for its exceptional educational programs, students and faculty, is currently seeking an Associate Vice President for Advancement with a flexible hybrid work schedule. This position is perfect for anybody who is passionate about mentoring and training a fundraising team. If you are seeking an opportunity to commit to fostering an environment of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion, this AVP role will be perfect for you!

Another Source’s client, Western Washington University, is recruiting an Associate Vice President of Advancement for the Division of University Advancement. This role has flexibility from WWU Advancement offices in Bellingham, WA or from the Seattle or Bellevue area, though regular travel to the Bellingham campus is expected. Exact hybrid/remote work expectations, including onboarding plans, will be negotiated at the time of offer.

About the University and the Division of University Advancement

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its exceptional educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master’s-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western’s greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The Division of University Advancement supports Western’s mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. University Advancement works internally and with numerous colleagues across campus, and is actively engaged in moving forward the University’s mission through supporting core themes, specifically advancing inclusive success. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

The Division of University Advancement is comprised of 40+ staff members who support the engagement and philanthropy work of the University. The four leadership units are: major giving, planned giving and corporate/foundation relations; advancement data services, research and annual giving; donor relations, marketing/communications and alumni and constituent relations; and finance, accounting and administration; University Advancement’s main offices are on Western’s campus in Bellingham.

The Foundation for WWU and Alumni is the result of a recent merger of the Alumni Association with the WWU Foundation. The newly combined organization oversees assets of nearly $150 million and is responsible for the outreach and engagement to over 150,000 alumni and friends of the institution. Current extended campaigns include a one-year $20 million capital campaign as part of a state-funded electrical engineering and computer science building, and a multi-year Campaign for Student Success, which focuses on recruitment and retention scholarships plus program excellence. The Foundation is governed by a board of over 30 volunteers who help set strategic direction and policy, raise friends and funds, and steward the community of donors and potential donors.

Reporting to the Vice President for University Advancement and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership team, the Associate Vice President (AVP) will manage, mentor, and train the centralized major gift fundraising team. The AVP will provide vision, leadership, and management for all facets of fundraising including regional engagement, mid-level giving, major gift ($25k) and principal/leadership gifts ($1M+) which is inclusive of planned giving and corporate and foundation relations. In collaboration with campus leaders, including the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, Deans and Directors, the AVP will develop and implement strategic annual plans that increase constituent support, achieve fundraising goals, and advance WWU’s strategic plan. With a growth mindset and a commitment to fostering an environment of accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion, the AVP will grow, lead, and further develop the team of frontline development professionals focused on raising major gifts ($25,000 or more). This position is an active and collaborative member of the University Advancement leadership team and works closely with University Advancement VP and AVP’s to facilitate increased levels of giving by donors to advance the mission of Western. The AVP is a recognized leader of the University Advancement team by university colleagues, donors, and volunteer board members.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising:

The AVP works directly with donors and prospects, sometimes staffing the president or other university leaders and volunteer board leaders in donor interactions.

While the primary responsibility of this role is management, there is an expectation to lead by example and maintain a small portfolio of major and principal gift prospects. From discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift donors, the AVP will serve as an example for the major gift fundraising team on collaborative teamwork and good development work.
• Interact strategically with directors of the WWU Foundation and Alumni Engagement Board as well as with high-level donors and prospects.
• Will regularly engage at a high level with C-level business leadership for organizations located in Seattle/Bellevue as well as Whatcom County.

Management:

The AVP will develop a comprehensive centralized major gift fundraising team.

• The AVP establishes clear expectations with quantitative and qualitative standards of operation and performance measures while removing barriers to assure fundraising success.
• Develops a culture of accountability and celebrates success of focused fundraising efforts.
• Provide meaningful professional development to frontline major gifts team.
• Recruit, hire and retain major gift fundraisers.

Planning and Integration:

The AVP will be responsible for collaborating with the other AVP’s in University Advancement to establish and implement policies and procedures to enhance and facilitate fundraising best practices, training and accountability.

• AVP is expected to understand all aspects of the Advancement Services portfolio and some elements of the Financial Services portfolio to ensure that there is full integration between the fundraising team and the operational/financial management areas of University Advancement and the WWU Foundation and Alumni Engagement Board.
• The position works closely with Deans and other university leaders to develop fundraising priorities and strategies to engage, cultivate and solicit donors around these priorities. As such the AVP is expected to understand, work with and develop a sophisticated and nuanced knowledge of all parts of campus where philanthropic support can make an impact, including academic units, athletics, student success functions.

• In collaboration with the University Advancement leadership team, establish and promote a culture of philanthropy on campus.

Strategy:

The AVP will also serve as a chief strategist for the comprehensive major giving program.

• In collaboration with the AVP of Principal Gifts & Donor Relations, develop donor strategies that will lead to and inspire leadership gifts to the institution.

• Apply critical analysis to fundraising objectives to determine when, how and whether to proceed, changing strategy when needed with the ultimate goal of increasing support and securing major gifts.
• Work with University leadership and volunteers on the role they play in fundraising activities.
• Work with the AVP of Advancement Services to build a qualified prospect base to develop the major giving pipeline.
• Work with the VP of Advancement to develop campaigns to advance the mission of Western.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position (applicable experience 7 yrs. frontline fundraising or 10 yrs. combined with transferable skill such as sales).
• Equivalent combination of education and 10 or more years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired.
• Progressively responsible experience in donor and/or alumni relations.
• Demonstrated experience and success in major gift fundraising, soliciting and closing six and seven figure gifts.

• Demonstrated ability to engage at a high level with C-level business leadership with business located in the Seattle/Bellevue area.
• Demonstrated experience supervising frontline fundraisers or applicable experience managing individuals and teams with performance metrics.
• An unending commitment to positively contributing to our team culture; we all commit to making University Advancement at Western a great place to work and supporting the success of all our colleagues.
• Demonstrated success how philanthropic investment advances an organization.
• Capacity to multitask and continually balance competing priorities within a dynamic environment.

• Enthusiasm for fundraising and working within a goal-oriented fundraising organization
• Knowledge of fundraising principles, methods, and standards.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively supporting the success of all colleagues and prioritizing Western’s overall goals above personal achievement.
• Tenacious optimism and a goal-oriented, growth mindset; the ability to remain flexible and develop creative solutions in pursuit of always maintaining forward momentum.
• Experience using a fundraising database (we use Ellucian CRM Advance).

Preferred Qualifications

• A working understanding of a comprehensive master’s granting university environment with prominent faculty along with the grace and enthusiasm necessary to engage high net-worth individuals.
• Advanced degree.

• Experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience working directly with deans, vice presidents, program directors and/or advisory/foundation/alumni board members to advance fundraising priorities.
• Experience designing and executing campaigns, specifically comprehensive campaigns.

For more information, please view the position announcement on the WWU Careers website.

Western Washington University is proud to offer a comprehensive program including salary commensurate with experience and qualification, a leave plan, health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement plan, and educational growth opportunities. The hiring range for the position is $175,000 – $200,000/year depending on qualifications and experience. For more information about benefits, please review: Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs.

See WWU’s Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 345 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [email protected]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3774 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Please also see WWU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check, including a sexual misconduct background check, will be conducted on all new hires and rehires.

All employees must comply with Western Washington University Immunization policies, including COVID vaccination by time of hire and Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to [email protected] if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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