Boston University, Metropolitan College Hiring for ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, PRINCIPAL GIFTS, Development & Alumni Relations at BOSTON, Massachusetts, United States Full Time

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, PRINCIPAL GIFTS, Development & Alumni Relations Tracking Code23500082570614Job Description

Our Mission

We in Boston University Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) harness the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU’s global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support our work, we have built and are continuing to build an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. Where it’s not just about a job, but a career and a community.

Now, our Office of the Senior Vice President is looking for an Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts, who will play a critical role in contributing to Boston University’s overall fundraising success at the highest level. Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni relations (SVP), the Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts (AVP) will develop and oversee the Boston University’s principal gift strategy and work with the institutions highest-level donors and volunteers, including trustees. The AVP will maintain a personal portfolio of principal gift and presidential prospects, manage a team of principal gift officers, and at times staff the President’s prospect visits. Working closely with deans, faculty, and development and alumni relations officers, the AVP will ensure that principal gift prospects are impactfully cultivated, solicited and stewarded in each of BUs schools and colleges. Along with the SVP and the Vice President for Development, the AVP will serve as a senior member of DARs campaign strategy team, taking a key role in the planning and execution of the University’s next fundraising campaign. The AVP will have the opportunity to work with the SVP and the VP for Development to build and train the next generation of senior development officers and to design the structure and processes best suited to raising funds for the university we have become within the last decade. Perhaps most importantly, they will help set the course of the University for the foreseeable future. Boston University is at an inflection point. There is now an opportunity to accelerate this progress the current leadership of the University views this as one of their highest priorities. The Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts can play a vital role in fueling the acceleration.

Responsibilities

Fundraising

• Maintain portfolio of principal gift and presidential prospects for frontline fundraising.
• Develop a principal gifts prospect strategy and Presidents talking points for potential visits and meetings.
• Place a strong emphasis on prospect discovery to build and cultivate a portfolio of top donors.
• Partner with Research and Prospect Development to identify new prospects using data analytics and other innovative tools.

Planning and Management

• Provide professional leadership and model best practices for the Principal Gifts team.
• Manage staff of two direct reports (with more frontline staff to be added as resources allow) and further develop and strengthen existing goals, annual metrics, and key accountabilities to maximize team performance and productivity.
• Oversee gift work undertaken by all frontline fundraisers managing principal gift prospects in School Development and Major Gifts. This includes coordinating regular prospect review meetings with fundraisers. Collaborate with International Giving, Planned Giving, Foundation Relations, and Special Initiatives.
• Partner with Stewardship and Donor Relations to further develop existing stewardship models such as the William Fairfield Warren Society and create new opportunities.

Campaign Planning

• Strategically engage the University’s top donors and volunteers in campaign planning and execution, and support the campaign committee made up of trustees, advisory board members, and key volunteers.
• Partner with the SVP, the VP for Development and Campaign Director on the principal gift strategy for the next campaign and serve as a senior member of campaign strategy meetings.
• Oversee and enhance the participation of deans, faculty, administration, trustees, and volunteers in understanding and achieving fundraising objectives. Budget, Human Resources, and Operations.
• Oversee the management of the budgets, personnel, and facilities issues for Principal Gifts.

Required Skills

A cover letter is required for consideration.

• A Bachelor’s degree, with an advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of direct experience, with 8+ years of demonstrated leadership.
• Strong development credentials with campaign leadership/management experience; including proven track record of building and developing a high level portfolio;
• Outstanding and successful experience as a fundraiser, including comprehensive management of major and principal gifts prospects, as well as knowledge and understanding of the qualities and attributes of principal giving;
• Successful track record of managing a fundraising team;
• Effective experience in enlisting and interacting with senior level leadership volunteers and committees, and experience staffing a president is required;
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills;
• Superb judgment and the sensibility to adjudicate wisely among competing priorities;
• A disposition to listen and circulate widely;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills;
• Exceptional reasoning, problem-solving and analytical skills, including an ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps;
• Superb organizational skills and the ability to multi-task;
• Ability to work independently as well collaboratively with team members;
• Energy and stamina, self-confidence and humility, a strong sense of purpose, a tolerance for ambiguity and a sense of humor
• Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.

But that’s not all were looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

• Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every members contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
• Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
• Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
• Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
• Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious next campaign and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application as well. To learn more about Development & Alumni Relations at Boston University, and other job opportunities, please stop by the DAR Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/dar-talent/.

We are pleased to partner with executive search firm Isaacson Miller for this search; a more comprehensive job scope will be uploaded soon here and on the IM website.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Job LocationBOSTON, Massachusetts, United StatesPosition TypeFull-Time/Regular