St. Thomas University Looking for Vice President of Philanthropy Full Time

St. Thomas University (STU) is currently seeking a full-time, exempt, Cabinet-level position to serve as Vice President of Philanthropy. St. Thomas University offers competitive salary and benefits, including tuition remission for the employee and dependents, along with generous health, and 403b matching. In the past five years, STU has set records for enrollment, fundraising, and new construction. St. Thomas University is the only Catholic Archdiocesan-sponsored university in Florida, and one of the only eight Archdiocesan universities nationwide. Our culture of excellence is helping to propel STU to become the great Catholic University of the South. We are looking for hard-working servant-leaders ready to make a difference in the lives of our students. Is that you? Join us! Apply now! To apply, please send a one-page letter of interest and a resume to: [email protected].

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY:

St. Thomas University (STU) is a private, non-profit university, located in Miami Gardens, FL, just a short drive from downtown Miami, and the wide array of educational, career, recreational, cultural, and ethnic opportunities it offers. Our students and employees take advantage of our location to learn, relax by the beach, enjoy recreation and sporting events, and pursue employment opportunities. STU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees, programs, specializations, and certificates, including doctoral programs, and the Juris Doctorate, at its beautiful, residential, 144-acre campus in Miami Gardens, Florida, and through distance learning. Our on-campus residential population is over 900 students in Fall 2023, and we envision adding an additional 500 beds within the next few years. Our academic offerings include business programs through the MBA, one of the oldest (and most highly ranked) undergraduate programs in Sports Administration in the country, a new Culinary, Tourism, and Hospitality Management program, and our Fashion Merchandising program, as well as our burgeoning Health Science and nursing programs. STU offers degrees from the Bachelors, and Masters, to the EdD and through the PhD and JD. STU has been ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report in Social Mobility for regional universities in the South, recognizing our ability to propel students from the lowest financial strata to much higher financial strata in only ten years.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The incumbent serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for the University and advises the President on all matters pertaining to the management and operations of the University’s fundraising activities, donor relations, alumni engagement, community relations, events, and grant development. The Vice President of Philanthropy is responsible for Board Relations. The Vice President works closely with the Board of Trustees, the governing and policy-setting board for the University. Vice president serves as an ex-officio member of the Philanthropy and Nominating & Performance Review Committees of the Board. The Vice-President also oversees all the University’s advisory boards: Business, Science and Technology, Honors College, and Law. In addition, the Vice President helps to identify and recruit new members to the Board of Trustees. In partnership with the President, the Vice President of Philanthropy engages the Board of trustees through regular communication, committee work, fundraising campaigns, and by utilizing them to help advance Strategic Priorities. S/he also works with the Philanthropy team and senior administration to create meaningful work for the Board’s committees. The Vice President of Philanthropy also oversees government relations. The Vice President ofPhilanthropy is responsible for working with lobbyists and governmental officials in obtaining funds for the University.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Oversees all fundraising efforts of the University, including the annual fund, capital campaigns, alumni/ae relations, prospect research, new constituency development, grant writing, planned giving, special and major gifts, strategy development for prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and the development and implementation of communications plans for all donor categories including Trustees, corporations, alumni/ae.Coordinates the efforts of the President, Deans, senior staff, philanthropy team members, and board members in seeking major gifts and endowments for the support of university programs and services.Establishes and maintains contacts and records of donors/potential donors to cultivate, solicit, and acknowledge their support of the university.Works on corporate and strategic partnerships on behalf of the University and its programs.Provides progress reports to the President on the status of all fundraising activities.Supervises the preparation of grant proposals and research reports on all major gift prospects. Interviews and participates in the selection of assigned staff; conducts performance appraisals and suggests professional development opportunities in accordance with university policies and procedures. Serves on University committees as requested.Performs other duties as assigned by the University President.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Supervision of all departmental personnel.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s Degree in Public Relations, Higher Education Administration, or related area preferred. Professional background should reflect a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible and successful experience in the development area; experience with annual appeal and major gift solicitations is required. Experience in the college/university environment preferred. Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills are essential. Ability to plan departmental goals and budget and manage funds in support of approved goals.Ability to organize and direct major work projects. Must be able to work under pressure and meet established deadlines. The position requires travel and frequent irregular work hours demanding a willingness to commit to evenings/weekends for special events and/or emergencies. Physical requirements for the position are within the normal bounds of an office environment.