Executive Director, Advancement

Executive Director, Advancement
Job no:
532865

Work type:
Staff Full-Time

Location:
Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories:
Advancement, Executive/Director/Management

Department:
16010500 - LS-COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT

Classification Title:

Executive Director of Advancement

Job Description:

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is seeking an Executive Director of Advancement. This position will serve as the unit lead for advancement and is responsible for leading a comprehensive fundraising and engagement program for the college, with the support of the Dean and the Assistant Vice President for Development. The incumbent will also be responsible for developing and executing the College’s fundraising program to fulfill the financial needs as identified by college and university leadership and in alignment with the strategic initiatives of CLAS and UF Advancement. This role will serve as a strategic partner ensuring conformity with the central fundraising efforts and the university’s development and alumni programs with the goal of promoting a culture of philanthropy by broadening constituents’ understanding of the value of giving. They are responsible for the leadership of a staff of 13 professionals in the CLAS Advancement Office and a fundraising program that has averaged $20M - $30M per year over the past five years. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Fundraising and Portfolio Management

Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects; focusing on individual prospects and on leadership and corporate and foundation prospects where gift is assessed at $100,000 and above. He or she will manage a portfolio of fundraising prospects and manage relationships through face-to-face visits to bring major gift solicitations to closure.
Within 24 months of hiring, the incumbent will be responsible for developing relationships and a portfolio that can consistently raise $3 million per year on a three-year rolling average in the major gift ($100K+) and leadership gift ($1M+) levels.
In addition to fundraising responsibilities in this area, the individual will also be a key leader in the Principal Gift Strategy for the College and will work closely with the Dean and Assistant Vice President and be actively involved in principal gift strategy and activity for the college.
Build and manage stewardship relationships, utilizing a strategic moves management approach to include prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Responsible for articulating and communicating priorities within the context of the overall UF Advancement mission, goals, and objectives.
Build and nurture effective working relationships with alumni, parents, friends, volunteers, board members, and staff.
Develop and present major gift proposals, and acknowledge and recognize gifts in ways that are meaningful to donors and appropriate to the mission, vision and values. Develop support for the program by effectively involving stakeholders, such as volunteers, faculty, staff, and advisory board members.
Management

Build, manage, and lead a strong team of development professionals. Identify and recruit top talent and provide leadership and counsel on matters relating to fundraising, and accountability, including establishing goals in alignment with unit objectives, developing metrics, and strategic planning. In addition, the incumbent will attend senior development meetings.
Evaluate staff, develop a strong sense of teamwork, and establish an environment of mentoring and support. Coach the team and bring cohesion to the department.
Plan and monitor the budget, using resources for best results in fundraising and planning activities involving volunteers, prospects, faculty, and administration.
Manage staff using talent management best practices in alignment with UF Advancement’s Vision and Values of Excellence, Discovery & Innovation, Inclusion, Freedom & Civility, Community and Stewardship, and UF Advancement’s diverse and inclusive environment; ensure best practices in office systems, practices, files and record keeping; ensure effective use of strategic tools and resources such as contact reports, prospect management, research, and analysis, and the Advance database.
Strategic Leadership

Actively work with the AVP to maintain awareness of institutional priorities for fundraising to coordinate major gift solicitation with projects of specific mutual interest to the donor and CLAS. Actively work with the AVP to develop and implement college’s comprehensive campaign fundraising plan, focusing specifically on developing strategies for stronger engagement and pipeline development in order to elevate the college’s fundraising program.
Build collaborative, productive relationships with key leadership, colleagues, deans, department chairs, and units and provide leadership to enhance strategic fundraising.
Assist AVP in providing strategic direction on CLAS development programs and initiatives and operational management for those programs. This includes, but is not limited to, strategy, planning, and leadership of the college’s involvement in the university’s campaign efforts.
Serve as an advisor to the AVP. Evaluate the program using established attributes and metrics to produce accurate reports, to guide effective decision-making in alignment with UF Advancement’s Vision and Values of Excellence, Discovery & Innovation, Inclusion, Freedom & Civility, Community and Stewardship.
Create a structured process for the identification, recruitment, evaluation, recognition, and replacement of volunteers to strengthen fundraising effectiveness related to the college. Participate in recruiting experienced and diverse leadership on associated boards and/or committees to ensure that these groups are representative of and responsive to the communities served.
Provide leadership and inspiration, ensuring the highest level of customer service to UF Advancement, college/unit development officers, and donors.
Represent CLAS at donor and community events as assigned.
Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program.
Perform related duties as required or deemed appropriate to the accomplishment of the responsibilities and functions related to this position.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the heart of the University of Florida and the Gator Nation with over 800 faculty. As the largest college on campus, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is charged with teaching the university’s core curriculum. We are home to the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and the physical, natural and mathematical sciences.

UF is the state’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive land grant university with an enrollment of over 50,000 students and was ranked 6th in the country among public universities (US News and World Report 2023 rankings) and 1st among public institutions in the Wall Street Journal 2023 survey. UF is located in Gainesville, a city of approximately 150,000 residents in North-Central Florida, 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, 67 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, and within a 2-hour drive to large metropolitan areas (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville). The beautiful climate and extensive nearby parks and recreational areas afford year-round outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and nature photography. UF’s large college sports programs, museums, and performing arts center support a range of activities and cultural events for residents to enjoy. Alachua County schools are highly rated and offer a variety of programs, including magnet schools and an international baccalaureate program. Learn more about what Gainesville has to offer at Visit Gainesville

Advertised Salary:

The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, and the compensation includes a full benefits package.

Employment Benefits include:

Health Insurance: UF participates in state- and university-sponsored benefits programs for individuals, families, and domestic partners, and offers voluntary insurance that includes vision, dental, long-term disability and more.

Retirement Options: Attractive options include Florida Retirement System Pension Plan, State University System Optional Retirement Program, Florida Retirement System Investment Plan, and Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan.

Leave: UF staff enjoy a generous paid leave plan as well as access to a sick-leave pool, parental leave, and leave payouts.

Minimum Requirements:

Master’s degree in appropriate area of specialization and eight years of appropriate experience; or a bachelor’s degree in appropriate areas of specialization and ten years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess:

8 - 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in development with a demonstrated track record of successful fundraising in a large-scale university or one of similar complexity.
3+ years’ experience leading a high-performing team of 3+, including prior management of development officers. Track record of recruiting, developing, and retaining a high-caliber staff, building a team, and creatively organizing and managing them to maximize the support of external constituencies.
Excellent organizational and operational skills; confidence and independence in exercising leadership skills and representing the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to external constituents.
Ability to construct, articulate, and implement a department's annual strategic development plan.
Expertise in developing solicitation strategies.
Demonstrated ability to support College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ mission, particularly in managing the responsibilities of the department, including strategic and operational planning at the department level, as well as establishing metrics and processes to monitor and evaluate operational performance outcomes and implement performance improvement initiatives when required.
A strong understanding of budgeting practices and financial accountability and the ability to manage resources with prudence and efficiency.
Ability to work independently and as a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside the college.
Experience engaging, training, motivating, and staffing volunteers in the cultivation, solicitation, and closing of significant gifts; appreciation for the role of volunteers in building an effective development network.
Ability to demonstrate the highest standards of ethics as accepted by the professional fundraising community.
Ability to be an outstanding communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work collegially and interact effectively with a diverse constituency.
An appreciation for and support of diversity in the workplace in all its forms; proven success working with stakeholders; excellent strategic planning and project management skills; experience in a data-driven environment; organizational skills; and the ability to lead, influence, and motivate others are crucial.
Working knowledge in these areas: Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, internet browsers, preferably Internet Explorer, E-mail. Working knowledge of a donor database, contact management, and tracking system.
The ability and willingness to travel.
*Business expenses are reimbursed through a standard accounting system. The ability to pay for expenses using your own personal credit card or funds and have them reimbursed is essential.

UF Advancement has defined the following critical competencies for organizational and position-specific success:

Relationship Mastery - Identifies, targets, and strategically builds relationships with colleagues, prospects, donors, and volunteers
Establishes and maintains effective relationships, demonstrating genuine interest in the well-being and opinions of others and recognizing common ground with individuals from varying backgrounds
Anticipates conversational direction with the ability to swiftly adapt and diffuse high-tension situations
Successfully identifies the proper timing, medium, and consistency to engage stakeholders
Exhibits a high level of emotional intelligence in all interactions
Donor Focus - Ability to establish, cultivate, and steward prospects/ donors to build and maintain lifelong partnerships and trust on behalf of the institution
Consistently searches for ways to improve the donor experience, centralizing all efforts and tasks around meeting their needs
Matches donor/prospect passions with university priorities, involving the right people and resources at the right time
Places prospect/ donor needs ahead of personal success
Utilizes resources, remains flexible, and creatively suggests individualized engagement activities
Tenacity - Ability to demonstrate the discipline and resilience necessary to successfully achieve goals and strategies
Identifies and seizes opportunities, setting “stretch” goals and exceeding them (always looking for the next rung on the ladder)
Ability to re-direct prospects from distractions and non-productive requests (in control but not seemingly in control)
Strong commitment to close gifts (every day is a domino)
Does not give up in the face of obstacles (master of “No”)
Credibility - Displays responsible, reliable, and trustworthy actions
Acts in an ethical and authentic manner to support the mission of the university, demonstrating a “can do” spirit, sense of ownership, urgency, and commitment
Stay current on functional and technical aspects of one’s job, seeking opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills
Promotes and establishes trust, respect, and rapport utilizing diplomacy and tact
Fulfills commitments made to donors, colleagues, and university partners
Entrepreneurial Spirit - Ability to generate creative solutions and take risks
Understands current environment and possesses the ability to adapt to new opportunities and challenges
Generates innovative ideas, solutions, and opportunities to positively impact results (doesn’t order from the menu)
Learns from success and failure with a drive to succeed (hates to lose)
Accepts, embraces, and leads change
Engaging Communication - Ability to attentively listen and express oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others in all forms of communication
Possesses the ability to engage and inspire
Successfully reads verbal and non-verbal cues, adapting communication style and strategy as needed
Demonstrates active listening and understands the art of asking questions to skillfully obtain more complete information
Commands attention when speaking and presenting to individuals or groups
Strategic Thinking - Ability to develop strategies and plans that integrate into the organization’s mission, priorities, and goals
Ability to effectively synthesize information and data to evaluate and prioritize prospects/donors in a larger context (knows their prospects)
Ability to document and illustrate a comprehensive engagement strategy with realistic timelines
Collaboratively engages colleagues and academic partners and integrates their knowledge into strategy
Ability to think big and create bold and inspiring tactics
Mission Driven - Fundamentally identifies with the core mission to create awareness, build relationships, generate support, and recognize donors for the purpose of advancing the university
Considers national trends and best practices of advancement within higher education
Possesses a solid appreciation of UF history, culture, and tradition
Understands the power of philanthropy and how to engage donors toward achieving their goals
Creates advocates for the university through the ability to “visualize dreams,” “ask,” and “close”