Assistant Dean for Advancement (Chief Advancement Officer)

University of Washington Medical Center•Seattle, WA

10d•$171,960 - $181,008•Hybrid

About The Position

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission—with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact—guides everything we do in University Advancement. Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support. The mission of the Development team is to facilitate private resources to enhance and protect the University’s reputation and support equitable community building and service. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals. The School of Pharmacy has an exciting opening for the Assistant Dean for Advancement. This is a full-time permanent position. The Assistant Dean for Advancement (Chief Advancement Officer) leads and directs the School of Pharmacy's advancement program, providing programs and services that advance the School's mission and support the Dean's strategic goals. Serving as a strategic advisor and partner to the Dean, the Assistant Dean oversees the School's fundraising, stakeholder engagement, and marketing and communications strategies. In partnership with the Dean and other school leaders, this role helps advance strategic priorities through deep collaboration across the School's diverse departments, centers, and interdisciplinary programs. Working closely with their team, the Assistant Dean develops, implements, and evaluates communications, activities, initiatives, and programs that inspire philanthropic support, enhance the School's visibility and reputation, strengthen corporate and foundation partnerships, increase individual giving, and deepen alumni engagement. The Assistant Dean reports jointly to the Dean of the School of Pharmacy and the Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences Advancement.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree AND a minimum of eight years of professional advancement experience in institutional development/advancement, with an emphasis on cultivating and soliciting major gifts.

Nice To Haves

Five or more years of supervisory experience, including talent acquisition, performance management, goal setting, workflow oversight, employee development and conflict resolution.
Experience leading or overseeing strategic marketing, communications and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Demonstrated success as an inclusive and effective leader with the ability to translate organizational priorities into action, execute strategic goals and drive measurable results through collaboration and relationship building.
Demonstrated learning agility and intellectual curiosity, with the ability to quickly understand complex academic, research, scientific, or technical environments and communicate their impact to a variety of audiences.
Exceptional interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences, navigate complex situations and communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrated ability to build trust and productive relationships with faculty, academic leaders, volunteers, donors, corporate and foundation partners and other key stakeholders to advance institutional priorities.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative, manage competing priorities, and deliver results in a complex and dynamic environment.
Demonstrated commitment to higher education and extensive knowledge of fundraising principles, donor engagement strategies, philanthropic trends and advancement best practices.
Demonstrated creativity, resourcefulness, organizational effectiveness, and attention to detail, with the ability to make sound decisions in complex and evolving environments.
Proven ability to achieve exceptional results while fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture among staff, volunteers and cross-functional partners.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment.
Ability to lead in a manner consistent with the University’s mission, vision, values and culture, while inspiring others to do the same.
Demonstrated integrity and discretion, including the ability to handle confidential information and model the highest ethical standards.
Demonstrated commitment to higher education and extensive knowledge of fundraising principles, philanthropic trends and advancement best practices.
Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships with faculty, academic leaders, volunteers, donors and other key stakeholders to advance institutional priorities.

Responsibilities

Lead and oversee all aspects of the school’s advancement program, including annual, major, and planned giving; corporate and foundation relations; donor stewardship and recognition; alumni engagement; communications and publications; and external relations, with a focus on growing philanthropic support.
Provide strategic leadership for advancement-related marketing, communications, and internal engagement initiatives that advance the school’s goals and priorities.
Develop and manage the Advancement unit budget; monitor financial performance; and prepare regular reports on advancement results, trends, and philanthropic activity for school and University leadership.
Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing Advancement team, providing supervision, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
Serve as a strategic advisor to the Dean and an active member of the School's Executive Council and the University Advancement Development Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning, institutional decision-making, fundraising priorities, and advancement initiatives that support both School and University goals.
Manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, developing and executing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies; prepare proposals, agreements, and related materials; and actively utilize the University’s prospect management systems.
Lead the planning and execution of school-based and university-wide fundraising campaigns, including campaign strategy, infrastructure, volunteer leadership recruitment, prospect prioritization, case development, and stakeholder engagement.
Develop strategies to grow and diversify the donor base, with a focus on major gifts, current use and endowment funding, and other strategic funding opportunities; coordinate fundraising activities across departments and programs in alignment with the Dean’s priorities.
Partner with University Advancement, the Health Sciences cohort and other schools and units to coordinate fundraising efforts, leverage institutional resources and campaigns, meet established performance metrics, and maximize philanthropic support for the school and University.
Lead campaign strategy, planning, and execution, including case development, prospect prioritization, volunteer engagement, communications, and organizational readiness to support transformational fundraising initiatives.
Leverage the full advancement enterprise to strengthen stakeholder engagement, expand philanthropic support, and position the school for successful future campaigns and long-term advancement growth.
Other duties as assigned.