Executive Strategist for Philanthropic Program Development

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Strategist for Philanthropic Program Development serves as a senior advisor, strategic partner, and hands-on operational leader, personally driving and executing all aspects of program development. This role will be housed in Advancement and report to the Vice Chancellor of Advancement. It will develop strategic plans and programs supporting philanthropic initiatives of $5 million or more, including the CU Anschutz Mental Health Collaborative. This position translates high-impact benefactor visions into sustainable, operational programs that align with the strategic priorities of CU Anschutz, the School of Medicine, and other campus partners. Operating from a strategic vantage point within the campus, once gifts have been secured, the Executive Strategist for Philanthropic Program Development brings deep School of Medicine expertise in program development and operations —including financial planning and analysis, human resources, data, and technology. This role fosters trust-based collaboration across academic, clinical, educational, and administrative domains. The role partners with programmatic leaders to evaluate feasibility, monitor progress, and assess outcomes, ensuring decisions are informed by both data and values. This role will facilitate structured decision-making processes—through project management, independent financial modeling, cost-benefit analysis, and operational strategy—ensuring philanthropic initiatives are not only visionary but executable, scalable, and aligned with the CU Anschutz vision. Because of the prevalence of gifts at the $5M+ level in the School of Medicine, this position will maintain a deep understanding of the School of Medicine's financial and administrative systems and create synergy between the School of Medicine and the Office of Advancement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
Minimum of 8 years of progressive leadership experience in complex, mission-driven environments, including higher education, academic medical centers, non-profit organizations, or philanthropic institutions
Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the University of Colorado's finance and business operations
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
Expertise in financial modeling, ROI analysis, feasibility assessments, and operational strategy, with a consistent record of delivering results through structured decision-making and collaborative leadership.
Demonstrates the ability to think strategically while executing operational details
Proven ability to lead through influence, confidently navigating ambiguity and complexity within matrixed organizations to align strategy with mission, values, and donor intent.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of cultivating deep, authentic relationships that foster collaboration, trust, and shared accountability.
Demonstrated success in leading complex, cross-sector initiatives across administrative, academic, clinical, and research domains, with measurable outcomes in strategic planning, program implementation, and stakeholder engagement.
Entrepreneurial mindset, with a history of identifying opportunities, mobilizing resources, and driving innovation in higher education, academic medical centers, and non-profit environments.
Skilled in building and leading high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or advanced degree preferred in Business Administration, Finance, Organizational Leadership, or related field
Experience in end-to-end program development, including developing, implementing, and sustaining strategic plans and program strategies
Experience translating high-impact philanthropic visions into sustainable and scalable strategic plans and programs
Deep knowledge of CU Anschutz School of Medicine finance and business operations
Project management certification: PMI-CAPM (Certificate Associate in Project Management), PMI-PMP (Project Management Professional), or equivalent

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary administrative and strategic contact for a portfolio of select gifts of $5M+, including the Mental Health Collaborative and future initiatives.
Create and oversee the design and monitoring of actions needed to achieve the operating goals and objectives of the benefactor’s vision for major philanthropic gifts; sustaining a strong reputation for on-time and on-target performance.
Lead the design and execution of multi-year strategic plans for key innovation areas funded by major philanthropic gifts.
Independently maintain the administrative operationalization to support the successful support of philanthropic program development
Translate the School of Medicine and CU Anschutz Mental Health Collaborative vision into clear operational strategies with defined goals, metrics, and milestones.
Identify trends, risks, and emerging opportunities to inform strategic and programmatic operations for major philanthropic gifts.
In partnership with the CU Anschutz advancement principal gift team, serve as the lead in program planning and development of major philanthropic gifts ($5M+), ensuring alignment with benefactor intent, institutional goals, and the core mission and values of CU Anschutz.
Transform conceptual frameworks into actionable strategies by assessing organizational capacity, resource allocation, and long-term sustainability to ensure effective development.
Serve as a strategic advisor in executive-level forums, providing consultative insight into operational implications, financial risk analysis, and strategic opportunities, while ensuring responsible stewardship of institutional resources.
Facilitate structured decision-making processes, leveraging reporting, dashboards, data, cost-benefit analysis, return-on-investment modeling, and feasibility assessments, to promote informed, values-aligned outcomes and shared understanding.
Identify and address information gaps by leading efforts to collect relevant data and stakeholder input necessary for data-driven decision-making, strategic alignment and risk mitigation.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration by partnering with units and mission areas across CU Anschutz, including advancement, philanthropic implementation, finance, academic, research, and healthcare leadership to ensure that philanthropic initiatives are seamlessly integrated into institutional operations and aligned with strategic priorities.
Serve as a connector and strategic liaison between programmatic leaders and administrative teams, helping to translate donor intent into operational plans that reflect institutional values and capabilities.
Lead a comprehensive approach to insight generation, data strategy, and impact evaluation, ensuring that leadership decisions are grounded in robust evidence, stakeholder input, and institutional alignment.
To support clarity, transparency, and strategic alignment, the Executive Strategist for Philanthropic Program Development partners with campus resources, but solely drives the creation of a range of data visualization tools and techniques, including, but not limited to: interactive dashboards, executive briefing templates, scenario modeling tools, visualization of cost-benefit analyses, ROI projections, feasibility assessments, infographics and strategic reports, data mapping and heatmaps, and custom visuals for stakeholder engagement.