SVP, Central Development Programs

University of Illinois Foundation•Champaign, IL

5d•$275,000 - $325,000

About The Position

The University of Illinois Foundation seeks a strategic, collaborative, and versatile senior development leader to provide enterprise-wide leadership for its central development programs. The Senior Vice President (SVP) partners with university, foundation, and advancement leaders to align strategies, services, and resources with institutional priorities and campaign goals across the University of Illinois System. Reporting to the Foundation President and CEO, the SVP serves on the Foundation’s executive leadership team and as a strategic advisor to the president. The SVP oversees an integrated portfolio of central functions, including gift planning and trust services, donor relations and stewardship, foundation relations, strategic innovation, board engagement, and major and principal gifts support. The position leads a 50-person team and also serves as a senior fundraiser and trusted advisor on consequential philanthropic relationships. The SVP strengthens the Foundation’s distributed fundraising model by establishing consistent standards, performance measures, governance, and operating practices, while advancing innovation, donor-centered engagement, organizational capacity, and philanthropic growth across the system. The SVP provides strategic leadership for central development programs, supports the Foundation Board of Directors, and collaborates with university vice chancellors to tailor programs and services to the needs of the individual universities and their units. The leader develops and mentors high-performing teams, directs donor engagement and stewardship, maintains relationships with select board members and major and principal gift prospects, and directs major gift officers supporting system and university priorities. The role also oversees planned giving services, coordinates strategic innovation programs including the Foundation Resource Center, uses data and analytics to inform decisions, ensures compliance with applicable requirements, and manages departmental budgets, staffing plans, and organizational structure. The expected salary range is $275,000–$325,000.

Requirements

At least 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in advancement, development, fundraising operations, advancement services, philanthropy, higher education administration, or a related field.
Demonstrated success leading within a multi-unit, decentralized, or matrixed organization.
Proven ability to develop and implement enterprise-wide strategies that improve fundraising effectiveness, organizational performance, operational efficiency, and donor experience.
Experience partnering with senior institutional leaders, fundraising executives, governing boards, and key stakeholders to achieve strategic objectives.
Strong understanding of fundraising principles, philanthropic trends, campaign operations, donor lifecycle management, and advancement best practices.
Demonstrated success leading organizational change, process improvement, and technology initiatives in a complex environment.
Bachelor’s degree required.

Nice To Haves

Experience overseeing gift planning and trust services, including complex gifts, estates, trusts, and life-income arrangements.
Experience serving as a principal gifts fundraiser and managing relationships with major donors, institutional leaders, and governing board members.
Advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and oversight for central development programs and services, aligning them with system fundraising priorities, campaign objectives, and institutional plans.
Partner with university vice chancellors in the distributed fundraising model to develop programs and align services with individual university and unit needs.
Support and engage the Foundation Board of Directors through guidance, resources, training, and relationship management.
Lead, develop, and mentor high-performing teams; establish goals, encourage professional development, drive accountability, and foster collaboration, innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement.
Monitor advancement and philanthropy trends, technologies, and best practices and advance innovation across the fundraising enterprise.
Serve as a major and principal gifts fundraiser and ambassador for philanthropic engagement.
Direct donor engagement strategy and services, including donor relations, stewardship, impact reporting, and engagement initiatives.
Maintain a portfolio of select board members, major donors, and principal gift prospects as a strategic relationship manager and ambassador.
Direct a team of major gift officers supporting university and system fundraising priorities.
Oversee gift planning and trust services, including estate planning, complex gifts, life-income agreements, trusts, and bequests, and facilitate collaboration with frontline fundraisers.
Coordinate and direct UIF Strategic Innovation programs, including the Foundation Resource Center, which sources private funding from Foundation partners.
Establish service standards, operating procedures, and governance structures to improve efficiency while meeting university partners’ needs.
Use data analytics and insights to inform decisions, track progress, and refine fundraising strategies.
Ensure compliance with Foundation and University of Illinois System requirements and applicable regulations, ethical standards, and reporting requirements.
Develop and manage departmental budgets, staffing plans, and organizational structure to steward resources and achieve institutional goals.