Vice President for Advancement

George Fox University•Newberg, OR

1d•Onsite

About The Position

George Fox University's seeking a strategic, relational, and mission-driven Vice President for Advancement to lead and shape the future of philanthropic engagement at the university. This is a pivotal moment for Advancement at George Fox. With a newly integrated leadership structure that brings together enrollment, marketing, and advancement, the university is positioned to take a more unified and strategic approach to growth, storytelling, and donor engagement. The Vice President will play a central role in building this future. Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Advancement, this leader will oversee all advancement functions while partnering closely across the institution to expand philanthropic support, strengthen donor relationships, and align advancement with the university's broader mission and brand.

Requirements

5+ years of progressively responsible experience in advancement, fundraising, or a related field, including senior leadership experience.
Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
Proven experience leading and developing teams, including setting strategy, managing performance, and building culture.
Experience managing or contributing to comprehensive fundraising programs, including major gifts, annual giving, and donor engagement strategy.
Demonstrated the ability to partner effectively with executive leaders, board members, and key stakeholders in fundraising efforts.
Experience using data, metrics, and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce or similar) to drive strategy and track performance.
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Legal authorization to work in the United States.
This position does not offer visa sponsorship; therefore, only applicants who do not require sponsorship for employment visas, now or at any point in the future, should apply.
A commitment to the University's Theology of Racial and Ethnic Diversity.
A desire to work with a diverse community of students and employees who represent various cultures, backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, political views, and expressions of Christian faith.
A personal commitment to Jesus Christ and express their Christian testimony in a church.
In addition, employees agree to live in agreement with the Community Lifestyle Statement and affirm the theological commitments expressed in the Statement of Faith.

Nice To Haves

Experience preparing for or leading a comprehensive capital campaign.
Experience building or rebuilding advancement infrastructure, including systems, processes, and team structure.
Familiarity with planned giving strategies and long-term donor pipeline development.
A Master's degree from an accredited institution.

Responsibilities

Developing and executing a comprehensive advancement strategy that aligns with the university's mission, vision, and strategic priorities, ensuring that philanthropic efforts meaningfully support institutional growth and long-term sustainability.
Partnering closely with the Executive Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Advancement to integrate advancement into a unified institutional strategy, aligning fundraising, storytelling, and engagement efforts across the university.
Assessing current advancement operations, including systems, processes, team structure, and performance metrics, and implementing improvements that strengthen effectiveness, scalability, and long-term impact.
Providing leadership in long-term planning efforts, including preparing the university for future capital campaigns and identifying opportunities to expand philanthropic support.
Providing strategic and operational leadership for all areas of fundraising, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and campaign development, ensuring a cohesive and effective approach across all channels.
Personally managing and actively engaging a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors, with a focus on cultivating deep relationships and securing transformational philanthropic support.
Overseeing the development and execution of strategies to expand and strengthen the donor pipeline, increasing both donor participation and overall giving levels over time.
Partnering with the president and other senior leaders to effectively engage in fundraising efforts, providing guidance, support, and coordination to maximize their impact in donor cultivation and solicitation.
Leading, developing, and inspiring a growing advancement team, fostering a culture of excellence, ownership, and shared commitment to the university's mission.
Establishing clear expectations, goals, and accountability measures for team members, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and consistent progress toward fundraising objectives.
Recruiting, mentoring, and retaining high-performing staff, while investing in professional development and creating opportunities for team members to grow in skill, confidence, and leadership capacity.
Strengthening team cohesion and effectiveness by building trust, encouraging collaboration, and creating clarity around roles, responsibilities, and priorities.
Working closely with university leadership, including academic and administrative partners, to align fundraising priorities with institutional needs and opportunities.
Collaborating with marketing and communications teams to ensure that donor-facing messaging, storytelling, and campaigns are compelling, consistent, and aligned with the university's brand and voice.
Engaging the Board of Trustees and the Advancement Committee as active partners in fundraising, equipping and supporting them in meaningful donor engagement and philanthropic efforts.
Building strong relationships across campus, fostering a broad culture of engagement in advancement and helping faculty and staff understand their role in supporting philanthropic success.
Establishing clear and measurable fundraising goals and key performance indicators, aligned with institutional priorities and advancement strategy.
Monitoring progress toward goals on an ongoing basis, providing regular reports and updates to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
Utilizing data, analytics, and performance insights to inform decision-making, refine strategies, and improve overall effectiveness of advancement efforts.
Ensuring strong stewardship practices that build trust, demonstrate accountability, and cultivate long-term relationships with donors.
Communicating effectively and courteously with others, including employees, students, and the public, in a spirit of teamwork, respect and customer service.
By actions, words, and lifestyle, be a Christian role model to students, whether through casual contact or in a formal supervisory role.
Demonstrated experience working cross culturally with respect, appreciation and humility.
Other duties as assigned.