Vice President Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in advancement, fundraising, development, or a related field, with demonstrated success securing major gifts and advancing complex fundraising initiatives.
• Experience developing and executing strategic fundraising plans aligned with institutional priorities and organizational goals.
• Ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity donors and build lasting relationships with alumni, philanthropic leaders, and other key stakeholders.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including evaluating fundraising opportunities, assessing prospect pipelines, and making data-informed decisions.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including developing cases for support, presenting fundraising strategies, and communicating with senior leaders, donors, and volunteers.
• Ability to build partnerships, influence stakeholders, and advance collaborative initiatives across complex organizations.
• Advanced project management and organizational skills, including managing competing priorities and multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrated leadership, sound judgment, and ability to work independently while exercising discretion in support of institutional priorities.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or relevant advanced training.
• Experience in higher education advancement, particularly within the humanities, social sciences, education, communication, arts, theology, global studies, or related academic disciplines.
• Demonstrated success securing principal, transformational, or other significant philanthropic gifts for academic, research, creative, student success, or institutional priorities.
• Experience partnering with academic deans, faculty leaders, executive leadership, and volunteer leaders to develop and advance fundraising strategies.
• Experience leading interdisciplinary fundraising initiatives connecting multiple schools, colleges, departments, or organizational units.
• Commitment to teamwork, transparency, mutual respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, integrity, strategic thinking, curiosity, continuous growth, and shared appreciation for working toward meaningful goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of leadership, principal, and transformational gift prospects across the portfolio while maintaining a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors.
• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies supporting the portfolio’s academic disciplines, faculty excellence, student success, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Build relationships with philanthropic leaders, foundation executives, arts patrons, media and communications leaders, nonprofit executives, international affairs leaders, and influential alumni.
• Translate academic, research, and creative initiatives into cases for support, fundraising proposals, and tailored donor engagement strategies.
• Partner with the Principal Gift team, academic leaders, faculty, and advancement colleagues to identify and advance principal and transformational gift opportunities.
• Set strategic direction for advancement across the portfolio and align fundraising priorities with school, college, and University goals.
• Lead the development and advancement of interdisciplinary fundraising initiatives and “Big Ideas.”
• Identify opportunities to use BU’s academic strengths to address societal challenges and advance institutional priorities.
• Partner with academic deans, faculty leaders, and University leadership to develop fundraising initiatives from emerging priorities, research strengths, creative endeavors, and institutional ambitions.
• Lead portfolio-level planning and prioritization to strengthen donor pipelines, advance campaign priorities, and maximize philanthropic potential.
• Represent the portfolio in University-wide campaign planning, strategic discussions, and cross-school initiatives.
• Provide strategic oversight of donor relations, stewardship, alumni engagement, annual giving, volunteer leadership, and events across the portfolio.
• Partner with school-based advancement teams to coordinate strategies that strengthen prospect pipelines, constituent engagement, and fundraising outcomes.
• Build advisory boards, volunteer leadership networks, and external partnerships.
• Guide cultivation and engagement opportunities that connect donors and volunteers with faculty expertise, research, creative work, student experiences, and institutional priorities.
• Promote a coordinated, high-quality donor experience across schools, colleges, and advancement teams.
• Provide strategic direction to advancement professionals supporting schools and units in the portfolio, setting priorities, goals, and expectations.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, innovation, and fundraising excellence across school-based teams and University-wide advancement functions.
• Support staff development, talent growth, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.
• Oversee portfolio-level planning, prospect management, and performance assessment, using results and pipeline insights to inform decisions, allocate resources, and improve effectiveness.
• Advise the Vice President, Schools & Colleges Advancement, on fundraising strategy, leadership engagement, and emerging philanthropic opportunities related to the portfolio’s disciplines.
• Collaborate with Associate Vice Presidents, Assistant Deans, and other advancement leaders to advance shared fundraising goals and coordinate institutional priorities.