Boston University
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT Development Alumni Relations School Based Development
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, us, 02298
Boston University (BU) seeks a strategic, inclusive, and intellectually curious Assistant Vice President, School Development (AVP) to lead and maximize fundraising and alumni engagement activities for a portfolio of five renowned schools and colleges, elevating advancement capabilities in support of strategic priorities as the university moves into its next multi-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign.
In partnership with Associate Vice President for School Development Lara Brown de Fuenmayor, the AVP will lead a team of 21 development and alumni relations professionals, including five direct reports who serve as the fundraising leads for the College of Engineering, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Questrom School of Business, School of Law, and Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. The incumbent will advance strong partnerships and collaboration among schools and colleges, regional teams, and other Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) staff, encouraging a strategic and integrated approach that taps into the expertise, best practices, and myriad resources of teams, deans, and colleagues across DAR.
DAR’s impact on the University’s mission and legacy is exemplified by the high growth in fundraising and alumni engagement activities, with the AVP’s portfolio of five schools and colleges collectively raising approximately $35-40 million annually. Each school and college’s strategic plan provides ripe ground to be innovative and opportunistic in identifying philanthropic prospects, engaging high-level volunteers, and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding impactful gifts.
The AVP will build upon a strong foundation to engage leaders of their assigned schools and colleges in strategically aligned development efforts as the university welcomes Dr. Melissa Gilliam, a medical doctor, MacArthur-grant winning researcher, and adolescent health advocate as its new president on July 1, 2024. Founded in 1839, Boston University has grown into one of the largest nonprofit universities in the country, comprising 17 Schools and Colleges. BU has always been a hub for impact and innovation.
Essential Duties
Planning and Management: Provide professional leadership for the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges and all fundraising staff therein. This work includes working closely with assistant deans and development officers to ensure productivity in identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts from the respective schools’ top prospects. Additionally, the AVP should—together with the assistant deans—provide close counsel to Deans on fundraising strategies, maintain substantive relationships with the Deans’ Advisory Boards, and help to create and implement strategies to advance the overall fundraising goals of each assigned school and college.
Fundraising: Provide ongoing cultivation and direct solicitation of high-level university prospects within the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges. Build, manage, cultivate, and solicit a small portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and achieve fundraising targets as determined by the Associate Vice President, School Development.
Campaign and Team Strategy: Work with DAR’s SVP, VPs, and AVPs on strategy for Boston University’s next campaign. Serve as an ongoing thought partner to direct reports in schools and colleges and across DAR. Uplift best practices and pilot innovative ideas and strategies to advance the School Development team, its fundraising results and outcomes, and overall performance across schools, colleges, and DAR.
Budget, Human Resources, and Operations: Manage the budgets and personnel matters, including performance management, for all reporting staff within the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges.
Required Skills
A Bachelor’s degree is required; advanced degree preferred
At least fourteen years of directly related experience in development and alumni engagement as a fundraiser partner with academic leaders, with eight years of demonstrated leadership experience
Outstanding and successful experience as a fundraiser, including comprehensive management of major and principal gift prospects
Strong development credentials with campaign leadership/management experience; including proven track record of building and developing a high-level portfolio
Successful track record of managing a fundraising team
Effective experience in enlisting and interacting with senior-level leadership volunteers and committees
Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
Superb judgment and the sensibility to adjudicate wisely among competing priorities
A disposition to listen and circulate widely
Outstanding interpersonal skills
Exceptional reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills, including an ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps
Superb organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
Ability to work independently as well collaboratively with team members
Energy and stamina, self-confidence and humility, a strong sense of purpose, a tolerance for ambiguity.
Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.
Location and ScheduleBU’s campus is located in Boston’s Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood. Nestled between the beautiful Charles River and historic Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox), BU’s location is ideal for a healthy contemporary lifestyle. Boston is a vibrant city steeped in history with diverse neighborhoods, a rich arts and culture scene, and a legacy of education, innovation, and ideas.
DAR provides a hybrid work schedule, offering employees the opportunity to work two days per week from home, if circumstances allow. More information about the university’s remote work policy is available
here.
CompensationCompensation is highly competitive and budgeted in the range of $240,000 - $260,000 annually, depending on experience. Boston University offers a comprehensive
benefits package,
which adds significantly to the employee’s total compensation package.
Interested in Learning More?Boston University has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President Tracy D. Welsh, Managing Associate Rachel K. Partin, and Associate José Cisneros to share your resume and cover letter via email at:
bu-avpsd@talentcitizen.com.
Boston University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. Boston University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
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In partnership with Associate Vice President for School Development Lara Brown de Fuenmayor, the AVP will lead a team of 21 development and alumni relations professionals, including five direct reports who serve as the fundraising leads for the College of Engineering, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Questrom School of Business, School of Law, and Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. The incumbent will advance strong partnerships and collaboration among schools and colleges, regional teams, and other Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) staff, encouraging a strategic and integrated approach that taps into the expertise, best practices, and myriad resources of teams, deans, and colleagues across DAR.
DAR’s impact on the University’s mission and legacy is exemplified by the high growth in fundraising and alumni engagement activities, with the AVP’s portfolio of five schools and colleges collectively raising approximately $35-40 million annually. Each school and college’s strategic plan provides ripe ground to be innovative and opportunistic in identifying philanthropic prospects, engaging high-level volunteers, and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding impactful gifts.
The AVP will build upon a strong foundation to engage leaders of their assigned schools and colleges in strategically aligned development efforts as the university welcomes Dr. Melissa Gilliam, a medical doctor, MacArthur-grant winning researcher, and adolescent health advocate as its new president on July 1, 2024. Founded in 1839, Boston University has grown into one of the largest nonprofit universities in the country, comprising 17 Schools and Colleges. BU has always been a hub for impact and innovation.
Essential Duties
Planning and Management: Provide professional leadership for the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges and all fundraising staff therein. This work includes working closely with assistant deans and development officers to ensure productivity in identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts from the respective schools’ top prospects. Additionally, the AVP should—together with the assistant deans—provide close counsel to Deans on fundraising strategies, maintain substantive relationships with the Deans’ Advisory Boards, and help to create and implement strategies to advance the overall fundraising goals of each assigned school and college.
Fundraising: Provide ongoing cultivation and direct solicitation of high-level university prospects within the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges. Build, manage, cultivate, and solicit a small portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and achieve fundraising targets as determined by the Associate Vice President, School Development.
Campaign and Team Strategy: Work with DAR’s SVP, VPs, and AVPs on strategy for Boston University’s next campaign. Serve as an ongoing thought partner to direct reports in schools and colleges and across DAR. Uplift best practices and pilot innovative ideas and strategies to advance the School Development team, its fundraising results and outcomes, and overall performance across schools, colleges, and DAR.
Budget, Human Resources, and Operations: Manage the budgets and personnel matters, including performance management, for all reporting staff within the assigned portfolio of schools and colleges.
Required Skills
A Bachelor’s degree is required; advanced degree preferred
At least fourteen years of directly related experience in development and alumni engagement as a fundraiser partner with academic leaders, with eight years of demonstrated leadership experience
Outstanding and successful experience as a fundraiser, including comprehensive management of major and principal gift prospects
Strong development credentials with campaign leadership/management experience; including proven track record of building and developing a high-level portfolio
Successful track record of managing a fundraising team
Effective experience in enlisting and interacting with senior-level leadership volunteers and committees
Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
Superb judgment and the sensibility to adjudicate wisely among competing priorities
A disposition to listen and circulate widely
Outstanding interpersonal skills
Exceptional reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills, including an ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps
Superb organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
Ability to work independently as well collaboratively with team members
Energy and stamina, self-confidence and humility, a strong sense of purpose, a tolerance for ambiguity.
Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.
Location and ScheduleBU’s campus is located in Boston’s Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood. Nestled between the beautiful Charles River and historic Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox), BU’s location is ideal for a healthy contemporary lifestyle. Boston is a vibrant city steeped in history with diverse neighborhoods, a rich arts and culture scene, and a legacy of education, innovation, and ideas.
DAR provides a hybrid work schedule, offering employees the opportunity to work two days per week from home, if circumstances allow. More information about the university’s remote work policy is available
here.
CompensationCompensation is highly competitive and budgeted in the range of $240,000 - $260,000 annually, depending on experience. Boston University offers a comprehensive
benefits package,
which adds significantly to the employee’s total compensation package.
Interested in Learning More?Boston University has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President Tracy D. Welsh, Managing Associate Rachel K. Partin, and Associate José Cisneros to share your resume and cover letter via email at:
bu-avpsd@talentcitizen.com.
Boston University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. Boston University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
#J-18808-Ljbffr