Stetson University

Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement

Stetson University seeks inquiries, nominations and applications for the position of Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement. Located in beautiful DeLand, Florida, Stetson University is the oldest private university in the state, recognized for providing its students with a superior liberal arts education and its profound commitment to student success and academic excellence. As a result, Stetson alumni and parents form a community that takes great ownership of, and is deeply committed to, the University and its future.

Stetson has seen a decade of growth, change and resource augmentation and now, under the new leadership of President Christopher Roellke, Ph.D., Stetson University stands ready to bring the kind of attention and make the investment needed to bring the development program to the level of the best contemporary development operations. In June 2019, Stetson completed a comprehensive campaign that exceeded its $200 million goal. With an energetic new president, Stetson has an opportunity to build on this success by engaging its alumni, friends and parents more fully in the life of the institution, as well as to immediately plan for continual and increased philanthropic activity and building the University’s endowment.

The new vice president will be dedicated to Stetson's mission and values and will, in particular, be a champion for the liberal arts and strategic professional preparation. The vice president serves as the chief development officer for the University and advises the president and other senior-level leaders on all development matters. As a key member of the president's senior leadership team, the vice president participates in strategic planning and works collaboratively with leadership across the institution to support key academic and University priorities, initiatives and opportunities. A superior ability to think strategically at the institutional, departmental and individual prospect levels is of the utmost importance. Stetson seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking and goal-oriented development leader with a robust track record as a major/principal gift fundraiser and manager of a sophisticated fundraising operation, who will play a leadership role in future comprehensive campaigns of considerable size and ambition. Additional information about the position, including a leadership profile can be found at www.wittkieffer.com.

The University’s strong reputation for intellectual rigor and individualized attention provides a solid base for expanding its reach and further engaging its alumni and donor base. Stetson strives for a diverse and inclusive community and calls on an entire campus–student, faculty and staff–to shape that journey. Stetson seeks a vice president who has substantial leadership and management acumen and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and the ideal candidate will have successfully led or had a major leadership role in development or advancement programs for at least 10 years, with a substantial proportion of that experience in the service of one or more institutions of significant complexity and accomplishment. As would be expected, superior communication and relationship-building skills are required, with an advanced degree preferred. A facility with data and an approach that uses information technology to drive strategy is required. The vice president will be an inspirational team builder with the capacity for embedding development best practices within institutional values and aspirations. The successful candidate will serve as an encouraging manager and mentor capable of bringing further cohesion to a department of eager, committed and engaged development professionals.

The Stetson University community stands poised to build upon a long and successful history of uniting in support of the University's goals. Its new vice president for development and alumni engagement will play a central role in leading the University to a new era of attainment and excellence.

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. The search process is currently underway and will continue until the position is filled. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Mercedes Chacón Vance and Veena Abraham, J.D. at StetsonVPDAE@wittkieffer.com