Associate Vice President for Advancement

Susquehanna University is seeking an outstanding leader with exceptional strategic, operational, and interpersonal capabilities to join the University’s advancement team as Associate Vice President for Advancement (AVPA). Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the AVPA is responsible for developing and stewarding the University’s advancement enterprise and will join its  experienced advancement team at an exciting moment for professional growth and opportunity, as the University begins preparation for its next capital campaign – following the recent success of Give Rise: The Campaign to Elevate Susquehanna University, which closed at over $185 million--- more than $25 million over goal.

 The Associate Vice President for Advancement is responsible for mid-level oversight, management, and collaboration of the planning, direction, and integration of all aspects of the fundraising and alumni engagement efforts of Susquehanna University’s Advancement Office. The role oversees a team of four professional staff, comprised of the Director of the Annual Fund (SUF), Director of Advancement Services, Director of Alumni Relations, and a Director of Advancement Communications.

Additionally, the Associate Vice President works closely with the Vice President for Advancement and members of the President’s Office to prepare for key Advancement events and establishes and manages the pathway for the cultivation of alumni leadership donors and acts as a liaison with the University’s Alumni Board’s executive leadership team.

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished professional with outstanding communication skills, have the ability to interact with a range of constituents, colleagues and personalities on topics that require combinations of: persuasion, cheerleading, persistence, passion and empathy. The AVPA will need to demonstrate strong project management and organization skills, the ability to multi-task, along with capacity to prioritize well, willingness to innovate, ability to solve problems creatively, and have a proven track record of collaborative leadership and evidence of success in building and managing teams. In addition, a sense of humor is important, along with strong database and computer skills. A bachelor’s degree is required. Preferred qualifications include a master’s degree and a minimum of 10 years' work experience in sales, marketing, public relations or a related field or a minimum of seven years of proven success accelerating growth in advancement, alumni engagement or annual fund development programs. For a full position description, click here.

Susquehanna University has retained Opus Partners (www.opuspartners.net) to support this recruitment. Kenna Boyd, Associate Partner, and Marisea Rivera, Senior Associate are leading the search. Inquiries, applications, and nominations should be sent to kenna.boyd@opuspartners.net. The search process will unfold with the greatest possible attention to candidate confidentiality.

As a living, learning and working community, Susquehanna University affirms its commitment to being an engaged, culturally inclusive campus. As we seek to embody the rich diversity of the human community, we commit ourselves to the full participation of persons who represent the breadth of human difference. The university encourages candidates from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Susquehanna University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.