Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Empire State University Foundation at Empire State University SUNY
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
About the Job
Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Empire State University Foundation
THE OPPORTUNITY
Empire State University (SUNY Empire) seeks a collaborative, innovative, mission-driven and experienced leader to propel the institution's fundraising, development, alumni engagement, and community relations to a new level of institutional impact.
Overseeing a team of experienced advancement and alumni relations professionals, the next Vice President for Advancement (VPA) will align advancement efforts with the university's strategic priorities to elevate the institution-and its revenue diversification-over the coming decade.
Created as the innovative arm of the State University of New York, SUNY Empire has served students from diverse backgrounds since its founding in 1971. SUNY Empire has a proud history of meeting students where they are in their life journeys and helping them reach their educational goals. Student success is our North Star, and we are proud that prior learning recognition, mentoring, and high-quality online teaching and learning are among the hallmarks of the institution's distinctiveness. The institution is poised for dynamic growth and prominence, and we seek an exceptional advancement leader ready to leverage the university story for transformative fundraising and engagement.
The VPA will join the institution at an exciting time. Enrollments have grown 8% over two years and are slated to grow another 8% this year. As SUNY Empire implements its 2023-2028 strategic plan, Elevate '28, the institution is developing a focused, inclusive approach to the core work of growing enrollments, improving retention, hiring and retaining diverse faculty and staff, broadening alumni engagement, diversifying revenues, and creating responsive academic and student support programs. While other institutions enter the marketplace of adult learners and online learning, SUNY Empire is uniquely positioned to build on its longstanding strengths and expertise and emerge as a market leader.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to the president, the Vice President for Advancement is charged with supporting SUNY Empire's core educational mission and elevating the institution's profile by:
- Serving as the institution's chief fundraising officer and strategist through a data-informed approach to stewardship, fundraising, and development in alignment with national best practices
- Serving as the executive director of the Empire State University Foundation, including developing strong relations with current board members, recruiting new members, and strengthening opportunities for the board to play a meaningful and impactful role at the institution
- Providing meaningful leadership for the Alumni Federation Board of Governors and the alumni engagement team
- Recruiting, retaining, leading, and developing a diverse workforce of professional employees and staff actively engaged in fundraising, as well as community, corporate, foundation, and alumni relations
- Serving as a member of the university's executive leadership team and acting as a thought partner and advisor to the president and other cabinet members
- Developing and stewarding effective donor, community, and alumni relations
- Personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-level prospects, inspiring philanthropic support and ensuring the college's long-term philanthropic success
- Creating and operationalizing an intentional, contemporary, metrics-driven strategy for overall advancement, corporate and foundation relations, and alumni activities in alignment with SUNY Empire's core commitments to student success and to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Collaborating with faculty, staff, professional employees, and shared governance partners to advance the institution's mission and strategic priorities
- Stewarding the division's fiscal resources while aligning revenues with expenses across the division through data-informed decision-making
- Championing SUNY Empire through ongoing engagement with alumni, donors, and community leaders to continuously maximize the potential for revenue diversification
- Representing SUNY Empire with community and other partners in service to the institution's overall mission as a public institution of higher learning in New York
LOCATION
SUNY Empire proudly serves the entire state of New York. While faculty, staff, and professional employees work around the state, the administrative offices are in beautiful Saratoga Springs, New York. Picturesque tree-lined streets with rows of gracious old-style Victorian houses and restored spa areas reflect the city's colorful history. The town is highly walkable, offering access to restaurants, cafes, bookstores, and the nation's longest continuously running racecourse. The region boasts lakes and forests, and has an array of parks, festivals, historical sites, and museums. Albany, the state's capital, is a short drive down the Northway, and New York City, Boston, and Montreal are within a 3.5- hour drive.
Job Requirements:
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
The Vice President for Advancement shall:
- Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
- Have at least eight (8) years of progressive experience as an advancement, fundraising, or alumni leader, including budget oversight and management
- Demonstrate a record of personal fundraising success with major gifts
- Demonstrate a record of leading teams to set and achieve fundraising goals in alignment with institutional strategic priorities
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate also will have:
- A master's degree from an accredited institution
- A demonstrated record of working effectively in support of alumni, donor, and community relations
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Demonstrated success in higher education or in a sector with similarities to higher education in identifying and implementing innovative fundraising and engagement practices
- Proven proficiency in leveraging technology to drive successful fundraising and alumni engagement campaigns
Additional Information:
NOMINATIONS AND QUESTIONS
For a confidential discussion about the opportunity-or to make a nomination-please contact: Julieta Majak, Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, at Julie.Majak@sunyempire.edu.
SPECIAL INFORMATION
- This position is located in Saratoga Springs, NY.
- Travel is required.
- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. VISA sponsorship is not available for this position.
Salary range: $180,000 - $200,000 - commensurate with experience and qualifications.
SUNY Empire is an AA/EEO/ADA employer. The University actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the University. SUNY Empire is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the university community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.
Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide their current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov .
SUNY Empire provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, veterans, or wounded warriors where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (518) 587-2100 ext. 2240.
In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act, a copy of our crime statistics is available upon request by calling (518) 587-2100, ext. 2800. It can also be viewed online at our Safety and Security website: www.sunyempire.edu/safety-security/.
To apply, visit http://esc.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=181982
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