Position Summary:
Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President’s leadership team, the Vice President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA) is a full-time, exempt position with broad strategic and management responsibility for developing and implementing immediate and longer term institutional advancement. This position serves as the College's chief advancement officer and provides strategic leadership for all fundraising, alumni and constituent engagement, donor relations, advancement operations, and campaign initiatives while fostering an institution-wide culture of philanthropy that advances the William Jewell College mission and vision.

Along with the President, the VPIA is responsible for personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding the institution's highest-capacity principal and major gift prospects. Working in close partnership with the President, Board of Trustees, and College leadership, the VPIA develops and executes comprehensive fundraising strategies that secure transformational philanthropic investments and position the College for long-term financial strength. The VPIA leads a team of advancement professionals while building the organizational capacity, systems, talent, and accountability necessary to support sustained growth.

Strategic Direction and Planning

As a member of the President’s cabinet/leadership team and a liaison to the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees, the VPIA will develop and execute the College's comprehensive advancement strategy in alignment with institutional vision and long-term institutional priorities. This includes creating annual and multi-year fundraising goals, campaign strategies, financial projections, and measurable performance metrics that support sustainable philanthropic growth.

Executive Fundraiser

Serves as the College's chief fundraising strategist and executive fundraiser by developing and executing comprehensive fundraising plans that achieve annual and long-term philanthropic goals. Personally manage a portfolio of the College's highest-capacity principal and major gift prospects. Partner closely with the President in developing and executing strategies to secure transformational gifts.

Advancement Program Leadership
Hire, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing advancement team committed to excellence, innovation, accountability, and collaboration. Foster a sustainable culture of philanthropy and fundraising excellence by developing advancement staff and engaging campus partners as active participants in advancing the College's mission and philanthropic priorities. Promote a culture of continuous improvement by implementing best practices, enhancing operational effectiveness, and building the organizational capacity necessary to support long-term fundraising success

Ensure strategic leadership for the following advancement programs:

• Advancement Services

• Annual Giving / The Jewell Fund

• Leadership and Major Gifts

• Principal Gifts

• Planned Giving

• Corporate and Foundation Relations

• Government Grants

• Donor Stewardship

• Campaign Giving

• Special Events
  
  

Lead the continued evolution of the College's advancement enterprise by strengthening fundraising infrastructure, expanding philanthropic capacity, improving donor engagement, and implementing best practices across all advancement functions. Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and measurable results that positions the College for sustained fundraising success and long-term campaign readiness.

Campaign Leadership

Lead the College through campaign planning, execution, and ongoing management. Develop campaign strategies, fundraising priorities, volunteer leadership structures, campaign communications, prospect strategies, and performance benchmarks necessary to achieve campaign success. Ensure the College develops the organizational capacity, donor pipeline, volunteer engagement, and fundraising systems necessary to support both current and future campaign success.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree and Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) preferred.

• Minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in institutional advancement, philanthropy, or nonprofit fundraising, including management of professional advancement staff.

• Demonstrated record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major and principal gifts, including seven-figure or transformational philanthropic investments.

• Successful experience developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies that achieve ambitious philanthropic goals.

• Demonstrated leadership in planning, launching, and executing comprehensive or capital campaigns.

• Experience partnering effectively with presidents, governing boards, campaign volunteers, and senior institutional leaders.

• Demonstrated success building high-performing advancement organizations through talent development, fundraising accountability, prospect management, stewardship, and operational excellence.

• Experience with advancement technology, donor databases, fundraising analytics, and constituent relationship management systems.

• Ability to demonstrate creativity, strategic thinking, innovation, and collaborative leadership.

• Ability and willingness to travel frequently and work evenings and weekends, as necessary.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to persuasively articulate the mission, vision, and values of William Jewell College.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt (salary) staff position. The starting wage is dependent upon individual qualifications and experience. William Jewell College benefit options include, but are not limited to the following:

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance (HSA/FSA available)

• Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life, and other Supplemental Insurances

• Retirement 403(b) Savings Plan

• Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off

• Tuition Waiver Benefits for qualified dependents/employees

Nominations and Applications:

Nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to Gonser Gerber Search at search@gonsergerber.com. To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and three (3) professional references to search@gonsergerber.com. References will not be contacted until later in the search process.

Equal Opportunity Employer

William Jewell College provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.