Description

SUMMARY

The Vice President, Advancement & Alumni Engagement at South Texas College of Law Houston is responsible for designing and implementing comprehensive institutional advancement programs and recruiting and developing talented team members focused toward the ultimate goal of significantly increasing constituent engagement and fundraising outcomes. The advancement function includes responsibility for annual fund, corporate and foundation relations, major gifts, gift planning, endowment, capital campaigns, alumni and other constituent relations efforts, stewardship, and advancement services. This position must ensure effective and successful capital campaigns.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Work closely with the President and Dean in all phases of advancement and campaign leadership activities.  
• Advance the mission, vision, and short- and long-term goals of the law school in concert with the President and Dean and senior administrative colleagues. Serve as a member of the law school leadership team. 
• Create and execute fundraising plans for annual, major, and planned gift programs to meet fundraising goals.
• Lead, in consultation with the law school’s leadership, the planning, execution, and successful completion of capital campaigns (including the law school’s current, ongoing campaigns).
• Maintain, with the advancement team, a dynamic portfolio of high net worth individuals and secure major, principal, and planned gifts.
• Provide strategic leadership for alumni engagement that strengthens lifelong relationships, volunteerism, mentorship, advocacy, and philanthropic participation.
• Engage law school administration, the board of directors, faculty, staff, students, and—especially—alumni and alumni society leadership to enhance the overall culture of philanthropy with all constituents.  Provide leadership to constituent relations programs in the areas of alumni relations, parent relations, and other key constituent relations. Increase the law school’s donor base while strengthening relationships with current donors.
• Ensure advancement programs reflect current best practices and emerging trends in higher education fundraising, alumni relations, constituent engagement, and philanthropy.
• Participate in strategic planning and implementation to strengthen the law school’s community engagement and financial resources. 
• Ensure dynamic processes in all phases of donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Identify funding prospects and develop fundraising strategies that include goal setting, performance metrics, and evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the philanthropy program.
• Hire, train, inspire, and lead direct reports and the entire advancement team to meet or exceed all individual and department goals.
• Develop and manage annual plans and budgets for all aspects of the Advancement and Alumni Engagement department. Work closely with the Finance department to develop annual budgets related to Private Gifts and Scholarships.
• Work closely with Marketing and Communications to devise and implement effective internal and external messaging and methods of philanthropic communication.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting and data analysis using Raiser's Edge, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Oversee prospect research and portfolio management processes, ensuring the strategic and effective identification, assignment, stewardship, and movement of prospects through the donor pipeline. Evaluate and recommend improvements in data collection, new giving platforms, and payment methods.
• All other duties as assigned by the President and Dean.
• Comply with all aspects of the law school’s Customer Service Standards.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President oversees the entire Advancement and Alumni Engagement Department, with six direct reports.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must be able to document a record of leadership and accomplishment in philanthropy with a proven record of accomplishment in fundraising, especially with capital campaign planning and execution, and in securing major and principal gifts. Strong organizational, project management, and leadership capabilities are required. Exemplary interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to engage sophisticated donors and volunteers.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

A minimum of ten years of experience as a senior level advancement professional with responsibility for major gifts is highly preferred, with a demonstrated record of success 

(i) soliciting and closing major (7-figure) gifts;

(ii) soliciting and managing complex, multi-year, and endowed gifts; and 

(iii) in management of a capital campaign.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished philanthropy leader with a clear record of success in fundraising, advancement team management or leadership, and deep professional knowledge of best practices. 

The ideal candidate will bring exceptional relationship management skills and experience working with high-net-worth individuals. The ability to work effectively with many diverse constituencies in higher education, and especially with successful leaders such as sit on our board of directors or alumni board, should be evident. Other important characteristics include a strong work ethic, competitive nature, personal integrity, emotional intelligence, a sense of humor, excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and planning skills. 

Evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth is also required. Bachelor’s degree is required and master’s degree or post-graduate professional degree is preferred.  

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define routine problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions and/or deal with a variety of variables in situations, especially when department head may be out of office or unavailable. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. 

CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES

N/A

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand and walk. Occasional light to moderate lifting from floor level, at waist, and above shoulders required. Infrequent bending and stooping necessary. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision in order to accurately input data and proofread; distance vision in order to recognize and assist visitors to the department.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Fast paced, multi-tasking, non-smoking work environment. Must be able to work the general business schedule of the law school (9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) with flexibility for extended hours as needed. Occasional evenings and weekends as necessary. Some travel is required.