# Vice President, Advancement

**Company**: Western Governors University (WGU)
**Experience**: executive
**Job type**: full-time
**Category**: Education
**Industry**: Education

**Apply**: https://wgu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Salt-Lake-City-UT/Vice-President--Advancement_JR-025939-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_2a87cb3d-7d8

## Description

WGU Advancement, the university's fundraising arm, is seeking a Vice President to design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy. The VP will lead and develop a high-performing fundraising team, oversee advancement services, and manage grants administration.

Responsibilities:

- Develop and execute a bold and ambitious Advancement strategy to support WGU's growth and sustainability

- Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse, high-performing Advancement team

- Provide visionary leadership across all fundraising domains, including major gifts, annual giving, and donor engagement

- Oversee the grants administration team and ensure a streamlined and efficient grant lifecycle

- Establish and maintain best practices in donor stewardship, recognition, and engagement

- Optimize the allocation of Advancement resources and ensure investments align proportionally with generated funds

- Manage the advancement services team to enhance donor management, gift processing, and fundraising analytics

- Champion the strategic use of technology, CRM systems, and data analytics to inform fundraising strategy and drive continuous improvement

- Collaborate closely with WGU leaders, Trustees, and faculty to foster a university-wide commitment to philanthropy and shared fundraising goals

- Cultivate relationships with high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and corporate partners to build a strong philanthropic pipeline

- Oversee the preparation and implementation of operating budgets to optimize resource allocation and impact

- Serve as a trusted advisor to the President and senior leadership, contributing to enterprise-level planning and championing Advancement's role in achieving institutional goals

Qualifications:

- Exceptional leadership and organizational acumen with a proven ability to lead high-performing teams

- Proven success in securing major and principal gifts (5-, 6-, and 7-figure)

- Deep understanding of best practices in higher education fundraising, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship

- Expertise in grant management, including full lifecycle development, reporting, and compliance

- Proficient in using advancement technology, CRM systems, and fundraising analytics

- Ability to foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization and engage stakeholders at all levels

- Inspirational, collaborative, and entrepreneurial leadership style

- Skilled relationship-builder with a strong network and ability to engage high-net-worth individuals, corporate partners, and philanthropic institutions

- Results-driven and analytical, with the ability to translate metrics into actionable fundraising strategies and performance improvements

- Strong financial acumen with experience overseeing multi-million dollar Advancement budgets

- Bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited institution

- 10+ years of progressive senior leadership experience, including leading teams of directors and multiple managers

Preferred Qualifications:

- Master's degree in a related field from an accredited institution

- Existing relationships with high-net-worth individuals capable of $100,000+ donations

Benefits:

- Medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare

- Health savings account and flexible spending account

- Basic and voluntary life insurance

- Disability coverage

- Accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages

- Legal and identity theft coverage

- Retirement savings plan

- Wellbeing program

- Discounted WGU tuition

- Flexible paid time off

- 11 paid holidays

- Up to 12 weeks of parental leave

## Skills

### Required
- fundraising
- grant management
- donor engagement
- advancement technology
- CRM systems
- data analytics
- leadership
- strategic planning

### Nice to have
- master's degree
- relationships with high-net-worth individuals

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Source: [Apply at wgu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com](https://wgu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Salt-Lake-City-UT/Vice-President--Advancement_JR-025939-1?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)