Brandeis University. Institutional Advancement Division. Vice President for Advancement Services

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1 Brandeis University Institutional Advancement Division Vice President for Advancement Services Brandeis University seeks candidates for the new position of Vice President for Advancement Services (VPAS) to support the University s investment in aligning advancement with its new strategic plan. Working closely with the Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement, the VPAS will design and implement strategies, develop campaign plans and budgets and oversee prospect management. The VPAS will lead a staff of 25 with 5 direct reports across multiple functions including finance, research, data services, department planning, human resources and communications. Successful candidates should demonstrate evidence of exceptional analytic abilities, leadership vision and be able to collaborate effectively in an entrepreneurial environment. Context Founded in 1948, Brandeis University is a private, nonsectarian research university grounded in a strong commitment to social justice informed by its Jewish roots. The school has been ranked among the top 35 national universities by U.S. News & World Report every year since its inception. (The combined undergrad and grad student base is 5,600 with a current global alumni base of 40,000; the current student population reflects 117 countries.) The faculty also includes several Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as recipients of the McArthur Genius Grant. Brandeis has recently completed a $945M campaign and is currently in a new pre-campaign phase with 79 FTE in the department, which raised $60m in FY Approaching its 65 th anniversary, Brandeis has entered a new era under the leadership of President Frederick M. Lawrence, who took office in The University adopted their new strategic plan, Fulfilling the Promise, in May

2 In this context, the position of Vice President for Advancement Services (VPAS) was created to invest in the department and ensure its alignment with the strategic plan. (For more information about the strategic plan see for more information about Brandeis University see Overview Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Nancy Winship, the VPAS is a leadership role of strategic importance. The position s primary purpose is to achieve greater organizational competency, capacity and accountability and provide support to the SVP in dealing with day-to-day department management issues. The VPAS will achieve this through: Consolidation of management and operational units under a single management structure to identify and achieve efficiencies and improved integration and coordination across all Development units. The VPAS will also be responsible for deepening the integration of the Division with University-wide planning and administration; Serving as a senior manager within Development who can perform on behalf of the SVP within the Development department, and serve on University committees as appointed by the SVP. The VPAS will also join the SVP in highlevel University strategic planning meetings; Work with all Development units and senior staff to define and implement a set of performance measures that accurately capture, describe, and communicate the nature and effectiveness of the work of Development and Alumni Relations operations; Alongside the Associate Vice President of Campaign, lead and oversee the development, implementation and management of campaign structures and processes, including recruitment and management of volunteers; The new VPAS will conduct a comprehensive and systematic program level assessment of the department's structure, operational personnel and budget and provide recommendations to the SVP and University President within 3 months after beginning the position. In addition, the new hire will meet quarterly with the University President Fred Lawrence and SVP to review and update their plans. The VPAS will work closely with the President and Trustees on a continuous, and as needed basis. 2

3 Functions The Vice President of Advancement Services materially affects the creation and execution of Brandeis advancement strategy and has unambiguous responsibility and accountability for operational and organizational effectiveness. The VPAS brings an overarching commitment to thorough and timely planning, execution based on industry best practices, and measurement and evaluation. Strategy and leadership Serve on senior advancement team Develop annual and long-range budget and personnel plans to support the advancement goals (fundraising and alumni relations) of the University Work collaboratively with the Vice President of Development to oversee the design and implementation of a state of the art prospect management system that is informed by research and leads to prospect assessment, assignment and management that is based on commonly accepted practices within the broader field of advancement. (The implemented system should be robust enough to serve before during and after the anticipated campaign) Conduct ongoing assessment and planning to ensure that departmental technical capacity is both state of the art and suitable to the needs of the department, including technology and personnel Working closely with the Special Assistant to the President for Development and Senior Vice President to create and direct policies and procedures for all interaction between the Office of the President and the Advancement Division Management Develop and be responsible for a 1 year and 3 year advancement services plan including the budget process and campaign planning (including goals, budgets, calendar and roles) Supervise the operations of the Research, Advancement Services, Communications, Budget/HR, campaign, Brandeis House (NYC), and Analysis groups Implement consistent, goal based performance management expectations and assessment systems throughout Development and Alumni Relations, for program and personnel Oversee the creation of a comprehensive staff development plan covering orientation, training, mentoring, career development and recruitment 3

4 Oversee the preparation and monitoring of the annual budget process consistent with University practices and expectations Partner with the SVP to ensure coverage of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations during her absence Analytics Create information gather and reporting systems to adequately support the analytical needs of all the units within Development and those of Development leadership and University administration, to make well-informed, evidence based decision-making and goal setting Oversee the creation and implementation of an appropriate and clear set of dashboards serving the needs of staff, senior development managers, University administration and Trustees Ensure the provision of quality prospect research and background information to support the work of fundraising Further promote an evidence based culture through systems, training and performance incentives Campaign Working with the SVP and Vice President of Development, serve as the primary liaison with Campaign Counsel Oversee the refinement and implementation of a campaign plan and structure Work closely with Campaign volunteer leadership to ensure that they have the necessary resources, information and material to perform their volunteer roles Working with the Associate Vice President of Financial Analysis, oversee the identification of gift opportunities to ensure alignment with University-wide strategic objectives enumerated in the strategic plan Develop campaign budget and staffing plans consistent with identified goals and objectives Qualifications Preferred candidate will have a minimum of 10+ years of higher education experience with at least 5 years in advancement (exceptional candidates with other complex nonprofit and/or corporate transferable experience may be considered) 4

5 Demonstrated Ability to develop and implement strategies and plans/budgets in a complex, fast changing environment Collaboration with the highest level of senior administration, advancement staff and volunteers Creation and utilization of creative and clearly articulated metric-based analytical solutions Increasing responsibilities from recent employer(s) Management and supervision of staff Inspiration and motivation of staff Communicate effectively both personally and in writing Preferred candidates will have relevant experience in some if not all of the following areas: Finance and budgeting Gift processing and data based management Human resources/personnel Prospect research Campaign planning /management Information technology Change management Strategic planning Important Intangibles: Analytic skills Creativity coupled with attention to detail Flexibility Generosity of spirit Commitment to long-term growth at the University Resourcefulness and a can do attitude Superior work ethic 5

6 Valued but not required: Knowledge of Millennium Front line fundraising experience Demonstrated experience in developing prospect and/or sales assignment and management systems in a variety of environments Please note that the compensation level for this position is consistent with Brandeis peer national research universities. Benefits are competitive and complex. Relocation packages will be tailored to the specific needs of finalists. To Apply To apply, send resume and cover letter in confidence to William Weber Ed.D., President, Development Guild/DDI at Brandeis@developmentguild.com Closing Statement Brandeis University is committed to a policy and practice that prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotion, and other terms of employment for all applicants, faculty and staff members. Equal employment opportunities are available regardless of an individual s race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or any other category protected by law. 6