University Overview
The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.
Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.
The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Associate Vice President for Major Gifts
Job Profile Title
Associate Vice President, Development, Fundraising
Job Description Summary
The Associate Vice President for Major Gifts (AVP) is a senior leadership position within University Strategic Philanthropy & Partnerships (USPP), responsible for building a sustainable and growth-oriented pipeline of major gifts in support of University priorities. The AVP oversees the Office of Major Gifts, including its on-campus team and regional office in New York City, and provides leadership, mentorship, and strategic direction to the team. The AVP will strategically and opportunistically guide and expand a team responsible for cultivating donors and soliciting gifts in support of priorities at all schools, centers, and units across the University, employing a donor-centric approach and proactively fundraising for the University's greatest priorities.
The AVP will develop and set the direction for the team, establishing a strong culture of collaboration, collegiality, and creative vision, with a goal of increasing the pipeline of major-gift donors and gifts to the University. The AVP will mobilize the team, direct strategic data analysis of the program, and position the office for increased and diverse prospect engagement and substantial fundraising growth well into the future, in close alignment with Penn's broader philanthropic priorities and campaign planning.
Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, overseeing University Strategic Philanthropy & Partnerships (USPP), the AVP must be a strategic and visionary leader, able to translate University needs into exciting giving opportunities and to build lasting partnerships across DAR and with school and center leadership.
This individual must have the ability to authentically inspire and motivate a multi-tiered team, building enthusiasm and a sense of pride in the collective accomplishments of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR). The AVP must have substantial experience managing multiple major gift officers and senior fundraising leaders and understand the importance of data to inform fundraising decisions and program evolution. The AVP must communicate exceptionally well, cultivating relationships and trusted partnerships with colleagues across Penn, from fellow DAR colleagues to the most senior University leaders.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
- Lead and direct a high-functioning major gifts team to achieve optimum results by:
- Communicating financial and key performance indicators and results to staff members
- Establishing priorities and goals for all staff
- Managing staffing needs and identifying areas for organizational development, updates, or changes
- Guiding the talent identification and professional development needs, processes, and outcomes within the entire unit, in line with the University's diversity and inclusion priorities
- Setting clear performance expectations and holding staff accountable for outcomes through frequent feedback and coaching
- Ensuring open communication among team members, engaging in team-building efforts, and holding regular staff meetings that embrace and support the group's diversity
- Inspiring and motivating staff to achieve optimum results
- Develop and implement a strategic plan to strengthen engagement of major-gift-capable prospects across the country, with particular focus on traditionally under-engaged areas, with a goal of increasing the pipeline of major-gift-capable donors; realign and/or increase staffing of the team to maximize productivity.
- Manage a portfolio of 20-30 prospects with the ability to make high seven-figure gifts to Penn. Personally identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a select portfolio of prospects, engaging them across all schools and centers at Penn.
- Establish oneself as a university leader in major gifts, developing a cohort of major gift officers who can learn from one another, engage and support each other, and serve as a resource for fundraising colleagues across schools and centers.
- Conceptualize and host periodic gatherings of the group, as well as colleagues across campus, to share best practices and discuss relevant and timely topics, encouraging active participation. Maintain a clear understanding of the landscape and both historical and current trends that could impact major gift fundraising and communicate these to all major gift colleagues and teams across campus.
- Implement and support ongoing training of all major gifts staff to ensure they are always knowledgeable about the University and have the language they need to enthusiastically engage prospects and convert them to donors.
- In collaboration with the team, devise a multi-year strategic plan to guide the team's efforts. Be aspirational in creating vision and goals and thoughtfully guide the team through implementation.
- Develop key performance indicators and consistently utilize data to analyze team performance and program growth, employing forecasting to anticipate how the program will continue to grow. Make and encourage data-driven decision-making across the team.
- Work closely with the Office of Advancement Prospect Analytics (APA) to create reporting that will track progress to goal, performance metrics, growth trajectory, and other metrics needed to assess the health of the program.
- Create a plan for volunteer involvement at the major gifts level. Understand what peer institutions are doing and bolster a volunteer plan that will continue to best serve the needs of Penn and the donor.
- Oversee a dual-ask approach for major gifts to Penn, with a focus on soliciting prospects for The Penn Fund and incorporating this ask into gift agreements, driving growth of both scholarship and unrestricted, current-use dollars for The Penn Fund.
- Cultivate strong relationships with all school and center directors of development, engaging in strategic dialogue around their priorities and communicating such information back to the team.
- Build a strong relationship with the Reunion Giving team to leverage as an opportunity to engage less-engaged alumni, as well as to maximize major gift giving from these constituencies.
- Serve as a core member of USPP's senior leadership team, representing the major gifts program in broader DAR strategic planning, budgeting, and cross-divisional initiatives.
**Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.**
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree and over 10 years of years of progressively responsible development and leadership experience, including successful engagement and gift closure with major gift donors, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Advanced degree preferred.
- Experience working in a higher education setting with a high level of comfort and effectiveness working with high-net-worth individuals, domestically and internationally.
- Proven experience as a manager and leader of fundraising teams with multiple levels of expertise.
- Ability to set objectives and performance standards, provide constructive feedback, and achieve established program goals.
- Experience working effectively in a complex institutional setting, developing and sustaining productive and effective relationships with donors, faculty, colleagues, and senior leadership.
- Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written.
- Ability to function independently yet relate comfortably in a multifaceted and complex fundraising environment, participating in and contributing to a total team effort.
- Must be willing to travel and work evenings as needed; valid driver's license required.
- Demonstrated history of effective performance within demanding, deadline-driven environments. Must be self-motivated with a strong work ethic and sense of urgency.
- Ability to engage in high-level strategic discussions, use judgment in synthesizing complex information, and contribute meaningful analysis of situations and relationships.
- Ability to articulate in both spoken and written word at a very high level, including strong writing and editing skills. Ability to translate complex information into clear, concise reporting materials with well-thought-out background, strategies, and message points to advance an agenda.
- Ability to anticipate opportunities and challenges and be proactive in addressing concerns and advancing agendas.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to function with diplomacy, lead with confidence, and provide strategic vision to advance the goals of DAR and the University. Ability to mentor others, both direct reports and colleagues working collaboratively.
- Unwavering commitment to excellence in work product and attention to detail.
- Demonstrated experience working with senior-level officers and ability to interact comfortably with colleagues, faculty, administrators, executives, and other staff.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of all privileged information.
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Development and Alumni Relations
Pay Range
$220,000.00 - $325,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
University Benefits
Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.
To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay