Vice Chancellor of Advancement

The Vice Chancellor for Advancement serves as a dynamic, data-informed, results-oriented fundraising operations leader. This leader will be responsible for the success of Advancement strategy, operations, and the inspiration to unlock the full potential of a strong team of Advancement professionals. 

Reporting to the Chancellor and sitting on the Chancellor's executive leadership team, this position will take the lead role for the University as it plans for its 150th Anniversary in 2026. The University of Colorado Boulder is in the planning phase of a potential comprehensive campaign for the Boulder campus. This will be the first campus-level campaign in CU Boulder’s history, with the public launch anticipated in 2022, and the campaign concluding in 2027, coinciding with the campus’ sesquicentennial anniversary.

The University of Colorado Boulder is a research-intensive, global leader and the only institution in the Rocky Mountain region that is a member of the Association of American Universities. CU Boulder regularly ranks among the nation’s top 20 public universities in federally funded research expenditures and attracts significant philanthropic investments from individual, corporate, and philanthropic foundations in support of its research, teaching, scholarly, and creative works. The Boulder campus has nine schools and colleges offering over 150 academic programs and enrolling 35,000 degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. 

CU Boulder proudly claims more than 300,000 alumni living in all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 100 countries around the world. We shape tomorrow’s leaders by recognizing and engaging graduates who consistently demonstrate CU Boulder values and apply intellectual curiosity, rigor and collaboration to creatively address complex issues and opportunities. Leaders include three U.S. Supreme Court justices, five Nobel prize winners, five National Medal of Science winners, nine MacArthur ‘genius grant’ fellows, 18 CU Boulder affiliated astronauts, and 51 Fulbright fellows since 2006. Top Graduate Schools rankings from the U.S News and World Report 2020 include #2 for Atomic/Molecular/Optical Physics, #5 in Ceramics, #6 in Quantum Physics, #8 in Environmental Law, #9 in Geology, and #10 in Aerospace Engineering Sciences. We serve as a nexus for innovation by facilitating collaboration and the sharing of diverse perspectives among universities, industry, laboratories, and communities to elucidate and address complex issues and opportunities.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Lead. Innovate. Impact.

We shape tomorrow’s leaders by recognizing and engaging graduates who consistently demonstrate CU Boulder values and apply intellectual curiosity, rigor and collaboration to creatively address complex issues and opportunities.

We serve as a nexus for innovation by facilitating collaboration and the sharing of diverse perspectives among universities, industry, laboratories, and communities to elucidate and address complex issues and opportunities.

We broaden research, scholarship, and creative work, and articulate our positive impact on humanity. We collaborate to produce graduates who apply their CU Boulder experience to make meaningful contributions to society.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Provide forward-thinking leadership for the Advancement team.
• Foster operational excellence to engage the team and drive outstanding performance to achieve fundraising and engagement goals.
• Serve as a highly collaborative and strategic leader and chief fundraising officer to develop and successfully lead CU Boulder’s multi-year, multi-million-dollar capital campaign.
• Ensure all Advancement units and support functions are integrated and coordinated effectively in support of the university’s priorities and mission.
• Oversee the Alumni Association which is responsible for providing meaningful experiences and valuable resources to over 300,000 alumni.
• Continuously increase fundraising through progressive initiatives in principal gifts, major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, alumni and parent giving, and engagement experiences.
• Manage a team of approximately 170 advancement and alumni professionals with specific responsibilities.
• Develop and lead a multi-unit budget and effectively manage financial resources.
• Interact closely with the Chancellor, the Provost, Chief Operating Officer, deans, vice-chancellors, athletics director, and campus constituents as well as other leaders at the University of Colorado System and the University of Colorado Foundation.
• Represent the Chancellor and campus perspective at System-level meetings to ensure strategic alignment.
• Work closely with the Chancellor to align key donors’ philanthropic objectives with the university’s vision, strategies, and operational plans.
• Support the Chancellor’s development activities, leading engagement of prospects for major university priorities, providing research, and conferring on strategies.
• Maintain collaborative partnerships with academic affairs, enrollment management, athletics, research and innovation, student affairs, finance, and other campus units whose active participation and engagement are crucial to an effective development program.
• Collaborate with strategic relations and communications to employ communication and social media strategies to maintain a strong online and print presence to engage current and potential donors.
• Maintain a portfolio of principal gift prospects and key CU Boulder community members and leaders.
• Develop and execute strategies toward principal gift solicitations for prospects and donors, spearhead the direction, and bring to bear the maximum philanthropic potential of each prospect.
• Serve as an exemplary advocate for CU Boulder in building external relationships that closely link the community with the university.
• Demonstrate inspirational leadership, a strong commitment and experience, and a vision to advise and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion within Advancement as well as the university’s diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.

What We Can Offer

The hiring range for this position is $300,000.00-$395,000.00. 

Relocation is available per department guidelines.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment.

What We Require

• A graduate degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible job-related management experience with a consistent record of success in soliciting principal and major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Leadership experience in motivating and developing a team with emphasis on coaching and mentoring.

For first consideration, please apply by April 19, 2021. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. 

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.