Vice President of Institutional Advancement

D’Youville College seeks a Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DYouvilleCollege_VPIA_Profile.pdf
Location: Buffalo, New York 

The Position:
D'Youville is immersed in ambitious and exciting change initiatives to reframe traditional higher education practices and organizational structures to further grow enrollment, improve the health of the community, and profoundly impact student success. The college seeks a dedicated and dynamic vice president and collaborative team member who will participate in strategic visioning, lead a university-wide institutional advancement program designed to build and strengthen relationships with a broad range of constituencies, advocate for and encourage investment in support of the university’s initiatives, programs, and students, and execute a successful fundraising program for the university. The vice president will be responsible for performing at a high level in a fast-paced environment with both early and long-term success anticipated. 

The VPIA is a member of the President’s Council and works closely with the president and vice presidents to provide support for innovation and creativity leading to a successful philanthropic program. The vice president will collaborate with other staff and faculty members to assess fundraising needs and options, as well as alumni, community citizens, trustees, and other donors in the raising of funds for the university. 

Reporting directly to the President, the incumbent is responsible for the strategic direction and implementation of all institutional fundraising programs, including major gifts, planned gifts, corporate/foundation support, annual giving, alumni engagement, grants development, alumni and donor relations, and donor records; and serves as a member of the President’s Council. 

The VPIA will energize work to complete funding for the Health Professions Hub and will use the success of that fundraising effort to position the university for a follow-on comprehensive capital campaign. 

The vice president is targeted to start summer/fall 2021. 

Responsibilities:

• Working closely with the President to advance the mission of the college through fundraising, communication, and alumni outreach.
• Developing, articulating, and implementing a comprehensive strategic plan for all fundraising activities including the annual campaign.
• Serving as a member on the President’s Council.
• Directing/supervising the activities of the institutional advancement staff to execute a dynamic and multi-platform fundraising plan, including major gifts, corporate and foundation support, capital campaign, and planned giving components.
• Cultivating and soliciting select major gift prospects for fundraising purposes.
• Preparing and administering an annual budget.
• Reconciling monthly revenue with the university’s business office.
• Preparing regular reports for the President on department activities and revenue. 

Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university, an advanced degree is preferred.
• 7-10 years business experience including fundraising, alumni engagement, corporate giving and/or estate planning, public relations, marketing, and administration.
• Major gift solicitation experience and/or significant fundraising experience.
• Evident commitment to ongoing professional development in the advancement field.
• Possess courtesy, tact, sound professional judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• An entrepreneurial leader and team builder.
• Possess strong strategic planning skills, be an effective manager and a proven advancement professional. 

About Institutional Advancement:
The advancement staff is responsible for establishing and maintaining positive relationships between the university and its alumni, friends, community, and donors. Through personal engagement and regular communication, the advancement team encourages financial support of the institution and fosters lasting connections to D’Youville. The department currently includes staff members with responsibilities for annual, major, and planned giving, alumni engagement and communications, and donor relations. The team works in close relationship with colleagues in Marketing and Communications, Financial Aid, and Grants and Foundation Relations staff to address the university’s priorities. 

D’Youville currently has more than 21,000 living alumni and several hundred non-alumni donors who are encouraged to support the mission and vision of the university. Advancement staff members work to cultivate connections between these constituencies and D’Youville through regular email, social media, and print communication, hosting online and in-person events, honoring alumni and donors for accomplishments, and promoting the latest initiatives on campus. The team is the primary conduit for securing unrestricted annual gifts to the Fund for D’Youville (which currently receives between $500,000 and $600,000 each year), scholarship donations, and restricted major gifts for projects such as the Health Professions Hub and Athletic Hall of Fame. Four staff members carry donor portfolios and actively cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts supporting various restricted and capital funds and endowed scholarships. Supporting the team’s fundraising efforts are a variety of alumni engagement initiatives including an annual Reunion Weekend, regional alumni events, a monthly e-newsletters, and D’Mensions magazine, published twice each year. The D’Youville Alumni Association is led by a 25-member Board of Directors whose mission is to promote loyalty and support among D’Youville alumni, as well as recognize and honor alumni successes and foster alumni and student interaction. 

An Advancement Success Story: The Health Professions Hub
Opening in spring 2021, the Health Professions Hub is a 57,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility that will transform the future of healthcare education and innovation while serving residents of Buffalo’s West Side around key health outcomes and workforce development opportunities. A cutting-edge, full-service simulation center on the second floor and the Center for Health, Equity, and Innovation on the third floor will skyrocket both health professions education and new innovations in healthcare throughout Western New York, the state, and the world. Embedded in the operations, the Pathways Program funded by the Cabrini Foundation, is up and running, building out trainings, certificate and degree programs for social mobility of the local population. 

Dreamed of and built in under three years, the Hub is an advancement success story, attracting support from alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, and the State of New York. When completed, the Hub’s total cost will be $28 million. To date, $25 million in funding for the project has been committed. The Vice President of Institutional Advancement will lead efforts to complete funding for the project and will direct the all-important process of recognizing and thanking donors who have made significant commitments for the project’s success. 

To learn more about the HUB see http://healthprofessionshub.org/ 

About the Institution:
D’Youville is a highly regarded private college and research institution with a rich history located on the vibrant West Side of Buffalo adjacent to a growing downtown with year-round cultural events and outdoor recreation. While preparing students for the 21st-century, D’Youville excels at helping students reach their career goals as change agents, doing well for themselves and their communities by doing good. Under the leadership of President Lorrie Clemo, the university is moving boldly forward through a dynamic and integrated planning process to strengthen the institution and positively impact the student experience and surrounding community. 

Founded in 1908, the Grey Nuns named the college after the Patron Saint Marguerite d’Youville and committed to making it a compassionate place of learning for those from underrepresented populations. That commitment and tradition continue today. D’Youville was the first college in Western New York to offer baccalaureate degree programs for women. With a long Catholic history, D’Youville welcomes students of every culture, background, and faith and is a place where different faith traditions can be openly shared and respected. Coeducational since 1971, D’Youville strives to expand opportunities for diverse learners, including adults, first-generation, low-income, and other students historically underrepresented in higher education. 

Today, D’Youville features an urban, growing campus community of 3,000 students and offers more than 50 majors in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral studies including advanced certificates and accelerated learning programs. Featuring degrees in healthcare, business, and the liberal arts, D’Youville encourages students to balance their learning with activities that integrate community service with coursework. D’Youville’s proud graduates have the academic strengths necessary for careers that make a difference and the skills to be leaders for the world. To learn more about D’Youville, please visit http://www.dyc.edu/. 

Leadership
D’Youville is led by the President’s Council, which consists of the president and senior administrators, and governed by a 25-member Board of Trustees which sets policy and charts the strategic direction of D'Youville. The new Vice President of Institutional Advancement will join the President’s Council, which also includes the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Operations, and the Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, as well as the Chief Financial Officer, the Director of Athletics, the Chief Student Affairs Officer, and the Dean of Online Learning. Collectively and individually, members of the President’s Council embrace innovation for the institution to thrive. 

Student Life
D’Youville students are approximately 53% undergraduate and 47% graduate students. The 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio encourages close mentoring relationships between faculty and students. D’Youville students hail from 35 states and 44 countries, which promotes the richness of a diverse population. Thirty-four percent of students are Pell Grant recipients. D’Youville is recognized as a top military-friendly school because of the special attention and benefits offered to veterans and their families. 

The D’Youville Saints proudly compete in 15 NCAA Division II athletic teams in the East Coast Conference. D’Youville is home to more than 35 campus clubs and organizations which sponsor events, activities, community service, and more. Campus housing is available for both undergraduate and graduate students along with a separate guest residence for visiting faculty or guest lecturers. Starting in fall 2021, all first-year students will be required to live on campus. 

Students have access to many campus resources to help them be successful. The Student Success Center houses the offices of Academic Advising and Planning, Transfer Services, and Career and Professional Engagement. The Tech Lounge is staffed with trained professionals to provide support for a variety of IT issues. The Student Solutions Center houses Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and the Office of the Registrar. 

The division of student affairs has created a quadrant of support for students that includes social experiences, development, advocacy, and wellness. D’Youville has re-imagined what student resources look like and, in an attempt to decrease stigmas associated with need, offers students support services inside of resort settings. Students with clothing insecurity are connected with fashion designers in LA, students with food insecurities have access to food co-ops, and students seeking mental health seek out the lodge where they have access to mental health counselors as well as free massages and facials. 

In addition to on-campus supports, all students have access to SaintsCare which offers unlimited 24/7 mental health support. 

The D’Youville campus offers lounges, cafes, study spaces, and plenty of outdoor green space to read and relax. The College Center provides a gymnasium, fitness center, dance studio, game area, dining rooms, study areas, and meeting rooms for community activities. Each year, students, faculty, and staff provide over 6,000 hours of community service to a diverse range of organizations that are helping to make the world a better place.

More than 90% of students participate in career-related internships before graduation. D’Youville alumni are among the highest-earning graduates in Western New York within the first five years of their career (Payscale. com, 2017-18). 

Academics
D’Youville offers students a climate that provides academic, social, spiritual, and professional development with the ultimate goal of fostering leadership and service. Through their face-to-face and online coursework, co-curricular activities, internships, service and study-abroad experiences, students are nurtured to become caring citizens. Civic engagement, global awareness, and a commitment to academic excellence are hallmarks of this institution. 

The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Several programs within the university have earned accreditation from their disciplinary or professional associations. 

The academic program at D’Youville is delivered through four distinct, but highly integrated, and collaborative schools, each led by a Dean who reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and sits on the Dean’s Council. The four Schools include the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education; School of Health Professions; Patricia H. Garman School of Nursing; and School of Pharmacy.

To Apply:
Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled; parties who apply by June 1, 2021 will be given first consideration. Please submit a PDF version of your resume and a letter of interest explaining your suitability for this position. To apply online, go to https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su244 

For more information or to offer recommendations:
Stephanie Fowler
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
Direct: 530-677-9945
sfowler@summitsearchsolutions.com 

EEO Statement
D’Youville is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.