Associate VP of Capital Giving, Major Gifts & Gift Planning
University of Pennsylvania

Job Info

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University OverviewThe 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 TitleAssociate VP of Capital Giving, Major Gifts & Gift PlanningJob Profile TitleAssociate Vice President, Development, FundraisingJob Description SummaryThe Associate Vice President for Capital Giving, Major Gifts and Gift Planning, is a crucial leadership position, responsible for building a sustainable and growth-oriented pipeline for gifts in support of University-wide priorities. The AVP/CG 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 greatest priorities of the University. The AVP/CG will develop and set the direction for the team establishing a strong team culture of collaboration, collegiality, and a creative vision with a goal to increase the pipeline of donors and gifts to the University of Pennsylvania. The AVP/CG 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. The AVP/CG will also oversee the Gift Planning group and develop strategies to actively engage with the philanthropic engagement team as well as other members of the larger capital giving team to proactively develop a roadmap for actively engaging donors and trustees.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Development, Capital Giving, the AVP/CG must be a strategic and visionary leader, able to translate University needs into exciting giving opportunities. This individual must have the ability to authentically inspire and motivate a team, building enthusiasm and a sense of pride in the collective accomplishments of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR). They must have experience managing multiple major gift officers, be knowledgeable about gift planning, and understand the importance of data to inform fundraising decisions and program evolution. The AVP/CG must have the ability to 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
* Develop and implement strategic fundraising plans for the major gifts and gift planning programs to not only increase philanthropic revenue but also inspire and sustain donor engagement to broaden and diversify the donor base.
* In close collaboration with the SAVP for Capital Giving, create an aspirational vision for the Capital Giving program and devise a multi-year strategic plan to guide the major gifts and gift planning fundraising efforts.
* Develop and implement a strategic plan to strengthen prospect engagement to increase the pipeline of planned gift and major gift capable donors, with particular focus on traditionally under-engaged areas.
* Oversee all aspects of gift planning, including identifying and cultivating major donors, implementing strategies to increase planned giving contributions, and managing relationships with estate planners and financial advisors.
* Motivate, mentor, and manage a team of major gift officers and gift planning specialists. Provide guidance and support to maximize effectiveness of the team, including professional development opportunities.
* Realign and/or increase staffing (as necessary) to support the operations and maximize productivity.
* Develop and implement individual activity metrics and expectations to optimize team performance, holding staff accountable for outcomes through frequent coaching and evaluation.
* Establish key performance indicators and consistently utilize data to analyze individual and team performance.
* Institute and encourage data-driven decision making throughout the program, including evaluating program performance and developing forecast projections for growth.
* Develop staffing plans to achieve near and long terms goals and guide talent identification through professional development as well as recruitment in line with the University's diversity and inclusion
priorities.
* Build a culture of open communication among team members, engaging in team building efforts, and holding regular staff meetings that embrace and support the group's diversity.
* Manage a small but significant portfolio of prospects and cultivate those prospects to engage in meaningful philanthropy across all schools and centers at Penn.
* Establish oneself as a university leader in major gifts and be a reliable resource for fundraising colleagues across schools and centers.
* Conceptualize and convene periodic gatherings of major gift officers across campus to serve as forums for peer mentoring, discussion of relevant and timely topics, and share industry best practices.
* Demonstrate a clear understanding of the landscape as well as the historical and current trends that could impact gift planning and major gift fundraising and communicate these to colleagues across campus.
* Implement and support ongoing training of all gift planning and 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.
* Develop and implement comprehensive strategic plans to drive fundraising efforts across the University, with a focus on fostering a multi-ask culture (annual, major and, planned gifts).
* 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 health of the program.
* Create and bolster a plan for volunteer involvement at the major gifts level that will continue to best serve the needs of Penn and the donor.
* Cultivate strong relationships with all school and center directors of development, engaging in strategic dialogue around their individual priorities and developing a process for communicating and recording such information.
* Build a strong relationship with the annual and reunion giving teams and leverage their efforts to engage alumni at all levels and maximize major gift giving potential from these constituencies.

**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 a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible development and leadership experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Advanced degree preferred.
* Experience working effectively in a higher education or other complex institutional setting, developing and sustaining productive and effective relationshi ps with donors, faculty, colleagues, and senior leadership.
* Demonstrated significant level of comfort and effectiveness working with high-net-worth individuals, domestically and internationally, to successfully engage, cultivate, solicit and secure six- and seven-figure gift commitments.
* Proven experience as a manager and leader of fundraising teams with multiple levels of expertise.
* Ability to mentor others, including direct reports and those who are colleagues working collaboratively.
* Ability to set objectives and performance standards, provide constructive feedback, and achieve established program goals.
* Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written. Ability to translate complex information into clear, concise reporting materials with well thought out background, strategies, and message points to advance an agenda.
* Strong organizational skills and the ability to simultaneously manage multiple complex projects.

Demonstrated history of effective performance within demanding, deadline-driven environments.
* Ability to function independently yet participate in and contribute to a total team effort in a multifaceted and complex fundraising environment.
* Must be self-motivated with a strong work ethic and an unwavering commitment to excellence in work product and attention to detail.
* Ability to engage in high-level strategic discussions, use judgment in synthesizing complex information, and contribute meaningful analysis of situations and relationships.
* Ability to anticipate opportunities and challenges and be proactive in addressing concerns and advancing agen das.
* 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.
* Maintain confidentiality of all privileged information.
* Must be willing to travel and work evenings as needed; valid driver's license required.

Job Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.

Lindauer is assisting in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made.

Application materials should be submitted using:

University of Pennsylvania seeks Associate Vice President for Capital Giving, Major Gifts and Gift Planning | Lindauer (lindauerglobal.com)

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

Lindauer

https://www.lindauerglobal.com/about/our-team/?member=andrew-machado

Department / SchoolDevelopment and Alumni RelationsPay Range$50,000.00 - $315,000.00 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, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

Affirmative Action Statement
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements
Background check 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

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