Executive Director of Advancement

About the role

Reporting directly to the President of Concord University, the Executive Director of Advancement provides strategic leadership for the University’s Advancement efforts, strengthening philanthropic support, developing relationships with alumni, donors, corporations, foundations, and community partners, and advancing institutional priorities. The Executive Director works closely with the President, senior leadership, the Concord University Foundation Board, Advancement staff, faculty, alumni, donors, and other stakeholders to develop and execute comprehensive fundraising and engagement strategies. The position translates institutional priorities into fundraising opportunities and builds a culture of philanthropy that supports Concord’s mission, students, programs, and long-term sustainability. The Executive Director personally identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards major donors and prospects while providing leadership for the broader Advancement program, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, athletic fundraising, corporate and foundation relations, alumni engagement, events, and Advancement communications. The position provides leadership for the Advancement team, strengthens Advancement operations and processes, and ensures resources are aligned with institutional priorities. The position requires a high level of visibility within the University and surrounding communities, as well as frequent travel and evening and weekend participation in donor, alumni, University, and community events.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership for the Advancement Office, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, athletic fundraising, corporate and foundation relations, alumni engagement, and Advancement communications.
• Works with the President and senior leadership to establish Advancement priorities and measurable fundraising and engagement goals.
• Keeps the President informed of significant Advancement opportunities, challenges, progress, and donor activity.
• Develops and manages Advancement budgets and ensures resources are aligned with institutional priorities.
• Evaluates and strengthens Advancement operations, systems, staffing, and processes.
• Participates in University strategic planning and other institutional initiatives as assigned.
• Serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet and participates in senior-level University decision-making.
• Leads, supervises, coaches, and develops Advancement staff to achieve established goals.
• Establishes clear expectations, performance measures, and accountability for Advancement team members.
• Fosters a collaborative, professional, and donor-focused culture within the Advancement Office.
• Promotes collaboration between Advancement and other University departments and constituencies.
• Serves as a primary liaison to the Concord University Foundation Board and works closely with Foundation leadership to support fundraising and advancement priorities.
• Keeps Foundation leadership informed of key challenges, opportunities, successes, fundraising strategies, and institutional priorities.
• Works collaboratively with Foundation leadership regarding endowment growth, donor stewardship, gift opportunities, and fundraising initiatives.
• Develops an understanding of Foundation investment strategies and their impact on endowment growth and the University’s long-term fundraising objectives.
• Supports sound governance, stewardship, and responsible management practices within the University’s Advancement and Foundation functions.
• Serves as a primary University contact for the Board of Governors on matters related to Advancement, fundraising, alumni engagement, and external relations.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with University leadership, Foundation Board members, Board of Governors members, alumni, donors, community leaders, corporations, foundations, and other stakeholders.
• Maintains a high level of visibility representing Concord University at donor, alumni, civic, community, corporate, and University events.
• Identifies opportunities to expand the University’s presence and relationships within the local, regional, and broader community.
• Develops and executes comprehensive fundraising strategies aligned with Concord’s institutional priorities.
• Personally identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards major gift prospects and donors.
• Develops strategies to increase annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, endowment support, and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Provides leadership for capital campaigns and other comprehensive fundraising initiatives as directed by the President.
• Provides oversight of the Annual Fund and faculty and staff giving initiatives.
• Develops and maintains a strong pipeline of major and planned giving prospects.
• Ensures appropriate donor stewardship and communicates the impact of philanthropic support.
• Works collaboratively with academic, athletic, enrollment, finance, student affairs, and other University departments to identify and advance fundraising and engagement opportunities.
• Develops strong working relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, community leaders, and other University constituencies.
• Represents Concord University at appropriate community, civic, professional, corporate, alumni, donor, and University events.
• Serves as a key liaison between Concord University and the Concord University Foundation Board.
• Works with Foundation leadership on fundraising priorities, donor engagement, stewardship, and Advancement strategy.
• Provides regular updates regarding fundraising progress, opportunities, challenges, and strategic initiatives.
• Serves as a primary Advancement contact for the University Board of Governors and University community.
• Builds relationships with alumni, community leaders, businesses, civic organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Represents Concord University at donor, community, professional, and institutional events.
• Provides leadership and oversight for the effective use of the University’s advancement CRM and related fundraising and Foundation software.
• Ensures accurate and timely maintenance of prospect, donor, alumni, gift, and relationship information within the University’s advancement database.
• Uses advancement data, analytics, and reporting to identify fundraising opportunities, evaluate performance, monitor donor activity, and inform strategic decision-making.
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators related to prospect activity, donor engagement, solicitations, gifts, annual giving, events, and other Advancement activities.
• Ensures appropriate reporting of fundraising activity and results to the University President, Foundation Board, and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Evaluates and recommends improvements to Advancement technology, systems, processes, and data management practices.
• Works collaboratively with University Communications and other campus partners to communicate Concord’s mission, priorities, accomplishments, and impact.
• Identifies opportunities to strengthen digital engagement and online giving.
• Provides leadership for Advancement, donor, alumni, and other engagement events.
• Ensures Advancement communications and events support institutional priorities and meaningful constituent engagement.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President.
• Provides service to the University as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred; a combination of successful senior-level fundraising and advancement experience with a bachelor’s degree may be substituted for the master’s degree.
• Membership in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) or another relevant professional advancement organization preferred.
• CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) credential preferred but not required.

Skills

• Demonstrated success developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and securing major gifts.
• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with donors, alumni, corporations, foundations, community leaders, volunteers, and other constituents.
• Strong strategic, organizational, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, motivate, and hold professional staff accountable.
• Ability to translate institutional priorities into measurable fundraising and engagement goals.
• Ability to work effectively with the President, Foundation Board, Board of Governors, senior leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, resources, priorities, and multiple complex initiatives.
• Knowledge of current fundraising practices, donor engagement, stewardship, planned giving, and advancement operations.
• Experience with constituent relationship management (CRM) systems and fundraising technologies; Blackbaud/Raiser’s Edge or comparable systems preferred.
• Ability to represent Concord University professionally and effectively in public, community, and donor settings.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently, including evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism when working with donors and University leadership.