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Mount Mary University · 1 day ago

Vice President of Advancement

Milwaukee,WI,US

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

10+ years exp

Mount Mary University is seeking a Vice President of Advancement who will serve on the president's cabinet. This role is responsible for cultivating revenue streams, building relationships with donors, and developing strategies to enhance institutional awareness and support the university's mission.

EducationHigher EducationUniversities

Responsibilities

Develop and lead a comprehensive multi-year advancement strategy aligned with institutional priorities

Drive major gift fundraising, special campaigns, annual giving, alumni engagement, planned giving, endowment giving and donor stewardship

Maintain and grow a high-value personal donor portfolio, including high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and institutional partners

Oversee all fundraising activities, including major gifts, principal gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and grants

Personally manage a portfolio of top-tier prospects and donors

Partner with the President and Board members to drive and maintain high-level donor cultivation and solicitation

Ensure accurate donor stewardship, reporting, and compliance with ethical standards

Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing advancement team with the right capabilities, attitude, and growth potential

Establish clear KPIs, performance standards, and operational workflows across all advancement functions

Contribute to institutional strategic planning, execution, and reporting for the organization

Strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, and key external stakeholders

Oversee alumni relations, volunteer engagement, and recognition programs

Develop strategies to expand and diversify the donor base

Oversee advancement operations including CRM systems, donor pipeline management, data analysis, forecasting, and performance dashboards

Ensure strong documentation, reporting, compliance, and process discipline

Analyze fundraising performance data to guide strategy and optimize results

Ensure alignment of donor and alumni communications, stewardship materials, and impact narratives with institutional brand standards

Serve as the primary external ambassador for philanthropic efforts, representing the university to donors and community partners

Work effectively with internal stakeholders to navigate organizational change and strategic growth

Manage interfaces and cross-collaborative relationships between Advancement and Finance, Financial Aid, Marketing, Academic Affairs, and the President's Office

Engage and support the Board's Advancement Committee to enhance trustee involvement in philanthropy

Qualification

Fundraising expertiseCRM platformsStrategic executionRelationship managementTeam managementOrganizational savvinessCommunication skillsEmotional intelligence

Required

Minimum 10 years of end-to-end fundraising experience, covering major gifts, campaigns, grant writing, donor stewardship, relationship management, and advancement systems

Career progression starting with frontline fundraising into leadership and strategic execution

Prior experience in higher education

Bachelor's Degree required

Proven track record of working with senior executives

A demonstrated history of successfully leading and contributing to fundraising across a variety of areas and managing the entire donor life cycle

Hands-on operational expertise with CRM platforms and data-driven fundraising systems

Demonstrated experience building and managing high-performing teams

Strategic thinker with operational discipline who can prioritize big picture ideas into tactical actions

Exceptional relationship-building and executive communication skills

High emotional intelligence and organizational savviness

Demonstrated ability to lead during change and manage high-stakes donor relationships

Strong ethical judgment, discretion, and professional maturity

Preferred

Master's degree preferred

Company

Mount Mary University

Mount Mary University, an urban Catholic college for women sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, provides an environment for the development of the whole person.

Founded in 1913

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

201-500 employees