Associate Vice President, Development & Chief Development Officer

Cal Poly Pomona islocatedon a historic 1400-acre campus nestled in the beautiful San Gabriel Valley less than 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is one of three polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system and among 12 such institutions nationwide. Since its founding in 1938 the university has offered a unique education steeped in experiential learning. With a variety of degree programs in the arts humanities sciences engineering and professional disciplines the University is well-known for its Become-By-Doing philosophy.

About University Advancement

The Division of University Advancement at Cal Poly Pomona plays a vital role in strengthening the universitys reputation and securing private support. Through meaningful engagement with alumni friends corporations foundations and the broader community the division cultivates partnerships that advance the universitys mission and long-term success.

University Advancement encompasses several key functions:

• Advancement Services:Oversees alumni and donor records prospect research gift processing and data analytics.

• Development:Includes college and program development annual giving planned giving and corporate/foundation relations.

• Alumni and External Relations:Engages alumni students and the community through outreach and eventsincluding university-wide celebrations like commencement.

• Government and Community Relations:Serves as the liaison to local state and federal officials positioning the university as a regional and statewide leader.

The division also manages theCal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation (CPP-PF) which serves as the official entity for receiving and managing charitable contributions to the university.

Salary range:The salary for this position will be $175000 - $210000 annuallycommensuratewith qualifications and experience.

About the role:

The Chief Development Officer(CDO) serves as a strategic partner to the Vice President for University Advancement and a key architect of Cal Poly Pomonas philanthropic future. As the university enters a pivotal chapter of growth and possibility the CDO will lead manage and inspire a dynamic team of fundraising professionals across its colleges and central development (corporate and foundation relations planned giving and annual giving) cultivating a culture of collaboration accountability and bold vision.

In this inaugural role the CDO will directly oversee units and functions within College and Program Development and Central Development and serve as a key liaison to the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation. This leader will shape and execute strategic fundraising plans that elevate private support with oversight spanning major gifts corporate and foundation relations annual and planned giving donor relations and prospect development.

Beyond oversight of development staff and a portfolio of top prospects the CDO will act as a chief collaborator bringing together academic leadership advancement staff and university partners to align philanthropic investment with institutional priorities. This role also anchors cross-functional collaboration with Advancement Operations Alumni Relations and Government and Community Relations.

How you will spend your time:

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as a strategic leader to strengthen the culture of philanthropy at Cal PolyPomona andadvance a culture of performance excellence within University Advancement.

• Leverage inclusive storytelling andstrong communicationskills to articulate Cal Poly Pomonas mission vision and values in ways that resonate with diverse audiences and inspire philanthropic engagement across a broad range of stakeholders.

• Oversee college and unit-based Directors of Development and Central Development including foundation and corporate relationsplanningand annual giving efforts.

• Coach and develop high-performing teams through strategic mentorship clear goal alignment and impactful performance management.

• Drive cohesive strategy development and execution across Advancement units ensuring alignment with the universitys top fundraising priorities and long-term vision.

• Champion best practices in prospect management and ensure organizational accountability through the consistent application of Advancement policies and procedures.

Strategy & Major Gift Development

• Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies.

• Personally manage a portfolio of high-level prospects and work in close partnership with university leadership (VP for Advancement President Provost Deans) to cultivate andsolicittransformational gifts.

• Serve as strategist and thought partner on eight-figure prospects (including the development of a principal gift program).

• Model performance-based metrics and ROI-aligned engagement.

Cross-Campus & Campaign Collaboration

• Act as a chief collaborator and connector bringing together academic leadership Advancement Services Institutional Engagement Strategic Communications key external partners and strategic consultants to strengthen alignment elevate donor engagement and prepare for future campaign readiness and capital initiatives.

• Build a philanthropic community that reflects CPPs values by intentionally connecting philanthropic efforts and interests with diverse community needs.

• Champion reciprocal relationships across a variety of stakeholders and communities to advance shared goals.

• Advance interdisciplinary fundraising initiatives andmonitorkey working groups and tiger teams.

Foundation & Board Engagement

• Serve as one of the staff liaisons to the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation with primary responsibility for the Donor Engagement and Stewardship Committee.

• Support board operations engagement strategy governance practices and recruitment processes.

• Foster an inclusive and high-performing board culture that advances university fundraising goals and aspirations including strategic alignment of the Philanthropic Foundation Board of Directors and College-Based Advisory Boards.

Administrative Leadership & Planning

• Serve as a senior member of the Advancement leadership team.

• Contribute to divisional strategic planning and operational excellence.

• Collaborate with Advancement Services to ensure adherence to prospect management protocols stewardship processes and systems optimization.

• Serve as a senior advisor to the Vice President for Advancement.

What you will bring:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited university.

• Five (5) years of professional experience as a seasoned performance-driven senior development officer of a higher education or nonprofit institution which may include major gifts plannedgiving and capital campaigns.

• Five (5) years of management or supervisory experience.

• Demonstrated ability to be an effective team builder with a strong commitment to collaboration inclusion and partnership with the internal and external community.

• Proven ability to cultivate positive working relationships across cultural functional and organizational lines.

• Proven success in major gift fundraising including donor cultivation solicitation and stewardship.

• Demonstrated ability to oversee major gift programs and stewardship efforts with creativity and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree from an accredited university

• 5-8 years of management or supervisory experience with major gift program with performance-driven metrics and accountability.

• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) certification

• Demonstrated knowledge skills and experiences needed to build a philanthropic community that reflects CPPs values; intentionally connect philanthropic efforts and interests with diverse community needs.

Application Details:

Another Source isassistingCal Poly Pomona in this search. To be fully considered and apply please visit Another Sources website at: candidates may arrange a confidential conversation about this opportunity with Senior TalentStrategist: Dayna Brown at

The Search Committee will begin reviewing candidatesimmediatelyand will continue until the position is filled. Priority consideration will be given to candidates whosubmitcomplete application materials byJune 18 2025.

A complete application package will include:

1. A letter of interest addressing how the candidates experiences match the position requirements;
2. A current CV/resume;
3. Contact information for at least three (3) professional references including email addresses and a brief note of the candidates working relationship with will be contacted with candidates approval at a later stage in the search process.