Vice President for Advancement
Vice President for Advancement
Posted on :
07-06-2025
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1 Vacancy
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Monthly Salary
$ 325000 - 380000
Vacancy
1 Vacancy
Posted on :
07-06-2025
Job Description
Description
ABOUT HOLY CROSS:
The College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross) seeks a dynamic engaging and strategic leader to serve as its next Vice President for Advancement (VPA) and report to the President. Ahighly selective liberal arts college Holy Cross is one of 27 Jesuit Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States and the only one that is exclusively undergraduate. It offers an exceptionally rigorous academic experience defined by cura personalis or care for the whole person. A college known for its singular identity intellectual curiosity academic excellence and commitment to social justice Holy Cross inspires and challenges its students to live and learn with meaning purpose and truth.
The College of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross) seeks a dynamic engaging and strategic leader to serve as its next Vice President for Advancement (VPA) and report to the President. Ahighly selective liberal arts college Holy Cross is one of 27 Jesuit Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States and the only one that is exclusively undergraduate. It offers an exceptionally rigorous academic experience defined by cura personalis or care for the whole person. A college known for its singular identity intellectual curiosity academic excellence and commitment to social justice Holy Cross inspires and challenges its students to live and learn with meaning purpose and truth.
This is a time of tremendous momentum on campus. The College surpassed 10000 student applications for the first time in our history. The record-setting applications set our admission rate at 18 percent for the Class of 2029. Just four years ago it was 43 percent. While we enroll some of the most academically competitive classes in our history to our beautiful campus in Worcester Massachusetts we continue to welcome a wide range of students from all over the country and the world. Strong school spirit and close and life-long bonds flourish at Holy Cross and create the larger Holy Cross community of over 40000 passionate alumni.
With an endowment valued at over a billion dollars Holy Cross entered fiscal year 2025 from a position of strength. A history of consistent positive operating results combined with comprehensive financial and capital planning and responsible stewardship of resources has enabled the College to thrive. The College set an aggressive fundraising goal of $70M for FY25.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
The new VPA joins Holy Cross at an exciting and pivotal moment in its history. In early 2023 the College launched Aspire our strategic plan for a hope-filled future which asserts a bold vision for igniting the colleges reputation as an academic powerhouse and delivering a transformational residential experience for all students regardless of their economic means. In support of this vision the College is in the early/quiet stages of a comprehensive campaign. The VPA will serve as a key leader in that endeavor.
The new VPA joins Holy Cross at an exciting and pivotal moment in its history. In early 2023 the College launched Aspire our strategic plan for a hope-filled future which asserts a bold vision for igniting the colleges reputation as an academic powerhouse and delivering a transformational residential experience for all students regardless of their economic means. In support of this vision the College is in the early/quiet stages of a comprehensive campaign. The VPA will serve as a key leader in that endeavor.
This role offers a unique opportunity to develop a modern 50 person mission-driven advancement team and organization capable of sustaining generous lifelong engagement from the Holy Cross community. A central responsibility of the VPA is the cultivation and stewardship of a select portfolio of the Colleges highest-rated donors and philanthropic partners. In close collaboration with President Vincent Rougeau and other senior members of the administration Trustees and key volunteers the VPA will help secure transformational gifts that bring the aspirations of the strategic plan to life and ensure the Colleges bright and enduring future.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide visionary and strategic leadership for all advancement-related functions including major principal and planned giving annual giving alumni and parent engagement donor relations corporate and foundation relations advancement communications and advancement operations.
- Serve as a key leaderalongside the President and Boardin orchestrating and driving the success of the comprehensive campaign in support of Aspire the Colleges strategic plan.
- Personally manage a portfolio of the institutions most generous loyal and influential donors and prospects building lasting relationships that align donor interests with strategic priorities.
- Inspire mentor and lead a talented advancement division fostering a culture of teamwork collaboration innovation high performance results orientation and mission alignment.
- Elevate systems practices and metrics to support an efficient data-informed advancement enterprise enabling sustained growth over time.
- Serve as a trusted and valuable member of the Presidents leadership team to move strategic and organizational goals and priorities forward. Work collaboratively across College administrative divisions.
- Partner regularly with the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance (SVP for A&F) and related team members to ensure employment of best practices and alignment including reporting fundraising results internally and externally. Meet regularly with the President and SVP for A&F.
- Work closely with the Vice President for Communications and Marketing the chief communications strategist collegewide to integrate Advancement into the Colleges comprehensive communications plans and ensure proper alignment across the two divisions.
- Engage senior academic and administrative leaders across the College to identify compelling philanthropic opportunities and co-create strategies for donor engagement.
- Provide staff support to the Board of Trustees as needed.
- Serve as a key external ambassador for the Colleges mission impact and vision.
- Uphold and articulate the values of Jesuit Catholic higher education in all aspects of advancement work ensuring alignment with the institutions identity and commitment to inclusive excellence.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Authentic appreciation for the mission of Holy Cross and the Jesuit educational tradition.
- 10 or more years of successful leadership experience in an advancement role in a major academic cultural healthcare or other not-for-profit institution with a sophisticated donor base.
- Demonstrated success identifying cultivating and soliciting six to eight-figure gifts and managing a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to inspire confidence build strong relationships and represent the Colleges mission with intelligence empathy and integrity.
- Strong record of success in comprehensive and endowment fundraising campaign execution and principal gift development. Experience leading campaigns is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to be a trusted advisor and build a strong working relationship with the president/institutional leader.
- Experience working with a highly engaged and dedicated board of trustees and other key alumni/donor volunteers.
- Familiarity with the regional and national philanthropic communities.
- An inspirational collaborative and transparent leadership style with proven success in the development of high performance teams.
- Commitment to best practices in the advancement field and an understanding of the full range of fundraising strategies and tactics both established and emerging.
- Strategic thinking and comfort working in complex mission-driven institutions especially through change.
- Bachelors degree required; advanced degree preferred.
Additional information:
This is a full-time exempt level position with a salary ranging from $325000 - $380000. The College is committed to providing competitive market pay for its employees. The College also offers a competitive benefits package for full-time staff including:
- 10% College contribution to 403(b) Retirement Plan with a required 2% employee contribution (increases to 12% and 5% respectively above the Social Security Wage Base)
- In addition this position qualifies for the College of the Holy Cross 457(b) deferred compensation plan
- Tuition & Education Benefits
- Note:The waiting period for the 403(b) Retirement Plan and Tuition Benefits may be waived with qualifying prior service.
- Robust Health and Welfare plans
- Wellness and Training opportunities
- 4-day condensed summer work week
The College is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the workplace.
To review our Employee Benefit Options please go to: INSTRUCTIONS:
To be considered for this opportunity it is essential to upload both a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter please address how your work might support the Colleges mission as a Jesuit undergraduate liberal arts college (see and its core commitment to justice andinclusive excellence. Also please provide examples of any past work that illuminate your commitments in the following areas:
- leadership experience in strategic advancement
- campaign experience and philanthropic vision (including experience with fundraising for comprehensive campaigns with access/people/programmatic areas of focus not just capital)
- approach to donor engagement and team leadership style/culture
- readiness to relocate or travel as the position requires
- interest in entering the search process and your belief in the unique opportunity offered by the institution at this time
Applications will be reviewed as they are received with a consideration deadline of July 18 2025.
The College also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process in compliance with law. Please contact Merrilee Grenier Senior Associate Director of Employee Relations and Legal Compliance for questions or to request an accommodation via email atemailprotected or by calling .
Required Experience:
Chief
Employment Type
Full-Time
Key Skills
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