Associate Vice President, Unit Development

The ASU Foundation (ASUF) fosters partnerships between ASU and like-minded individuals, corporations and foundations who believe in ASU’s mission and provide resources for ASU to manifest its charter into meaningful impact.   

The Associate Vice President of Unit Development will lead a team of college and school-based development directors and officers, providing guidance, mentorship and counsel on all aspects of development including annual giving, major and leadership giving, corporate and foundation giving, estate and gift planning, stewardship and donor relations. The Associate Vice President will ensure sound business practices and a high quality of service to support these university-wide development officers. In addition to these management and leadership responsibilities, the Associate Vice President will maintain a portfolio of major and leadership gift prospects in order to personally secure philanthropic support of ASU. 

What you'll do:

• Leads a team of development directors for specified colleges and schools

• Identifies and manages a portfolio of prospects, serving as a major/leadership gifts officer who cultivates relationships, submits proposals, and stewards high level donors

• Hires, recruits, and trains development director and officers

• Provides ongoing staff management including training, mentoring, continuing education, performance evaluations, annual operating plans, budget development and oversight, and professional advancement

• Guides specific fundraising strategies and the teams’ prospect management from identification through stewardship

• Demonstrates and builds a spirit of teamwork as an integral part of the overall development team

• Ensures accountability for fundraising metrics of the teams and exemplifies accountability and transparency by routinely recording contact reports, proposals, and other pertinent information

• Supports consistent messaging with overall development team, supporting foundation goals, objectives, and processes

• Works closely with ASUF leadership and ASU deans and directors to manage expectations, build support, and develop the strategies and programs necessary to ensure fundraising success

• Participates on the ASUF senior leadership team and works collaboratively with colleagues to advance university initiatives

• Provides valuable strategic thinking and leadership, related not only to development but to a broader set of foundation priorities and opportunities

What you'll need:

• Extensive knowledge of principles and techniques related to development/fundraising, in higher education

• Proven ability to design and implement effective cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies; demonstrated success in securing philanthropic investments; experience in securing personal appointments and qualifying new prospects; ability to prepare and deliver complex and detailed proposals

• Strong leadership skills: ability to organize, inspire confidence, motivate, and lead a team to achieve desired results

• Strong and collegial interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate effectively in person, in writing, and by telephone with academic leaders, faculty, staff, donors and volunteers

• Problem solver who takes initiative and sets priorities while remaining sufficiently nimble to embrace unanticipated opportunities

• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to Foundation and University business and confidential prospect information

• Attention to detail and thoroughness in completing assignments and activities

• Highly flexible nature, sophisticated and professional demeanor, and the ability to think quickly and react effectively to unanticipated circumstances, opportunities, and complex situations

• Proven ability and sufficient presence to effectively engage with high-profile individuals

• Collaborative style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment

• Team-oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations involving numerous and sometimes competing constituencies and interests

• Ability to represent the institution well and to enthusiastically serve as an emissary for ASU

• Highly organized and able to successfully juggle multiple projects

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and comfortable working in donor/prospect computer database systems