Associate Vice President for Development

SUMMARY

In support of the university's mission and objectives, the Associate Vice President for Development serves as a strategic partner to the Executive Vice President (EVP) for Advancement in leading the university's comprehensive fundraising program. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for the Development division while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and donor-centered philanthropy. This position leads fundraising strategy, campaign execution, stewardship, operational excellence, talent development, and cross-campus partnerships while maintaining a select portfolio of leadership-level prospects and advancing institutional priorities.

Strategic Leadership, Operations & Team Performance

• Provides visionary leadership to the development team by building a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and donor-centered fundraising. 
• Oversees overall development and philanthropic efforts at PBA including prospect research, gift services, donor relations, donor communications, grants, gifts-in-kind, foundation and corporate relations, major gifts, planned gifts, campaign activities, and donor-supported scholarships. 
• Monitors goals across all areas and the overall fiscal year fundraising goal.
• Establishes clear expectations, measurable goals, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for every functional area measuring both fundraising outcomes and leading indicators of success.
• Develops team members as leaders and performers through coaching, mentoring, and regular accountability meetings, including by guiding them to meet established goals within their roles and departments.
• Evaluates and advances organizational effectiveness regularly and continuously improves systems, workflows, and fundraising strategies. 
• Identifies areas where goals are not met to develop improvement plans within systems and departments.
• Partners across academic and administrative units aligning philanthropic priorities with institutional priorities. 
• Builds strong relationships and maintains regular communication with the Provost and Deans.
• Monitors fundraising performance, strategic plan KPIs, accreditation reporting, budgets, and operational effectiveness; advises team members on the development of reports for EVP and other leadership.
• Engages donors in cultivation and stewardship activities and promotes the curation of meaningful donor experiences to be executed by the team. 
• Leads giving society strategies and collaborates with the team on ideation and execution of strategies.
• Manages relationships with scholarship-centric donors ensuring proper accounting of scholarship funds including regular reporting and stewardship. 

Leadership Portfolio & Lead Gift Partnership

• Maintains a portfolio of approximately 25–35 leadership-level prospects, consistently moving relationships to a meaningful, proactive solicitation and hitting target fundraising goals for leadership prospects within the portfolio. 
• Supports the EVP and President in principal and transformational gift strategies.
• Leads stewardship and engagement strategies for leadership giving societies.
• Ensures donor strategies and moves management are documented and executed consistently by team members. 

God-Sized Dreams Campaign Execution & Institutional Initiatives

• Partners closely with the EVP to execute God-Sized Dreams Campaign initiatives, translating institutional priorities into measurable fundraising strategies.
• Provides strategic leadership in coordination with EVP and campaign consultants for campaign planning, execution, naming opportunities, reporting, and campaign communications. 
• Ensures campaign reports are regularly updated to track success against goals.
• Oversees the production of proposals and donor agreements for top-tier campaign donors, ensuring that all activities are accurately reflected and tracked in the donor CRM. 
• Oversees campaign prospect research for use by campaign leadership committee, EVP, and other leadership.  
• Partners closely with marketing to execute on messaging, communications, and storytelling to support the campaign.
• Leverages fundraising data and emerging philanthropic trends to strengthen the campaign and large gift strategies.
• Provides leadership to the fundraising team in building relationships and making proactive solicitations for university priorities. 
• Coordinates with cross-campus departments (academic units, business office, President's office) to resolve operational issues and ensure alignment on Advancement initiatives, events, and communications.

Alumni and Parent Strategy

Alumni:  

• Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the PBA Alumni Association Board of Directors. 
• Oversees all alumni board meetings; presents university updates and reports back key information to the EVP of Advancement.  
• Interfaces with members of the Alumni Board providing opportunities to connect with the alumni community.  
• Partners with the Events team to plan and execute alumni meetings, programs, and events.  
• Coordinates with internal departments to facilitate alumni data requests and list pulls.  
• Collaborates with the marketing team on any necessary collateral and communication pieces needed for alumni-related events and initiatives.  
• Assembles and submits annual accreditation reports for alumni-related benchmarks.  

Parents:  

• Interfaces with the Parent’s Council leadership for ongoing engagement. 
• Collaborates with the events team for on and off-campus parent events. 
• Evaluates and identifies PBA parents for potential caseload cultivation. 
• Assembles and submits annual accreditation reports for parent-related benchmarks. 

Qualifications

EDUCATION 

Bachelor’s degree in communications, hospitality, event management, marketing, public relations, or related field, or equivalent experience, required.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification, preferred.

EXPERIENCE

5+ years of experience working in wide-ranging development capacities, preferably through a fundraising campaign, preferably at an educational institution. 

• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans for development activities, aligned with the organization’s overall mission and goals. 
• Experience in building and maintaining relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation representatives to secure funding and support. 
• Proven track record of successful fundraising initiatives and campaigns, including major gifts, annual funds, and capital campaigns. 
• Experience coaching and mentoring staff in development skills and best practices to build a high-performing team.  

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) 

• Customer Service Orientation – Keeps internal and/or external key stakeholder(s), students, parents, faculty, staff and community partners in mind at all times. 
• Professionalism– Displays a high level of professionalism, e.g. timeliness, reliability, communication, and work ethic.
• Christ-first Faith – Provides spiritual support to community members, including students, on their Christian faith journey.
• Adaptable/Flexibility– Ability to change or adjust to change.
• Analytical Thinking & Decision Making – Identifies and understands trends and/or issues, connects data points through analysis and logical conclusions/actionable strategies.
• Attention to Detail – Ability to efficiently and accurately focus on a specific task or number of tasks. Reviews details with a critical eye.
• Business & Financial/Budget Acumen – Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of financial concepts, accounting, marketing and organizational functions.
• Change Management – Ability to drive and implement change both internally and externally.
• Confidentiality– Maintains the necessary confidentiality and discretion required for the position.
• Conflict Management – Functions professionally and wisely during difficult conversations, while under stress, and while managing challenging situations.
• Continuous Improvement – Implement or brainstorm ways to optimize a process.
• Develops Others – Ability to promote continuous improvement within teams and/or individuals.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas and information in a clear and concise manner both verbally and in writing to convey clear, well-articulated messaging across a wide variety of audiences.
• Establishes Trust – Gains the confidence of others by actions and words that promote being honest, forthcoming, and vulnerable.
• Leadership/Influence – Ability to motivate, coach and develop others, as well as influence a group of people to achieve common goals, and implement university strategies. Strong supervisory skills.
• Problem-solving – Anticipates, evaluates, diagnoses, and resolves problems in a systematic and fact-based manner.
• Project and Time Management – Effective planning and priority setting. Ability to manage several complex projects simultaneously while working under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Results Orientation & Accountability– Takes accountability and identifies, executes and drives actions to consistently achieve desired results.
• Self-development – Grow one’s self-awareness, abilities, skills, and/or talent.
• Strategic Mindset– Ability to step out of the everyday details, view the situation from above and provide an objective perspective
• Teamwork & Collaboration – Creates a climate that fosters commitment to a common vision and shared values that promote cooperation and working together through trust and support of others both departmentally and cross-functionally. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to operate a PBA vehicle, equipment, or transport groups of students, including operating a van, car, golf cart, utility vehicle. 
• Must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license.
• Must have the ability to travel locally using a personal vehicle.
• Travels up to 20% of the time.
• Ability to work non-routine hours during certain times of the year.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to traverse campus and stairs.
• Ability to lift/move objects up to 25 pounds.

Benefits & Perks 

Join a Christ-first university community committed to academic excellence, spiritual growth, and investing in the well-being of its employees. Palm Beach Atlantic University offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, professional growth, and work-life balance. 

Health, Wellness, and Retirement 

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Options 
• Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Employer-Paid Life Insurance 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential personal and work-life support 
• Wellness Program, including access to the Greene Complex Health & Fitness Center 
• Retirement Savings Plan with a 7.25% employer match 

Time Away from Work 

• Generous Paid Holiday Time Off, including Good Friday and Easter Monday; the day before and after Thanksgiving; and a two-week Christmas Break.  
• Vacation and Sick Leave 
• Paid Parental Leave 
• Spiritual Retreat Days 

Additional Benefits 

• Tuition Benefit for eligible full-time employees and their dependents for courses at PBA. 

Additional Employee Perks 

• Free parking 
• One complimentary meal per week in the Fraser Dining Hall 
• 10% discount at the PBA Campus Store 
• Commuter discounts for Brightline and Tri-Rail 
• Free admission to the Norton Museum of Art