Vice President for Advancement

Full-time

Description

Stephens College, a pioneer in innovative, student-centered education for nearly two centuries, seeks a dynamic and strategic Vice President for Advancement to lead its fundraising, alumni engagement, and public relations efforts. This is a transformational opportunity to help shape the future of a historic institution that is boldly redefining higher education.

About Stephens College

As the second-oldest women’s college in the United States, Stephens College has a proud tradition of empowering students to Learn. Grow. Lead. Located in vibrant Columbia, Missouri—a city consistently ranked among the best places to live—Stephens is known for its personalized education, immersive learning experiences, and strong community spirit. In recent years, Stephens has launched bold initiatives that distinguish it nationally:

The Block Plan, an intensive one-course-at-a-time academic model promoting deep engagement.

The Stephens Promise, a tuition-free program expanding access for students from working families.

Mission Promise Kept, a groundbreaking living and learning community for women veterans.

Stephens is home to a number of nationally recognized academic programs that set it apart:

A gender-inclusive Conservatory for the Performing Arts, offering rigorous BFA degrees in Acting, Musical Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Theatrical Costume Design, as well as an MFA in TV and Screenwriting based in Los Angeles.

A robust portfolio of applied, hands-on programs in fashion, equestrian studies, and animal behavior.

Comprehensive offerings in health sciences—including Nursing, Psychology, and Counseling—delivered through the academic divisions of the Women’s College.

Stephens is committed to innovation, accessibility, and experiential learning—qualities that continue to define its success and inspire its mission.

The Opportunity

The Vice President for Advancement will serve as the College’s chief fundraising and external relations officer, reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Senior Leadership Team. The Vice President will provide leadership and strategic oversight of fundraising and donor relations, alumni connections, grants and funding strategies, advancing the mission, vision, and values of Stephens College.

This position offers an extraordinary platform for a mission-driven leader to make a lasting impact—strengthening resources, building meaningful relationships, and enhancing the College’s visibility on a regional and national scale.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

Provide vision and leadership in developing and implementing integrated strategic plans for Institutional Advancement in concert with the College’s strategic plan, setting measurable goals and objectives in the areas of major giving, annual giving, institutional grants, foundation and corporate relations, special events, and alumni relations.

Serve as a strategic advisor to the President, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership on fundraising, alumni engagement, and related marketing and communications efforts.

Provide executive oversight for the Office of Advancement.

Strategically partner with the President, the Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board, and other administrative and academic leaders to deepen the engagement of the Board of Trustees and Alumni Association, leveraging the extraordinary talent, relationships, and resources of these groups and facilitating their appropriate roles as fiduciaries or long-term stewards of the College.

Work collaboratively with College leaders to identify a full range of philanthropic and alumni engagement priorities and drive a culture of philanthropy and lifelong engagement across the College community.

Fundraising and Donor Relations

Ensure strategic management of activities for identification of giving prospects, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and model best practices in prospect strategy, approaches, as well as transparency and collaboration, serving as a resource to colleagues on related matters.

Lead and grow a comprehensive fundraising program, including annual giving, major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation relations, and capital campaigns.

Strategically manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, including individual and institutional/organizational sources, from cultivation through solicitation and stewardship.

Ensure ongoing prospect discovery and engagement at all levels of giving, including both traditional and non-traditional sources, as well as examination of existing donors that may have greater capacity.

Oversee the development and execution of donor stewardship and recognition programs.

Engage and support the Board of Trustees and volunteers in fundraising activities.

Conduct travel to support Stephens College’s priorities, including donor cultivation and solicitation, alumni engagement, and strategic communications.

Grants and Funding Strategy

Oversee the College’s grants office, identifying and pursuing funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government agencies.

Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to align funding opportunities with institutional priorities.

Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations

Collaborate with other senior leaders and campus partners to develop and implement an integrated marketing and communications strategy that supports the College’s brand, fundraising efforts, and enrollment goals.

Partner across departments to ensure the creation and distribution of consistent, compelling messaging to alumni, donors, prospective students and families, and the broader community.

Contribute to institutional planning by aligning marketing and communications initiatives with cross-campus priorities and strategic objectives.

Alumni Connections

Develop and ensure creative, cutting-edge alumni relations initiatives that engage alumni in the life of Stephens College and promote opportunities for volunteerism and foster lifelong bonds between alumni and Stephens College.

Align alumni relations efforts with fundraising activities, increasing alumni participation in giving and identifying and cultivating all potential prospects for annual leadership gifts and major gifts.

Oversee strategic alumni programming, including campus and regional events, alumni volunteer opportunities, and professional networking.

Create meaningful touchpoints and communications that celebrate alumni accomplishments and deepen alumni pride.

Management and Supervision

Set appropriate annual goals and monitor progress on a regular basis to maximize staff performance, ensuring the utilization of appropriate metrics on a team and individual basis.

Oversee comprehensive Advancement operations, including related messaging and special events that build relationships within a diverse constituency base.

Ensure that efficient processes, technological systems, management controls, policies, and data-informed decision-making guide the work of the Advancement team.

Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure sound fiscal responsibility, including in Advancement budget development and management, provision of documentation for the College’s annual audit, implementation of investment policy, and maintenance and management of the College’s unrestricted and restricted funds in accordance with internal policies and generally accepted accounting principles.

Ensure the College adheres to donor agreements and intentions and implements strong donor stewardship practices that more closely tie them to the life of the College, coordinating stewardship initiatives with colleagues throughout the institution as needed.

Requirements

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be a seasoned advancement leader who is passionate about the transformative power of higher education and skilled at inspiring others to invest in it.

Qualifications

Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in advancement, fundraising, or related fields, preferably in higher education or nonprofit fundraising.

Demonstrable understanding of individual giving, institutional giving, major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, capital and comprehensive campaigns (planning, execution, closure), fundraising operations, stewardship, board relations, alumni relations, and events.

Proven track record of securing major gifts and leading successful fundraising initiatives.

Knowledge of and fundamental adherence to the principles, ethics, and best practices of modern fundraising and alumni relations.

Experience in building and enhancing advancement infrastructure as well as effectively leveraging technology to streamline or integrate processes and expand the team’s reach. Experience with donor management software and competent with Microsoft products.

Ability to travel extensively (domestically) on behalf of Stephens College to build stronger relationships.

Experience in marketing, communications, and public relations is strongly preferred.

Experience with grant writing and grant management is a plus.

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Attributes

Collegial, approachable, emotionally intelligent leader, with the interpersonal skills to develop and sustain impactful relationships with an array of diverse constituencies. A sense of humor and perspective, and a penchant for transparency, consultation, and collaboration.

Good listener with superior communication (oral and written) and negotiation skills, and presence to engage all constituents with empathy, warmth, and energy to serve as an effective, highly visible ambassador of the College.

A deep commitment to the mission and values of Stephens College, including access, equity, and student success.

A keen eye for operational efficiency and optimal use of resources.

An energetic self-starter who is organized, detail oriented, resilient, agile, and creative in adapting to changing circumstances in a dynamic environment.

Founded in 1833, Stephens College is the second-oldest women's college in the United States, dedicated to providing innovative, experiential, and career-focused education across various disciplines. Located in Columbia, Missouri, Stephens College continues to be a leader in women's education, fostering a community where students are empowered to lead, innovate, and excel. The college also provides flexible, co-educational master’s degrees and certificates for working professionals, and is home to the co-educational Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Stephens College.

Ranked (over and over again) as one of the best college towns in America, Columbia, Missouri, is home to 36,000+ college students and 118,000 residents. Columbia — conveniently located approximately 100 miles from both Kansas City and St. Louis — has it all: big-time college sports, film, music and arts festivals, a high-energy arts community, amazing recreation, and a great downtown with lots of places to eat, shop, snack and check out the latest bands. The Columbia community offers outstanding health care options, as well as excellent educational opportunities for every level of student (including our own Children’s School).

Stephens offers an attractive benefits package that includes health insurance, an Employee Assistance Program, Supplemental Retirement Annuity, Faculty/Staff Grants, tuition waivers and tuition paid undergraduate classes for dependents.

Be a part of this amazing community of innovative thinkers, doers and dreamers.

Stephens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will recruit and employ qualified personnel without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or status as a veteran.