Assistant Vice President of Advancement and External Relations

University Advancement and External Relations

JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Vice President, the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Advancement and External Relations is a senior front-line fundraiser and strategic leader who drives philanthropic revenue while providing executive oversight to critical advancement operations. Dedicating approximately 50-60% of their time to front-line fundraising, the AVP actively manages a curated major gift portfolio of 50-75 high-capacity prospects. To support the division's broader revenue and engagement goals, the AVP also provides strategic direction and mentorship to a multifaceted team of eight, overseeing The Adelphi Fund, Advancement Services, Donor Relations, and Special and Signature Events. By empowering these teams, the AVP ensures a seamless alignment between high-impact donor engagement and operational excellence.

SALARY INFORMATION:

In compliance with New York's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $140,000 - $150,000. Adelphi University considers factors such as departmental budgets, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. An annual base salary higher than the range may be warranted in circumstances where a candidate has demonstrable equivalent prior higher education experience at another University.

Adelphi University provides a comprehensive benefit package for faculty and staff employees. For a list of benefits provided to employees, please click here.

REPORTS TO: Vice President for University Advancement and External Relations

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

1. Major Gift Fundraising & Portfolio Management (50-60%): Actively cultivate, solicit, and steward a personal major gift portfolio of 50-75 high-capacity prospects. Develop comprehensive strategies for each prospect, conduct regular face-to-face visits, and leverage institutional touchpoints, academic leadership, and special events to secure five-, six-, and seven-figure commitments.
2. Executive Team Leadership & Delegation: Manage, mentor, and empower a team of approximately 8 staff across operations, annual giving, and events. Establish strategic goals for these units, promote cross-functional teamwork, establish operational standards, and manage unit budgets effectively so staff can execute day-to-day operations autonomously.
3. Advancement Services & Operations Strategy: Provide executive guidance over prospect research, database administration, gift processing, reporting, and regulatory compliance. Ensure the Advancement Services team maintains institutional data integrity, strong internal controls, and seamless workflows between event attendance, gift recording, and prospect research.
4. Annual Fund & Special Events Direction: Guide the strategic vision for the Adelphi Fund and the University's signature events (e.g., Annual Gala, Golf Classic, Giving Day). Ensure event and direct-response strategies are explicitly designed to maximize donor engagement, build the major gift pipeline, and drive growable, unrestricted support.
5. Leadership & Professional Responsibilities: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of IRS regulations, CASE standards, higher education fundraising technology, and database management best practices.
6. Perform other job related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):

1. Demonstrated success in personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts (five-, six-, or seven-figure commitments) from individuals, corporate partners, or foundations.
2. Proven ability to manage major donor relationships through all phases of the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycle.
3. Strategic understanding of advancement operations, prospect research, and database management systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar platforms), with the leadership skills to effectively oversee the staff executing these functions.
4. Experience in leveraging and guiding the strategy for large-scale, high-profile donor events to yield measurable fundraising outcomes and drive portfolio growth.
5. High analytical and problem-solving skills with a commitment to process optimization and data security.
6. Excellent communication, interpersonal, team-building, and cross-departmental coordination skills.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Bachelor's degree is required; Master's degree is preferred.
2. Minimum of seven years of progressive experience in higher education advancement, major gift fundraising, and team leadership, with a strong understanding of operations or donor-focused event management required.

POSITION(S) SUPERVISED:

1. Senior Director of the Annual Fund
2. Advancement Services
3. Senior Director for External Relations and Special Events

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