Faculty Rank or Job Title Associate Vice President for Alumni and Donor Engagement
Job Category: Administrative (exempt/non-exempt)
Department VP-University Advancement Admin
EEO number: 27P090
Position FTE 100%
Minimum Annual Salary Negotiable
Eclass 21 Unclassified FT Salary MO
Salary Band: UC S10
Job Summary/Basic Function: By exercising a passion for connecting and building networks between donors, alumni, students, and the University, the Associate Vice President for Alumni & Donor Engagement will set a strategic direction for the Office of Alumni and Donor Engagement by establishing goals and metrics, evaluating advancement programs and practices, and leading, coaching, mentoring, and developing a team of staff in alumni engagement, donor relations, advancement research and annual giving.
The AVP will also serve as the executive director of the WSU Alumni Association.
Minimum Qualifications - A bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience in alumni relations or university fundraising at a similar institution.
- Experience with cultivating and closing major gifts, developing diverse volunteer boards and working with multi-disciplinary teams.
Preferred Qualifications• A master's degree and 8 years of relevant experience.
• Significant experience in advancement, fundraising, alumni relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success engaging donors and stakeholders within a complex organizational environment.
• Proven ability to lead through change, build collaborative relationships, and balance competing interests.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, customer service, and relationship-management skills.
• Experience building skills-based volunteer pathways and alumni-to-student mentoring programs.
• Ability to effectively represent and advance the university's mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
Essential Functions and percent of time: Essential function: Strategic Alumni & Donor Engagement 50%• Develops and implements a comprehensive alumni and donor engagement strategy aligned with the university's mission, strategic plan, and advancement goals.
• Serves as a member of the Advancement leadership team, contributing to divisional planning, resource allocation, goal setting, and organizational effectiveness.
• Leads efforts to increase meaningful alumni participation through volunteer leadership, affinity groups, regional networks, events, communications, and philanthropic engagement.
• Builds and maintains relationships with key alumni, donors, volunteers, trustees, faculty, students, community leaders, and other university stakeholders.
• Provides strategic oversight of the Wright State University Alumni Association and serves as Executive Director to its Board of Directors.
• Establishes measurable engagement objectives and evaluates program effectiveness using data-driven decision-making and performance metrics. Ex. CASE's four modes of alumni engagement.
• Represents the university and Division of Advancement at institutional, community, and alumni events while serving as a visible ambassador for the university.
Essential Functions and percent of time (cont'd):Essential function:
Leadership & Team Development 25%• Provides strategic leadership, direction, and accountability for assigned departments and staff.
• Establishes departmental goals, performance expectations, policies, procedures, and assessment measures to advance organizational effectiveness.
• Leads, coaches, mentors, and develops a high-performing team while fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Manages financial and human resources within areas of responsibility, ensuring effective stewardship of university resources.
• Develops and maintains strong partnerships across academic and administrative units to advance engagement and fundraising objectives.
• Collaborates with university leadership to identify opportunities that strengthen alumni engagement, donor relations, and philanthropic support.
• Ensures compliance with university policies, advancement best practices, and applicable regulations.
• Develops a strategy and for the collection and integration of engagement data for the Division of Advancement.
• Leads the evaluation and acquisition of new technologies that extend the Division's capabilities.
Essential function:
Philanthropy & Campaign Leadership 25%• Serves as a member of the university's campaign leadership team and helps develop and execute strategies to achieve campaign objectives.
• Maintains a portfolio of leadership and major gift prospects, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors in support of university priorities.
• Partners with advancement colleagues to strengthen donor identification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
• Provides strategic oversight of annual giving initiatives to support donor acquisition, retention, and pipeline development.
• Develops a strategy and establishes metrics for engagement of graduates of the last decade including donor acquisition, retention, and engagement.
• Collaborates with university leaders to align engagement and fundraising efforts with institutional needs.
• Identifies opportunities to expand philanthropic support through alumni engagement, volunteer leadership, and strategic partnerships.
• Monitors fundraising and engagement outcomes and recommends adjustments to enhance performance and achieve established goals.
Non-Essential Functions and percent of time:Working Conditions Regular office environment.
Working weekend and evening events throughout the semester is required.
Travel for Alumni Events in and outside of Ohio will be expected.
Effective July 1, 2017, per Policy 7230 Wright State University is tobacco-free. Tobacco use, including the sale, advertising sampling and distribution of tobacco products and tobacco related items is prohibited in all university facilities, on all university owned or leased grounds, university owned or operated residence halls and apartments, and at all university sponsored events regardless of location. Tobacco use is also prohibited in all university vehicles or on any equipment owned, leased or operated by Wright State University. This policy applies to anyone on campus including students, faculty, staff, visitors, consultants, vendors, patients, volunteers, and contractor employees.
Special Instructions to ApplicantsPosting Date 11/09/2026
First Consideration Date: 11/18/2026
Closing DateOpen Until Filled Yes
