Posting DetailsPosition Information
Position Title Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Division Institutional Advancement
Department/Office IA Leadership
Position Summary Information
Advertisement The Institutional Advancement Leadership department at St. Catherine University invites applications for a full-time
Vice President of Institutional Advancement position.
The position, reporting to the President and serving as a member of the President's Council, is responsible for leading fundraising, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship along with advancement operations, and setting the direction and oversite of the financial and personnel performance of the O'Shaughnessy Performing Arts at St. Catherine University. The Vice President shall assume leadership of philanthropic and advancement relationships while working regularly with the Office of Sponsored Programs, Research, and External Engagement coordinating grant opportunities funder relationships. The role will collaborate with the Offices of Marketing and Communications and University Events in the execution of Institutional Advancement objectives while partnering with the President and members of the Board of Trustees to advance the institutional advancement strategy for St. Catherine University.
The Vice President of Institutional Advancement will:
- Work with the President and senior leaders to strategize, cultivate, and solicit gifts to support the advancement of the University's strategic priorities. Manage the presidential prospect portfolio and actively engage Board members in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship initiatives while staffing the Board committees of Institutional Advancement and Trustee and Governance.
- Recruit, mentor, and evaluate advancement staff; establish clear performance KPIs; and cultivate a collaborative, high-performing departmental culture. Oversee departmental budgeting, gift administration, prospect management, and cross-departmental efforts to ensure effective execution Lead the strategic management of the constituent database, prospect tracking protocols, and analytics reporting.
- Execute comprehensive fundraising strategies including the annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, private foundation grants, and multi-year campaigns.
- Own the overarching alumni strategy, directing high-impact initiatives while leading university-level initiatives that incorporate alumni knowledge and skills to support admissions, student success and corporate partnerships.
- Direct cultivation and stewardship programs across individual, corporate, and foundation sectors to deepen University affinity and donor loyalty. Design personalized engagement approaches for major gift prospects and University partners to grow support and philanthropic contribution. Ensure completion of acknowledgement, reporting, fulfillment of donor intent along with ongoing retention efforts.
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree.
- Minimum of 5 years progressive experience in institutional advancement or nonprofit fundraising, including demonstrated success securing major gifts.
- Commitment to the core elements of the University's mission: Catholic, women and liberal arts.
- Passionate about the education of women at every stage of life. Must value diversity in all of its forms and organize people around their individual strengths and potential.
- A minimum of three years of personnel supervision with the ability to coach staff to pursue goals and resolve challenges; to make large as well as small decisions needed in a nimble, transformative environment.
- Ability to think strategically about how to financially raise the money to achieve St. Kate's priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with the President, Board of Trustees and senior leadership.
Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree.
- Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE)
- Minimum of 8 years of significant advancement experience, preferably in higher education, with demonstrated results in leading officer and director-level staff in fundraising, alumni engagement, operations and with a track-record of cultivating, soliciting and securing of six and seven figure gifts.
- Demonstrated capacity to understand the complex issues facing higher education.
- Excellent organizational, written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
- Able to identify and develop opportunities and create and develop fundraising initiatives; including capital or legacy campaigns.
- Ability to interact credibly with high-net-worth individuals, and other corporate and foundation executives.
- Knowledge of the Catholic and Twin Cities philanthropic community.
Compensation:Annual wage is
$170,000 - $220,000 depending on qualifications and experience.
The salary range listed reflects a good-faith estimate of what we reasonably anticipate to pay for this position, based on market data and internal equity, at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on qualifications, experience, skills, and other relevant factors. St. Catherine reserves the right to modify or adjust compensation depending on University needs.
Benefits:Full-time employees at St. Kate's feel a deep connection to the University's Mission and Vision, and they live their values at work. Benefits available to full-time employees include:
- Thirteen (13) paid holidays plus one floating holiday, and paid "gift" days when the University is closed.
- Free tuition for employees and reduced tuition for their families after one year of service
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 403b retirement plan access
- Accrued sick time
Specific information on all of our available benefits for full-time employees can be found
HERE.
Application instructions for STAFF Visit
St. Kate Careers to apply. Three references and successful completion of a background check will be required for employment.
Posting Detail Information Posting Number 20220872-STAFF
Posting Start Date 11/11/2026
Application Deadline 11/30/2026
