Vice President & Chief Development Officer

The Shippensburg University Foundation invites applications and nominations
for the position of Vice President & Chief Development Officer.

The Vice President & Chief Development Officer (VP&CDO) for the Shippensburg University Foundation is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Foundation’s major gift fundraising, planned giving, corporate and foundation, and annual fund initiatives. This individual will play a crucial role in securing significant financial resources to support the University’s mission and goals. The VP&CDO will lead a team of dedicated fundraising professionals.

The success of the VP&CDO will be driven by their collaborative approach and ability to implement new and innovative ideas to increase giving to the Shippensburg University Foundation for the benefit of students, programs, faculty, and facilities at Shippensburg University.

TO APPLY:
Send cover letter, resume, three references, and salary requirements to the attention Dr. Leslie Folmer Clinton, 500 Newburg Road, Shippensburg, PA 17257 or apply by email to Dr. Clinton at LFClin@SUFoundation.org.
Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Responsibilities

  • Support the President & CEO as their chief fundraiser, serving as an advisor and co-strategist in cultivating prospective donors and soliciting major, principal and transformative gifts.
    Maintain an actively managed personal prospect pool of 80-100 principal and transformative donor prospects.
  • In consultation with the President & CEO, assess the growth potential and effectiveness of the SU Foundation’s fundraising program; direct the fundraising program, including budget management, fundraising personal supervision, planning, staff development, and evaluation.
  • Serve as a member of the President & CEO’s management team and participate in formulating and administering SU Foundation policies. Develop and execute fundraising policies, structure, and a personnel plan to accomplish mutually agreed philanthropic objectives in coordination with the University.
  • Enhance the culture of philanthropy and substantially increase philanthropic support and engagement.
  • Utilize best practices and professional organizational guidelines to accomplish strategic fundraising initiatives, e.g. annual giving programs, planning giving techniques, capital, and comprehensive campaign strategies.
  • Cultivate a strong working relationship with university administrators, faculty, and staff.

Requirements:

  • Credibility and sound judgment required to effectively engage and leverage major donors, volunteers, and other key constituents in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of key prospects and donors.
  • Strong leadership and team management skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including donors, board members, and University and Foundation staff.
  • High level of integrity, professionalism, and commitment to the Shippensburg University and the Shippensburg University Foundation’s mission.

Education and Experience:
Master’s Degree required. Seven or more years of progressively responsible fundraising and high-level leadership experience in a higher education or nonprofit development role. Experience leading fundraising campaigns.

Additional Details:

  • Job Type: Full-time, Monday to Friday and Weekends as needed
  • The SU Foundation offers a competitive salary and benefits package (including healthcare and TIAA-CREF retirement plan)

 

About the SU Foundation: The Shippensburg University Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, was created in 1977 and serves to seek financial resources and provide services to support and enhance Shippensburg University’s mission of student learning and personal development through highly effective and innovative teaching, complemented by a wide variety of out-of-class experiences. Today, the SU Foundation’s endowment totals $57 million and the SU Foundation administers and manages over $100 million in assets and programs.

About Shippensburg University: Since its founding in 1871, Shippensburg University, one of 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, has been a leader in public higher education. Long recognized for its academic rigor and its proactive approach to maintaining its leadership position as higher education has evolved, “Ship” now offers a full array of over 100 undergraduate and over 50 graduate programs on its attractive 200-acre campus. The University recently announced the establishment of a School of Engineering to house the five engineering programs and the establishment of an Honors College. To learn more about the University, please visit SHIP.edu

Location: Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 40 miles southwest of the state Capitol of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area, with a population approaching 700,000. National firms, either headquartered or with major operations, in the region include Ahold USA, Deloitte, Capital Blue Cross, Highmark, HP, IBM, Hershey Foods, Harsco Corporation, Proctor and Gamble, Rite Aid Corporation, Tyco Electronics, and Volvo Construction Equipment.