Associate Vice President for Development

Georgia Southern University • Full-time • Statesboro, GA, US • 5m ago

WittKieffer is proud to partner with Georgia Southern University (GSU) as it seeks an innovative, results-driven leader to serve as its Associate Vice President for Development (AVP).

On December 1, 1906, a delegation of Statesboro representatives traveled to the DeSoto Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, where they won the bid to establish a school of higher education in Statesboro. When First District Agricultural & Mechanical School's inaugural academic year began in 1908, few could have foreseen a major American university growing out of four faculty members and 15 students in just a little more than one lifetime.

Now in its second century of service and with updated name, GSU has more than 27,000 students; more than 2,000 faculty and staff; more than 150 programs of study at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels; three vibrant campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, and Hinesville; and an international campus in Wexford, Ireland. GSU is the state's largest and most comprehensive higher education center south of Atlanta and has been designated a Carnegie Doctoral/R2 university.

In addition to its extraordinary growth, academic rigor, and research expansion, GSU has also experienced tremendous success in fundraising. The current Together We Soar comprehensive campaign exceeded its initial $125 million goal 15 months early, and the University has ambitiously raised the end goal to $300 million. President Dr. Kyle Marrero, himself a former fundraising leader, has partnered with Vice President for University Advancement Trip Addison to increase fundraising from $8 to $9 million per year to more than $25 million per year since the campaign began.

The Vice President now seeks an AVP who will be a key leader within the Advancement division, providing strategic oversight for school and college-based fundraising. Reporting to the VP and collaborating with the Executive Director of Development, the AVP aligns major gift officers with institutional priorities, advances fundraising goals, and supports annual giving efforts. In addition, the AVP serves as the primary liaison to academic leadership and advisory boards and guides strategies for donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. To support the Together We Soar campaign, the AVP will also manage a small portfolio of major and principal donors.

The ideal candidate for the AVP role will have a clear vision for an outstanding development organization and demonstrated experience working in a best practices advancement environment. They will also have deep experience managing frontline fundraising staff and the ability to inspire entrepreneurial fundraising activity through mentorship and motivation, leading to outstanding performance from their team. The next AVP must have exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively and diplomatically with campus administrators, faculty, staff, and external constituencies. The AVP must also have a proven track record of growing revenue in complex environments as well as the successful solicitation of major and principal gifts.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.

WittKieffer is assisting Georgia Southern University in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Senior Partner Greg Duyck and Associate Consultant Jevon Walton at GeorgiaSouthernAVP@wittkieffer.com

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