Position
Vice President/Senior Institutional Advancement Officer
Division:
InstitutionalAdvancement
Department:
Institutional Advancement
Reports to:
President
PositionSummary
Livingstone College seeks a seasoned and results-driven Vice President/Senior Institutional Advancement Officerto provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the College’s comprehensive fundraising and development programs. Thissenior-level role is responsible for advancing philanthropic support through annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate andfoundation relations, and the effective use of donor data and CRM systems.
The successful candidate will bring 8–10+ years ofprogressive advancement experience, a strong record of fundraising success, and the leadership capacity to strengthen donor engagement,institutional partnerships, and long-term philanthropic sustainability in alignment with Livingstone College’s mission and strategicpriorities.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
The results you will deliver each day that mattermost!
Strategic Leadership & Advancement Planning
- Develop, implement, and continuously refine acomprehensive institutional advancement strategy aligned with College priorities, strategic plans, and campaign objectives.
- Establish annual fundraising goals, operating plans, and budgets; monitor progress and adjust strategies to ensure performance targets aremet.
- Provide regular, data-informed reports and analysis to senior leadership and governing bodies.
Fundraising& Program Oversight
Provide leadership, direction, and hands-on engagement across the following functional areas:
Annual Giving
- Plan, execute, and optimize annual fund programs, including direct mail, digital giving, donorappeals, and stewardship initiatives.
- Support phonathon and emerging donor engagement strategies, as applicable.
Major Gifts
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects.
- Manage a personal portfolioof high-capacity donors and prospects, with responsibility for closing significant gifts.
- Partner with senior leadership, Boardmembers, and key stakeholders in solicitation efforts.
Planned Giving
- Develop and grow a planned givingpipeline, promoting legacy and deferred giving opportunities.
- Coordinate planned gifts with donors, legal counsel, and financialadvisors in accordance with college policy.
Corporate & Foundation Relations
- Research, cultivate, andsecure corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and strategic philanthropic partnerships.
- Oversee proposal development,submission, reporting, and stewardship for institutional funders.
Database & CRM Strategy
- Providestrategic oversight of donor database and CRM systems, ensuring data integrity, effective segmentation, accurate reporting, and alignmentwith fundraising strategy.
- Leverage data to inform prospect research, moves management, pipeline development, and campaignplanning.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Build, lead, and support a high-performing advancement team;hire, train, mentor, set performance objectives, and conduct evaluations.
- Foster collaboration across departments, includingFinance, Alumni Relations, Communications, and Academic and Student Affairs.
- Engage faculty, staff, alumni, volunteers, andexternal partners in cultivation and stewardship activities.
Stewardship, Compliance & Governance
- Design and implement donor stewardship and recognition programs that strengthen retention and lifetime donor value.
- Ensurecompliance with college gift acceptance policies, donor gift agreements, ethical fundraising standards, and applicable legal and regulatoryrequirements.
- Uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality in all donor interactions.
- Additional Duties as Assigned.
Education/ Experience
What you will need to besuccessful!
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 8–10+ years of progressive advancement orfundraising leadership experience with documented, measurable fundraising results.
- Demonstrated success securing six- andseven-figure gifts and leading multi-channel fundraising programs.
- Proven experience developing and managing annual giving,major gifts, planned giving, and corporate/foundation fundraising initiatives.
- Strong experience with donor databases and CRMs(e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce for Nonprofits, or equivalent), including reporting and data-driven decision-making.
- Successfulexperience leading and managing teams and cross-functional initiatives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation,and relationship-building skills.
- High level of integrity, judgment, and professionalism in handling sensitive donor andinstitutional information.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Advanced degree and/or CFRE (Certified Fund-Raising Executive) credential.
- Experience in highereducation, nonprofit, or faith-based institutional advancement.
- Familiarity with capital campaigns and comprehensivefundraising initiatives.
- Experience working closely with Boards of Trustees and senior executive leadership.
Key Competencies
- Strategic and results-oriented leadership approach.
- Strong relationshipbuilder with the ability to engage senior executives, trustees, alumni, and external partners.
- Data-informed decision-maker withcomfort using metrics to demonstrate impact.
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to adapt in a dynamic, collaborativeenvironment.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
Reporting & WorkExpectations
- Reports To: Vice President for Institutional Advancement
- Supervises: Advancementstaff as assigned (e.g., annual fund, major gifts, grants, database personnel)
- Travel & Schedule: Some travel andevening/weekend work required for donor cultivation, events, and institutional functions
Measures ofSuccess
- Sustained year-over-year growth in philanthropic revenue across all giving channels.
- Increased donorretention, engagement, and pipeline advancement.
- Successful cultivation and closure of major and planned gifts meeting orexceeding targets.
- Accurate, timely, and actionable fundraising data and reports supporting executive decision-making.
Working Conditions
- Standard business hours with occasional evenings or weekends required to supportevents, campaigns, or reporting deadlines.
- Hybrid work arrangements may be available based on departmental needs andinstitutional policy.
Life at Livingstone College
Why we believe you will love working at LivingstoneCollege!!
Livingstone College is a private historically black college that is secured by a strong commitment to qualityinstruction, academic excellence, and student success. Through a Christian-based environment suitable for holistic learning, Livingstoneprovides excellent business, liberal arts, STEAM, teacher education, and workforce development programs for students from all ethnicbackgrounds designed to promote lifelong learning and to develop student potential for leadership and service to a global community.
About Livingstone College: http://Livingstone.edu
Livingstone College is an equal opportunityemployer that employs qualified individuals based upon job related qualifications regardless of race, religion, ancestry, gender, sexualorientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, domestic partner status, medical condition, political affiliation or anyother classification proscribed under applicable federal, state or local law. Livingstone College complies with all laws regardingreasonable accommodation for disabled candidates and employees. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in theinterview process are requested to contact Human Resources in order to arrange such accommodation. We offer competitive compensation and anattractive benefits package. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract.