Founding Vice President of Development

Saginaw Valley State University

Founding Vice President of Development

Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to
assist Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) in its search for
Founding Vice President of Development.

For full consideration, please apply by April
18th.

This is an incredible opportunity to join Saginaw Valley State
University (SVSU) in this founding role as the next Vice President
of Development. Serving on the executive team, the Founding VP of
Development is a direct advisor and co-strategist to the President.
With a new structure in place, this newly created position combines
the Development Office, SVSU Foundation, Alumni Relations, and
Marshall Frederick Sculpture Museum, which streamlines processes to
build on current successes and maximize development potential for
scholarships, programs and capital improvements. This will be an
extraordinary opportunity for the VP of Development to set a
visionary roadmap, sculpt a high-performing team, and leave an
enduring legacy.

The ideal candidate has leadership experience in higher ed or a
nonprofit development role, building high-performing teams, leading
fundraising campaigns and is effective in engaging with a broad
range of constituents to develop relationships with prospects and
donors. The success of the VP of Development will be driven by
their collaborative approach and ability to implement new and
innovative ideas to increase gifting and drive growth for the
university.

This position reports directly to the President and leads the
Development Office, SVSU Foundation, Alumni Relations, and Marshall
Frederick Sculpture Museum.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct the activities of the development services, including
  budget management, personal supervision, planning, program and
  staff development, and evaluation.
• Serve as a member of the President’s leadership team and
  participate in formulating and administering University
  policies.
• Assess the growth potential and effectiveness of university
  development.
• Develop the culture of philanthropy, substantially and
  sustainably increase philanthropic support and engagement, and
  strengthen internal and external relationships on behalf of the
  institution.
• Support the president in his role as chief spokesperson and
  fundraiser, serving as an advisor and co-strategist in cultivating
  prospective donors, soliciting transformative gifts, and
  operationalizing bold ideas.
• Cultivating a strong working relationship with executive team
  peers, administrators, faculty, and staff across the
  university.
• Work collaboratively with marketing and communications to
  develop and implement a plan to increase awareness of the
  development efforts of the university.
• Represent the University on university, community, state, and
  national committees.
• Remain current with the trends and best practices pertaining to
  the field through self-directed professional reading, developing
  professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional
  development courses, and attending training and/or courses.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 5 or more years of progressively responsible fundraising and
  high-level leadership experience in a higher education or nonprofit
  development role. Transferable experience will also be
  considered.
• Experience working with non-profit boards or volunteers.
• Credibility and sound judgment required to effectively engage
  and leverage leadership, volunteers, and other key constituents in
  the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of key prospects and
  donors.
• Demonstrated experience leading fundraising campaigns.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across complex
  organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead effective, diverse
  management teams.
• Experience and ability to positively interact with a diverse
  campus community.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree.

About the Institution

Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) is the newest of
Michigan’s 15 public colleges and universities. SVSU is a
comprehensive university with more than 100 undergraduate and
graduate programs of study for its more than 7,500 students.
Located on a suburban campus in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region,
SVSU offers programs of study in its five colleges (the College
of Arts and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Business and
Management, the College of Education, the Crystal M. Lange College
of Health and Human Services and the College of Science,
Engineering and Technology).  SVSU stands out as a great
place to work and has received national recognition among “Great
Colleges to Work For” for eight consecutive years. There are over
1,100 staff committed to a supportive and empowering environment
for students around the world.

SVSU has 97% job and graduate school placement for their
graduates. In 2023, SVSU was voted Best College Campus in Michigan
and the Best Housing in the US on Niche.com. In addition, the
campus has nearly 200 student organizations connecting students and
providing a sense of community.

Living in the Area

Located in the Great Lakes Bay Region, home to more than 500,000
residents, SVSU sits directly in between the cities of Bay City,
Saginaw and Midland. The Region is home to many multinational
manufacturers including Dow, DuPont, Corteva, Hemlock
Semiconductor, Nexteer Automotive and General Motors. For sports
enthusiasts, the Region offers many options, including the Great
Lakes Loons (Single-A Baseball), Saginaw Spirit (Ontario Hockey
League) and the Dow Championship (LPGA Tournament). The Region is
also home to high quality schools, four major medical centers, and
thriving downtowns offering rich cultural activities. It is home to
one of the Midwest’s busiest tourism destinations, Frankenmuth,
known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria. The area boasts numerous park
systems with hiking trails, and the option to venture outside of
the city limits to enjoy the wonders of nature in the Shiawassee
National Wildlife Refuge, one of the richest wildlife habitats in
Michigan.

Saginaw is an affordable option for those seeking to settle in
the Great Lakes Bay Region, with a cost of living and housing both
below the national average at 21% and 69%, respectively. In
addition, it is home to major employers such as GM Powertrain and
Covenant HealthCare, which provide jobs for many of the local
population.

To Apply

For full consideration, please apply by April
18th.

To be viewed by the search firm, you must apply directly
at: https://acesrch.applicantstack.com/x/detail/a21esjyhirla

Please apply through the application link and do not email
applications.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should
include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters
should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated
confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated
confidentially

Inquiries and questions: Please send to [email protected]

Nominations and referrals: Please send the
nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to
[email protected].

Institution’s EEO Statement

Saginaw Valley State University is an affirmative
action/equal opportunity institution.  It encourages diversity
and inclusion and provides equal opportunity in education,
employment, all of its programs and the use of its
facilities.  It is committed to protecting the constitutional
and statutory civil rights of persons connected with the
University.

Saginaw Valley State University is committed to
providing work and learning opportunities without regard to age,
color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, height,
marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex (including
pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, weight, or on any
other basis protected by state, federal, or other applicable law,
and to achieving its objectives in compliance with applicable
federal, state and local laws and regulations that prohibit
discrimination.