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Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri (www.wcmo.edu) invites applications for the position of Vice President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA).  Reporting to the President of the College, the VPIA is a key member of the President’s Cabinet. As the chief fundraising officer, the incumbent plays a central role in leading development operations with the purpose of maximizing philanthropic support in alignment with the College’s values, aspirations, and priorities. The Vice President will provide leadership and direction for the advancement office, including principal and major gift development, annual giving, alumni engagement, advancement services, and stewardship. The Vice President works closely with the Board of Trustees (“Board”), providing staff support for its Board Development Committee (“Committee”) and the Alumni Council (“Council”).

POSITION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Reports to and partners with the President and President’s Cabinet in achieving their collective vision.
• Works closely with other members of the Cabinet and their staff in multi-faceted activities and functions on a routine basis.
• Works closely with the President and the Committee’s Chair and Vice Chair in all phases of their advancement and campaign leadership activities as well as the President of the Council in all phases of their activities.
• Participates in strategic discussions and develop programs to strengthen the financial resources of the College.
• Creates and executes a strategic fundraising plan with defined goals, timeframes, and metrics with measurable annual goals related to fundraising and alumni participation. This will also include the development of a major capital fundraising campaign and detailed execution strategy in the next one-two years.
• Develops a high-performance development program and team with a focus on increasing philanthropic revenue through individual giving from the entire College community and external sources of fundraising outside of the College’s traditional donor base, such as foundations and similar organizations and entities.
• Seizes opportunities to collaborate with senior leadership, trustees, alumni, and others in identifying opportunities to link programs with philanthropic opportunities.
• Personally identify, cultivate, solicit, close and steward gifts.
• Supervises, coaches, and mentors advancement and alumni affairs staff leading to the achievement of operational and strategic goals.
• Engages and encourages faculty, staff, and students, when and as appropriate, to take an active role in supporting fundraising activities.
• Assists in the coordination of special events including annual events such as local fundraising events, Alumni Weekend, Athletic Hall of Fame, and key aspects of Homecoming and Commencement.
• Completes other duties as assigned or recommended by the President and/or the Committee and Council.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Master’s Degree in appropriate field such as Higher Education Administration, Marketing, and/or Communications required. Doctorate degree preferred.

Experience: Ten years of progressively successful development experience with a track record of building comprehensive fundraising programs, including capital campaigns and similar plans that achieve demonstrated results. Demonstrated management and oversight experience in principally three traditional areas of institutional advancement (Development, Alumni Relations and Communications) is required. Strong supervisory experience that demonstrates the ability to lead, coach, and develop staff. Demonstrated record of attention to detail for donor correspondence, information and agreements, annual communications and other donor requests and similar matters.

Skills: Knowledge of best practices and the ability to apply them in innovative ways. Outstanding relationship building and collaboration skills to work with diverse constituencies. Success identifying and securing individual and foundation support; demonstrated excellent written communication and oral presentation skills; strategic planning skills and demonstration of how to execute elements of a detailed and multi-faceted strategic plan. A self-starter who seeks and seizes opportunity. Experience with on-line fundraising and social media. Strong organizational skills and donor and alumni information management skills related to stewardship of funds received, accounts managed, and prospect cultivation.

MISSION: It shall be the mission of Westminster College to educate and inspire all its students through a distinctive liberal arts curriculum and a dynamic developmental experience; to challenge them to be critically aware, life-long learners and leaders of character, committed to the values of integrity, fairness, respect and responsibility; and to prepare them for lives of success, significance and service.

Westminster College (WestMo), founded by Rev. William W. Robertson in 1851, is a small, private liberal arts college, offering a Bachelor of Arts guaranteed in four years.  WestMo is located in Fulton, Missouri on a beautiful 86-acres of Greek Revival architecture, marked with famous landmarks including the Columns and a section of the Berlin Wall.  Ranked as one of the best 150 colleges in Midwest, by Princeton Review 2023, the College has approximately 656 students (639 FTE), 34+ majors, 40+ minors, 17 certifications, 6 online programs, 3 specialty programs, and 4 dual-degree programs.

Westminster College (MO) is being assisted by the search firm Hyatt-Fennell. Submit application materials to wcmovpia@hyatt-fennell.com. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a letter of interest, a current resumé/CV, and contact information for three professional references. The position will remain open until filled. All applications and nominations will be considered highly confidential.

Westminster College (MO) encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and employment. The College is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The College does not discriminate in access to, treatment of, or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, veteran status, marital status, disability, or genetic information.