Associate Vice President of Development (Schools/Colleges)

Department: Advancement and Alumni Relations

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:The University Advancement division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 125 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, special events, gift processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information systems and management, and infrastructure services.

Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

About the Position:
Supports the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations (VP) in identifying and implementing strategies for success in securing significant philanthropic support for George Mason University. The Associate Vice President (Assoc VP) oversees professional fundraising staff. This position co-manages the school/college development staff along with the Deans.

The position reports directly to the Vice President for Advancement & Alumni Relations and is a member of a senior management team.

The Assoc VP will work closely with the University President, Provost, VP, academic and administrative leadership in translating University priorities into compelling proposals and fundraising initiatives that attract giving and alumni participation. This individual will provide service and leadership to the George Mason University community by developing and leading high performing teams, acting as a strategic partner in developing, managing and sustaining relationships with key partners, and will contribute to the implementation of a strategic vision for a highly effective philanthropy program at George Mason University.

This position is expected to work non-routine hours in order to successfully achieve goals and objectives, and travel as necessary.

Responsibilities:Leadership and Coaching
Manages George Mason University's philanthropy program, including recruitment, orientation, mentoring and fundraising activities;Provides leadership and staff oversight for fundraising professionals;Coordinates and facilitates development to colleagues, faculty, Deans, unit directors, volunteers, administration and staff to identify and solicit support for strategic university and academic-unit priorities;In collaboration with the VP and Deans, develops and implements plans, monitors & reports progress towards goals, increases fundraising effectiveness and strives to attain greater levels of philanthropy for George Mason University within a collaborative team environment;Develops and maintains strong, positive, rapport with unit leadership, including Deans, and development officers to ensure optimum participation on fundraising and effective duel report system is functioning and effective;Works with direct reports and their respective teams on strategic planning efforts to establish college/unit and individual performance goals and associated metrics;Manages a team of fundraising professionals and maintains a personal portfolio of prospects with multi-disciplinary interests within a high-performance, metrics-based team environment;Trains, coaches and mentors team members in best fundraising and operational practices;Fosters a culture of collaboration and communication with academic leaders, among units and with central fundraising services;Ensures adoption and effective use of strategic tools and resources such as contact reports, prospect management, research, and the CRM database; andServes as a strategic partner to Advancement Operations in the recruitment, retention, development, and engagement of development team members.

Revenue Responsibility
Builds, develops and manages a small individual portfolio of prospects/donors focusing on major and principal gifts;Identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards donors for the purpose of securing gifts/grants for George Mason University's institutional priorities, academic programs and initiatives;Establishes long-term relationships on behalf of George Mason University;Works collaboratively with administration, faculty, development officers, academic programs, research centers and institutes to enhance relationships with the goal of securing and increasing philanthropic support;Maximizes support of key university priorities across all academic units;Identifies and cultivates prospect leads in industry to support Academic programs and presidential priorities with the goal of securing multiple new six-, seven-figure contributions;Provides stewardship to existing donors and secures ongoing renewed support;Collaborates closely with advancement and alumni relations colleagues to build out multidimensional strategic relationships with donors, and prospects to drive overall support;Builds and nurtures effective working relationships with alumni, parents, friends, volunteers and team members; andPartners with colleagues and direct reports to elevate gift strategies on all prospects.

Strategic Planning/Collaboration and Communication
Works closely with internal and external partners to promote and solicit funding from viable prospects;Must be all-inclusive, collaborative and demonstrate exceptional oral and written communication skills;Clearly articulates fundraising goals in the context of the overall Advancement mission, goals and objectives;Conducts research and maintains in-depth knowledge of all University policies and priorities;Participates in structured sessions with colleagues inclusive of Deans and VPs to coordinate prospect identification, engagement, strategy building, proposal development, solicitation and follow up;Leads proactive collaborative efforts to develop effective and coordinated strategies for prospects shared by more than one academic unit;Facilitates action plans and monitors implementation of strategies;Creates and executes events and activities for cultivation, stewardship, and solicitations to advance principal gifts;Serves as a strategist responsible for setting organizational priorities that strengthen the donor pipeline and lift the fundraising capacity to meet increasing annual goals and drive long-term results;Leads and oversees development performance metrics and analytics to measure and strengthen fundraising effectiveness and outcomes;Stays abreast of industry standards, trends, breakthroughs and best practices;Implements changes accordingly to maintain competitiveness among peers and to grow the philanthropic impact at the university;Coordinates the university’s relationships with businesses, industry leaders, national organizations, and other private entities seeking access to GM resources and forges research, workforce and philanthropic partnerships; andAdvises senior management team and staff on areas of interest to identify and develop new opportunities for support.

Reporting and Analysis/Stewardship and Donor Management
Provides thoughtful, consistent and appropriate stewardship including impact statements/reports and other measures of accountability;Maintains current and accurate internal records of corporate donor relationships and interactions through the donor/prospect database;Writes and submits proposals directly or via staff;Participates in regular Development meetings to share updates of activities;Collaborates with Development staff, sharing best practices, current challenges, and opportunities and to assist in framing overall development strategy;Develops and coordinates and/or assign tasks regarding overall prospect research and proposal development including: tracking of cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation activity for prospects, partners, and supporters;Enters all development activity in the database system in an accurate and timely manner;Oversees site visits for donors/prospects, working closely with development officers, faculty and University partners;Arranges and participates in visits with University leadership, as needed;Develops and coordinates reports as required to industry partners; andUtilizes donor database for reporting/analysis that measure progress against department goals.
 
Required Qualifications:Master’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;Extensive (typically ten or more years) development experience in higher education;Proven track record and experience in leadership and management of Advancement and Alumni Relations professionals within a complex organization;Significant (typically seven years) managerial experience of fundraisers, typically in large, complex institutions;Success working on teams to develop high-level gift agreements with funding opportunities across disciplines;Requires broad practical and substantive expertise across multiple related disciplines;Experience with fundraising database and knowledge of prospecting tools and reports within fundraising systems or other prospective donor relations systems, e.g. Advance, Raiser's Edge, Sales Force, etc;Demonstrated understanding of and success in advancement and philanthropy, their best practices and in managing and mentoring front line development directors;Proven track record of soliciting and closing gifts, including complex and blended gifts, from individuals, in the six and seven-figure range, preferably at a college or university;Demonstrated leadership skills with an ability to inspire staff and volunteers to achieve and surpass goals and objectives;Ability to develop strong presence in the community through effective networking, planning, and execution of fundraising strategies;Demonstrated ability to identify and implement strategic fundraising solicitation strategies in support of strategic initiatives;Demonstrate the ability to manage time and workload to multitask and achieve goals in a deadline driven environment;Proficiency in the utilization and application of data and analytics as a tool to inform donor strategy;Excellent computer skills including database management and proven understanding and proficiency with CRMs;High level of integrity, trustworthiness, and a record of working collaboratively across organizations to meet shared goals;Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software;Advanced skills in project management and budget;A high degree of integrity, drive, and persuasiveness – a self-starter who leads by example and measures success by results;Superior writing, oral communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills;Excellent flexibility and adaptability skills with a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate large responsibility and multiple priorities; andAbility to work within a team framework and manage teams and projects.

Instructions to Applicants: George Mason University has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Kenna Boyd, Partner, and Abigail Maynard, Managing Associate are leading the search. Inquiries and nominations should be sent to abigail.maynard@opuspartners.net. To apply visit, https://jobs.gmu.edu/.  Required application materials include a resume and cover letter. For best consideration, please apply by October 22, 2025. The search process will unfold with the greatest possible attention to candidate confidentiality.George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

Posting Open Date: September 22, 2025
For Full Consideration, Apply by:  October 22, 2025
Open Until Filled:  Yes