Senior Vice President, Development and Alumni Affairs

Senior Vice President, Development and Alumni Affairs

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

WittKieffer is assisting Hofstra University in this search. Please see below for application instructions.

About Hofstra  | Hofstra University, a nationally ranked and recognized private university in Hempstead, New York, invites nominations and applications for the role of Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs.

Hofstra University enrolls over 6,000 undergraduate students and nearly 4,000 graduate students in 13 schools, which feature a variety of departments, as well as a number of institutes and centers. Hofstra offers 180 undergraduate programs and approximately 190 graduate programs in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication, Education, Health Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies and Honors College, as well as a School of Law and a School of Medicine. The student-faculty ratio is 13-to-1, and the average undergraduate class size is 21. Athletics contribute to the vibrancy of the Hofstra community, with 21 varsity sports teams that compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Coastal Athletic Association.

The new Senior Vice President (SVP) will join a dynamic leadership team that has been steering the institution into an exciting new era, following the historic appointment of its ninth and first female president, Dr. Susan Poser, in August 2021, and the addition of Provost Dr. Charlie Riordan in July 2022. The leadership team is investing heavily in academic programs for students while also growing the scholarly and research enterprise and reputation of the University. In 2025, Hofstra University earned the distinction of a High Spending and Doctorate Production University (R2) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, marking a significant milestone in the University’s academic and research trajectory. In addition, Hofstra recently launched an ambitious 10-year strategic plan, Hofstra 100, which will propel the University to its centennial in 2035. This plan focuses on academic excellence and bridges Hofstra’s century of growth and accomplishment to the student-centric, technology-forward needs of the next era. In collaboration with the president, University leadership, and the Board of Trustees, the new Senior Vice President will grow the development and alumni affairs programs and continue the quiet phase of a comprehensive campaign to support Hofstra 100.

Position Title  | Senior Vice President, Development and Alumni Affairs
Position Number  | 899840
Position Category  | Administration
School/Division  | Office of the President (division)
Department  | Development and Alumni Affairs
Full-Time or Part-Time  | Full-Time

Description  | Reporting to the president, the Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs will play a critical leadership role in advancing Hofstra’s strategic goals. The SVP serves as a member of the president’s Cabinet and a member of the senior leadership team, responsible for all aspects of University fundraising, development, alumni relations, and leadership recruitment. The SVP will be a trusted ambassador for the University, providing strategic counsel to the president and serving as the liaison to the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Development and Alumni Affairs. The new leader must maintain close and collaborative working relationships with the deans and administrative leaders, providing guidance and maximizing philanthropic impact in each of their units. The SVP will be responsible for driving the continued growth of major and principal gifts while preparing Hofstra for the public phase of its comprehensive campaign.

Qualifications  | Hofstra seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial leader and change agent who pursues innovative, AI-informed solutions grounded in sound advancement strategies and tactics. The successful candidate will be a high-energy, experienced, and entrepreneurial advancement leader who will articulate a new vision for Hofstra’s development and alumni affairs initiatives. The next SVP will also have the experience of leading a team to higher performance and increase efforts to build a stronger culture of philanthropy across campus and beyond. The SVP must bring a strong commitment to and understanding of the possibilities of new technologies that support a fundraising operation and create vibrant, dynamic platforms for engaging and communicating with Hofstra alumni, donors, and friends. Experience with conceptualizing transformative gifts, developing complex and coordinated strategies, and cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors capable of making this level of investment in Hofstra is essential.

Significant and progressively responsible senior-level fundraising experience with a successful record of accomplishment in direct solicitation, prospect management, annual giving, major and planned giving management, alumni affairs, and leading capital campaigns is required. Experience at an institution of higher education is preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications  |
Special Instructions  | 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 which can be found at Senior Vice President, Development and Alumni Affairs | WittKieffer.

WittKieffer is assisting Hofstra University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by July 28, 2025. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:
Lucy Leske, Jessica Herrington and Ashlee Musser
HofstraSVPDAA@wittkieffer.com
Deadline  | July 28, 2025
Date Posted  | 06/24/2025

EEO Statement  | Hofstra University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to extending equal opportunity in employment to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Salary/Salary Range  | $400,000 - $425,000, plus University-provided vehicle

 
Additional Information
Hofstra University provides the above salary* as a good faith estimate of the starting pay range which considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and education. In addition to the salary offered, we offer a collegial and inclusive culture, and a benefits program which includes generous paid time off, paid holidays, tuition remission for employees and eligible dependents, and a retirement plan with University contributions.
 
*Salary ranges indicated for positions covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement are in accordance with the CBA.

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