Sr. Associate Vice President of Development and Alumni Affairs

Position Number

4159401

Department

Development

Category

Development

Location : Location

US-VA-Norfolk

Type

Regular Full-Time

ABOUT EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL

The origins of the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) date back to the 1960s, when a group of civic leaders recognized the need for more physicians within the Hampton Roads community. Through sheer determination and commitment, these leaders raised the funds to establish EVMS as one of the few independent medical schools in the United States, admitting its inaugural class in 1973.

Over the course of its 50-year history, the focus on community has remained constant and guided EVMS in developing a unique collaborative culture in which faculty and students work together to address health disparities impacting Hampton Roads. This entrepreneurial spirit attracts passionate health professionals, educators, and students, as well as medical pioneers. Among the notable medical innovations that stem from EVMS are the first child conceived through in vitro fertilization, the region’s first pediatric cochlear implant, and the development of treatments to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS.

MISSION
Eastern Virginia Medical School is an academic health center dedicated to achieving excellence in medical and health professions education, research, and patient care. They value creating and fostering a diverse and cohesive faculty, professional staff, and student body as the surest way to achieve their mission. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, EVMS will strive to improve the health of its community and to be recognized as a national center of intellectual and clinical strength in medicine and health professions. Their commitment to ensuring institutional effectiveness is demonstrated by the continuous assessment processes they use to improve program performance and student learning outcomes.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY

As two of the leading institutions in Hampton Roads, EVMS and Old Dominion University (ODU) have a long history of supporting and engaging the community. In 2021 the leaders of both institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to explore ways that they could more closely align to enhance their collaborative efforts to strengthen educational research and healthcare outcomes in Hampton Roads. Through the consistent effort and collaboration of numerous leaders at EVMS and ODU, and with the support of Sentara Healthcare as a critical hospital partner, the Commonwealth of Virginia recently allocated significant funding to support the integration of the two institutions and the creation of the most comprehensive health sciences center in the state. The official integration of EVMS and ODU is expected to commence on July 1, 2024.

THE POSITION

The Senior Associate Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations (SAVP) will lead all fundraising and alumni relations activities for the Eastern Virginia Medical School and the emerging Health Sciences Center. The SAVP will develop an actionable strategic plan for Development and Alumni Relations that w ill strengthen existing relationships, cultivate new donors and partners, and deeply engage the Hampton Roads and EVMS alumni communities. This leader will build on the momentum of the recent Deliver on the Promise campaign, leveraging the 50th anniversary of EVMS and the forthcoming integration with ODU to expand opportunities for donor support and increase funding for expanded programs, endowments, and scholarships. They will guide the team to continue growing alumni engagement and donor stewardship programs to support a sustainable donor pipeline for health sciences and health professions programs.

This leader must be driven by the community-oriented mission and history of EVMS and have demonstrated experience in working collaboratively in a complex institution. It will be critical for the SAVP to establish close working partnerships with the President of EVMS, the various Deans and Directors of programs, other senior leaders in the institution, community leaders, and the Development staff. Additionally, they must be politically savvy, possess exceptional communication and listening skills, and have prior experience working closely with a Board of Trustees. The SAVP will directly cultivate and solicit donors to EVMS while providing strategic management and business leadership for the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.

The SAVP will lead a team of 15 - 20 development and alumni relations professionals in the areas of major and principal giving, annual giving, planned giving, capital campaigns, and alumni engagement. They will be a collegial and motivational manager capable of leading and growing a team in a changing environment, setting clear expectations for revenue generation and accountability to the spectrum of stakeholders engaged with EVMS.

The SAVP will report to Dr. Alfred Abuhamad, President, Provost, and Dean of the School of Medicine at EVMS. They will be responsible for managing the Foundation Board of Trustees, and have close working relationships with health sciences faculty as well as the leadership of the Finance and Marketing teams. As EVMS integrates with ODU, the SAVP will work collaboratively with ODU’s leadership and Development teams to ensure that donor cultivation is coordinated and supportive to the combined institution.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

Within the first two years, the Senior Associate Vice President will achieve the following major objectives:

• Integrate themselves into the community of EVMS, establishing relationships with colleagues, community members, donors, the hospital system, and other potential partners and stakeholders.
• Assess and align the structure of the Development and Alumni Relations team to ensure that staff can work effectively and efficiently across the institution and within the community.
• Maintain and build on the momentum created through the recent campaign, leveraging EVMS’s 50th anniversary and integration with Old Dominion University.
• Generate increased funding for scholarships and endowments to support the growth of EVMS’s Health Sciences Center.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Associate Vice President will have the following primary responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for the comprehensive growth of fundraising and community engagement programs at EVMS in alignment with professional best practices.
• Manage, mentor, recruit, and retain a high performing team of fundraising professionals who can support and advance the mission of EVMS.
• Cultivate and solicit a portfolio of major gift-level donors; support the Development team in cultivating increased support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government entities to ensure the ongoing sustainability of EVMS programs.
• Guide strategy to grow the pipeline of prospective donors, expand planned giving programs, and increase alumni engagement activity.
• In coordination with the Office of Financial Services, develop and manage budgets for all fundraising, alumni relations, and related marketing activities, consulting with Office of Marketing and Communications as needed.
• Engage EVMS faculty, staff, Board, and other stakeholders in the fundraising process, providing guidance and counsel to their development activity, and soliciting their expertise in developing programs that will attract donor support.
• With other senior leaders on the Development team, provide oversight to development operations including research, analysis, identification, qualification, stewardship, tracking, and reporting on donor engagement and giving throughout the development cycle.
• Provide written and verbal briefings on major gift prospects to the President of EVMS and/or the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; strategically engage the President in the cultivation of top tier major donors and partners.
• Establish and monitor metrics for Development and Alumni Relations officers with specific quarterly/annual goals.
• Provide oversight to the Office of Alumni Relations and its implementation of programs and projects to strategically engage alumni in ways that will provide tangible benefits to both alumni and current students.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will bring most of the following qualifications and skill sets:

• A minimum of ten years of related experience in fundraising is required, preferably with experience in a healthcare and/or higher education institution.
• Significant leadership and management experience with success in building, retaining, motivating, and developing a high-performing fundraising team.
• Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written; strong listening skills with the ability to synthesize information to support donor engagement and stewardship.
• Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to utilize both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decision making and planning.
• Ability to manage a diverse range of programs and activities across a complex institution, setting priorities and supporting the successful achievement of goals.
• Prior experience implementing and growing a variety of giving programs within a complex institution, including endowments, planned giving, and innovative donor stewardship.
• Familiarity with major fundraising database systems such as Raiser’s Edge and how to utilize them for reporting and tracking activity toward goals.
• Knowledge of current trends in fundraising and marketing, including benchmarking, metrics, and appropriate segmentation to ensure a positive return on investment.
• A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is an advantage.

CORE COMPETENCIES

The SAVP should possess the following core competencies:

• A passion for and commitment to the mission, vision, values, and goals of EVMS, particularly its focus on community and work addressing health disparities.
• A demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and proven ability to implement that commitment in fundraising processes.
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to achieve success within an evolving environment; the facility to respond to changing priorities and organizational needs with enthusiasm and energy.
• Capability to take independent action to address and resolve problems; excellent management of time and resources to meet and exceed deadlines and goals.
• A collegial, curious, and collaborative approach to work; strong interpersonal skills to engage the full variety of EVMS stakeholders and work effectively with others to achieve common goals.
• Ability to express ideas effectively and demonstrate sound judgment with regard to decision-making; a broad understanding of sound financial management practices.
• A strong sense of integrity and ethical standards.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $200,000 to $250,000. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; Flexible Spending Accounts; Employee Assistance Program; legal resources; disability and life insurance; retirement savings plans with company contribution and immediate vesting; wellness programs; and paid leave including four weeks of vacation, three weeks of sick time and 12.5 holidays per year.

APPLICATION

EVMS has retained Campbell & Company to conduct this search. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume here: bit.ly/3tMVdts