Vice President For Advancement (Huntsville)

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The Angeletti Group invites nominations and applications for the Vice President for Advancement at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. This is a pivotal opportunity to join the Institute’s leadership team at an important moment in its evolution.

As HudsonAlpha continues to expand its scientific, educational, and economic impact, the Institute is entering a new phase of growth that includes an increasing focus on philanthropic investment. With soaring demand for private investment to accelerate genomic discovery, translate research into real-world application, and expand educational outreach, HudsonAlpha seeks a senior advancement leader who can build and scale a nationally competitive team aligned with HudsonAlpha’s ambitious trajectory. This role offers an exceptional opportunity for a strategic fundraising leader who is energized by building, scaling, and shaping an advancement program during a pivotal period of organizational growth.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer with a dotted-line relationship to the President, the Vice President for Advancement will serve as HudsonAlpha’s chief fundraising strategist, and the architect of a comprehensive, multi-year initiative to strengthen philanthropic investment, expand regional and national reach, and embed a culture of philanthropy across the organization. HudsonAlpha welcomes candidates who have demonstrated progressively increasing leadership responsibility and are prepared to step into their first chief advancement role, provided they bring the vision, fundraising expertise, and leadership potential to build and grow an advancement program that matches the Institute’s scientific excellence and ambitions.

The Vice President for Advancement

The Vice President for Advancement is HudsonAlpha’s senior advancement leader. This executive-level role carries organization-wide responsibility for strategy, performance, and growth across all advancement functions. The successful candidate will combine strategic vision with a hands-on approach, partnering closely with leadership to grow philanthropic support and position advancement as a strategic driver of HudsonAlpha’s continued success.

This leader will design and scale a comprehensive advancement program encompassing major and principal gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, stewardship, special events, and advancement operations. They will be highly visible internally and externally, partnering closely with the Institute President, executive leadership team, scientific leaders, and the Board of Directors to align philanthropic investment with organizational priorities.

The Vice President for Advancement also serves as the Executive Director of the HudsonAlpha Foundation and works closely with the Foundation Board to set fundraising priorities, strengthen

board engagement in philanthropy and expand the Institute’s national philanthropic footprint.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a multi-year advancement strategy aligned with HudsonAlpha’s mission, growth plans, and long-term scientific priorities.
• Build and scale a nationally competitive comprehensive advancement program capable of sustaining long-term philanthropic growth.
• Establish clear revenue goals, performance metrics, and accountability systems across all advancement functions.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the executive leadership team on philanthropic opportunities, external engagement, and positioning.
• Partner with the Board of Directors and Foundation Board to strengthen their effectiveness in fundraising, advocacy, and relationship development.

Fundraising and Donor Engagement

• Design and manage a disciplined, metrics-driven major and principal gift program with strong pipeline and moves management practices.
• Personally manage and solicit a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects.
• Oversee annual giving, planned giving, corporate partnerships, and foundation relations.
• Ensure high-impact stewardship practices that demonstrate measurable donor impact and deepen long-term loyalty.
• Translate complex scientific research and innovation into compelling impact case for philanthropic investment tailored to diverse audiences.
• Lead engagement with the Foundation Board’s Development Committee and serve as a strategic partner on fundraising, prospect development, and engagement opportunities to the Foundation Board.

Team Leadership and Organizational Culture

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing advancement team grounded in collaboration, accountability, and professional growth.
• Assess and strengthen team structure, systems, and talent to support sustained growth.
• Promote a culture of philanthropy across HudsonAlpha, equipping scientists, staff, and board members to participate meaningfully in donor engagement.
• Ensure effective mission-driven communication and alignment.
• Model the Institute’s values of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and community engagement.

Advancement Operations

• Oversee advancement operations including CRM systems, prospect research, gift processing, compliance, and reporting.
• Implement and monitor KPI dashboards aligned with organizational priorities and revenue goals.
• Use data-driven insights to forecast revenue, evaluate performance, and refine strategy.
• Ensure rigorous donor pipeline management across all stages of engagement.
• Partner with finance and accounting and legal teams to ensure accuracy in gift reporting, donor intent, and compliance.
• Collaborate with communications and marketing teams to elevate HudsonAlpha’s brand visibility and philanthropic storytelling nationally across digital and traditional channels.

Qualifications and Preferences

• Demonstrated success in progressively responsible advancement leadership roles, with experience leading significant fundraising initiatives, developing high-performing teams, and helping grow a comprehensive advancement program. Experience within a research institute, academic medical center, university, or similarly complex nonprofit organization is preferred.
• Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and close major and transformational gifts.
• Experience expanding philanthropic reach into new geographic markets.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience building, mentoring, and motivating high-performing teams.
• Exceptional communications skills, including the ability to translate complex scientific or technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Strategic thinker with strong operational discipline and ability to manage complex systems.
• A strategic and forward-looking leader who can articulate a compelling philanthropic vision whilefostering deep, collaborative relationships across the institution.
• Commitment to HudsonAlpha’s mission, vision, and values.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and discretion in all professional interactions.
• Collaborative, relationship-driven leadership style with strong emotional intelligence.
• Entrepreneurial mindsetand comfort operating in a growth environment.
• Genuine passion for science, innovation, education, and improving human health.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Application Procedure

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To be considered, candidates should submit a statement of interest and CV to The Angeletti Group at View email address on apply.placed-app.com.

Nominations and confidential inquiries can be made to:

Suzanne Albin

View phone number on apply.placed-app.com

View email address on apply.placed-app.com