Vice President for Advancement

Job Description:

The Vice President for Advancement (VPA) serves as Our Lady of the Lake University's chief advancement officer and the President's senior strategic partner in building the institution's philanthropic capacity, alumni engagement, corporate and foundation relations, and long-term financial strength. Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President's Cabinet, the VPA designs and executes a comprehensive, mission-aligned advancement enterprise that secures transformational philanthropic investments to support OLLU's three institutional priorities: Building Financial Strength, Achieving Operational Excellence, and Elevating Our University Brand.

This is a high-velocity, high-accountability executive role for a seasoned advancement leader who combines a distinguished personal record in major and principal gift fundraising with the strategic intelligence, executive presence, and data-driven discipline to lead an advancement enterprise and position OLLU for comprehensive campaign readiness. The VPA is simultaneously OLLU's lead fundraiser and chief architect of its philanthropic future, personally closing significant gifts while building the systems, team, pipeline, and culture of giving that will sustain the University's mission for generations to come. The VPA serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and participates as an enterprise-level executive in institutional strategy, financial planning, enrollment, brand, academic priorities, and external relations.

Founded and sponsored by the Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence (CDP) and rooted in its identity as a Catholic, Hispanic-Serving Institution, Our Lady of the Lake University offers a compelling and distinctive philanthropic story. The VPA must translate that story into urgent, purposeful calls to philanthropic action, with the mission fluency, cultural competence, and relational depth that OLLU deserves. The VPA is expected to activate the CDP network, the Board of Trustees, and OLLU's broader community of faith as strategic advancement partners.



Requirements:

Essential Functions - Overarching Leadership Responsibilities.

I. Strategic Fundraising, Campaign Readiness, and Major Gift Leadership

1. Serve as OLLU's chief fundraising strategist , designing and executing a comprehensive, multi-channel advancement strategy encompassing major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, government grants, and endowment development.
2. Personally manage a portfolio of the University's highest-capacity major and principal gift prospects through all stages of the donor lifecycle: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, negotiation, and stewardship.
3. Partner directly with the President , Board of Trustees, and Cabinet on transformational gift opportunities, cultivation strategies, and stewardship of the University's most significant philanthropic relationships.
4. Lead comprehensive campaign readiness assessment within the first 12 months of appointment, including feasibility analysis, donor pipeline evaluation, volunteer leadership identification, campaign priority development, and pre-campaign infrastructure investment.
5. Design and execute campaign strategy , including governance structures, volunteer leadership networks, prospect pipeline development, case for support, campaign communications, and performance benchmarks.
6. Develop compelling cases for support , tailored gift proposals, and philanthropic investment narratives that translate OLLU's mission, Catholic identity, and HSI designation into urgent and resonant donor engagement.
7. Establish and administer annual and long-range advancement plans , fundraising goals, financial projections, and measurable performance metrics aligned to the University's Strategic Action Plan.
8. Exercise authority and decision rights to appropriately structure the Advancement Division; establish portfolios and prospect assignments; develop and approve advancement operating procedures; establish solicitation strategies; establish campaign governance; determine appropriate prospect-management practices; recommend advancement technology investments; and establish performance standards for the advancement team, in consultation with the President.

II. Government Grants, Corporate and Foundation Relations

1. Build and lead a robust Government Grants strategy , providing strategic leadership for institutional government and foundation relations, while collaborating with the appropriate academic, research, and finance offices on proposal development, compliance, and post-award administration, in coordination with Academic Affairs and the Office of the President. Federal and state funding opportunities include Title V (HSI), Department of Education, and NSF programs as explicit pillars of the advancement revenue portfolio.
2. Develop and expand corporate and foundation relations , building mutually beneficial partnerships aligned to academic programs, workforce development, student success, and institutional strategic priorities.
3. Design and manage grant prospecting, proposal development, and stewardship workflows , ensuring compliance, timely reporting, and relationship continuity with all institutional funders.
4. Diversify philanthropic revenue streams , building a balanced portfolio of individual, corporate, foundation, and government investment.

III. Network Leadership and CDP, Board, and Volunteer Activation

1. Activate and steward the CDP network , the Sisters of the Congregation of Divine Providence and their extended relationships, as a strategic advancement asset, engaging this community as ambassadors, connectors, and advocates for OLLU's philanthropic mission.
2. Partner with the Presiden t to recruit, train, and deploy Board of Trustees members as active fundraising leaders and philanthropic ambassadors, establishing a culture of universal Board participation in advancement, with every trustee contributing through giving, engagement, advocacy, introductions, cultivation, stewardship, and other meaningful advancement activities. Through this President-led fundraising environment, establish a highly coordinated President-VPA fundraising partnership, including prospect ownership, presidential engagement strategies, solicitation roles, donor intelligence, visit preparation, follow-up, and stewardship.
3. Build and manage volunteer leadership structures that extend the University's fundraising reach through engaged alumni, community leaders, corporate partners, and faith community networks.
4. Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders across San Antonio, Texas, and nationally, expanding OLLU's philanthropic network and positioning the University for transformational investment.
5. Foster a university-wide culture of philanthropy rooted in OLLU's Catholic identity and CDP founding charism, communicating giving not merely as institutional support but as an expression of Providence and shared mission, engaging faculty, staff, and students as active participants in the advancement enterprise.

IV. Advancement Operations, Prospect Research, and Portfolio Management

1. Oversee and continuously strengthen advancement operations as a distinct, high-functioning organizational domain, establishing clear policies, procedures, accountability systems, and performance dashboards across all advancement functions.
2. Lead the continuous implementation, optimization, and improvement of advancement CRM systems (i.e., Raiser's Edge NXT), ensuring data integrity, system adoption, and integration across all advancement functions.
3. Build and manage a rigorous prospect research and portfolio management function , including systematic prospect identification, capacity modeling, prospect scoring, portfolio assignment protocols, and regular portfolio reviews ensuring gift officer time is invested in highest-return relationships.
4. Deploy predictive analytics and data-driven segmentation tools to identify, score, and prioritize donor capacity, affinity, and readiness across OLLU's full constituent base.
5. Establish real-time advancement dashboards and performance reporting systems giving the President, Cabinet, and Board continuous visibility into gift activity, pipeline health, campaign progress, and fundraising ROI.
6. Leverage artificial intelligence, automation, and process optimization tools to enhance donor prospecting, pipeline analytics, stewardship communication personalization, and campaign management efficiency.
7. Ensure full compliance with CASE standards, IRS gift reporting requirements , gift acceptance policies, and all applicable legal and ethical standards governing philanthropic activity.

V. Team Leadership, Division Management, and Institutional Collaboration

1. Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a high-performing advancement team , establishing clear performance expectations, coaching for excellence, and holding staff accountable for measurable results tied to institutional priorities.
2. Build and manage the advancement division budget with fiscal discipline, ensuring resources are allocated to highest-return activities and all expenditures are justified by measurable philanthropic outcomes.
3. Collaborate with Cabinet members, Deans, and faculty to identify philanthropic opportunities aligned with donor interests and institutional academic priorities.
4. Partner with the Vice President for Marketing, Communications & Engagement to ensure advancement messaging, brand storytelling, and donor communications are aligned, compelling, and consistent with the University's identity.
5. Serve as a visible, trusted ambassador of the President and University in internal and external settings, representing OLLU with the executive presence and relational credibility that this institution's philanthropic mission demands.
6. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities - Leadership Non-Negotiables

The following competencies are non-negotiable expectations for the Vice President for Advancement. Candidates must demonstrate evidence of each.

1. Quantitative Analysis: Drives all advancement strategy and operational decisions through rigorous quantitative analysis, fundraising team productivity, donor pipeline analytics, prospect capacity modeling, ROI measurement, and campaign benchmarking. Every strategy is grounded in data, and outcomes are measured.
2. Executive Presence : Commands credibility, respect, and confidence in every setting, from donor cultivation and Board presentations to Cabinet discussions and public representation of the University. Communicates with clarity, authority, and inspiration. Moves donors, volunteers, and colleagues to action through compelling narrative and authentic relationships.
3. Strategy: Thinks and acts at the strategic level, connecting advancement activity to institutional priorities, building multi-year plans with measurable milestones, and making resource allocation decisions based on long-term philanthropic architecture. Converts strategy into execution with measurable institutional impact.
4. Mission Fluency and Catholic Identity : Deeply understands and champions OLLU's Catholic identity, CDP founding charism, and HSI mission. Communicates OLLU's philanthropic story with authenticity, spiritual resonance, and cultural competence.
5. Relational Intelligence and Network Activation: Possesses an established and expandable donor and philanthropic network. Builds trust quickly and sustains relationships over time. Knows how to activate networks (CDP, Board, OLLUmni, corporate partners) as strategic advancement assets.
6. Integrity and Transparency: Operates with the highest level of integrity in all donor, institutional, and team interactions. Models transparency, accountability, and ethical behavior. Rejects gossip, workplace politics, and siloed decision-making.
7. Enterprise Leadership: Transcends functional boundaries to advance university-wide strategic initiatives. Serves as a key advisor to the President and Cabinet on philanthropic strategy and donor intelligence.
8. Innovation and Technological Fluency : Embraces and leads the application of AI, automation, and digital tools across advancement operations. Stays current with emerging fundraising technology.
9. Organizational Leadership and Talent Development: Recruits, coaches, and retains high-performing teams. Establishes clear expectations and accountability structures. Invests in the professional growth of advancement staff as a long-term institutional asset.
10. High Velocity and Goal Orientation: Manages multiple high-stakes relationships and institutional priorities simultaneously without losing quality or momentum. Self-starter. Meticulous attention to detail. Unwavering goal orientation in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Education and Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree required from an accredited institution.
• Master's degree strongly preferred.

Experience

• Progressively responsible advancement and fundraising experience required, including substantial senior leadership experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of senior leadership experience managing teams with full accountability for results.
• A sustained personal record of closing major and principal gifts, including demonstrated success with gifts at the $1 million+ level, with evidence of increasing gift size and complexity, is required.
• Demonstrated experience with comprehensive fundraising campaigns, including feasibility assessment, campaign planning, volunteer leadership development, and campaign execution, is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience with government grant strategy (federal and state) as part of the advancement portfolio is strongly preferred; HSI grant experience is a significant advantage.
• Demonstrated executive-level expertise using advancement CRM systems, data governance, prospect management, analytics, and reporting, with the ability to lead CRM strategy, implementation, and adoption, is required.
• Experience in higher education advancement strongly preferred; Catholic institution and/or HSI experience is highly valued.
• An established donor and philanthropic network, with the demonstrated ability to leverage relationships on behalf of the institution across San Antonio, Texas, and nationally.

Additional Information:

Employment with Our Lady of the Lake University is contingent upon the applicant undergoing a background investigation.

OLLU seeks to attract, develop and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administrators. The University is committed to diversity and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities. EOE

Our Lady of the Lake University uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit



Application Instructions:

How to Apply Candidates are invited to submit the following materials:

• A letter of interest (three pages or fewer) addressing the candidate's qualifications, leadership philosophy, and approach to the key priorities of this search, particularly campaign readiness and team building.
• A current curriculum vitae or professional rsum.

Nominations, Inquiries, and Application Materials:

VPA Search - Our Lady of Lake University:

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