VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS. University of St. Thomas St. Paul, Minnesota

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1 VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS University of St. Thomas St. Paul, Minnesota The University of St. Thomas, Minnesota s largest private university, seeks an exceptional leader to serve as its vice president for development and alumni relations, reporting directly to President Julie Sullivan. This role could be a career-defining opportunity for someone talented in management, front-line major and principal gifts fundraising, and campaign leadership. The vice president will serve as a member of President Sullivan s leadership team, and will help to shape the future of St. Thomas and to further its reputation as one of the country s premier institutions for higher learning. The next vice president will lead a staff of approximately 70 across all functional areas in the division of development including principal and leadership gifts, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, alumni relations, annual fund, stewardship, and operations. The ideal candidate will have a significant track record as a manager and leader, at least seven years of experience progressively building and leading effective and high-performing fundraising programs; a successful track record of securing transformative gifts; 1

2 and the energy, hunger, and drive to achieve worthy and ambitious goals for St. Thomas. He or she will be responsible for ensuring a collaborative, forward-thinking, and well-integrated development program, in which relevant and tailored alumni engagement supports and informs gift cultivation and solicitation at all levels; data and technology are appropriately leveraged to inform near- and long-term strategy; and donor and volunteer support is stewarded in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Following the successful conclusion in 2014 of St. Thomas largest-ever capital campaign, which raised $516 million, the vice president will be responsible for leading all aspects of the university s next campaign, from planning through successful launch and execution. Above all, the vice president at the University of St. Thomas will have a passion for St. Thomas mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good. St. Thomas has retained Mr. Jack Gorman of Isaacson, Miller, the Boston-based international executive search firm, to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document. History and Background Founded in 1885 by Archbishop John Ireland, St. Thomas was originally a high school, a college, and a seminary on a farm just outside of St. Paul. Today, it s the largest private higher education institution in Minnesota, educating over 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students from 37 countries and 45 states in its seven colleges and schools. The university has three campuses in St. Paul, Minneapolis and Rome. The campus in St. Paul houses most of its undergraduate students on 78 acres as well as the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, Opus College of Business, School of Social Work and the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity. In 1992, St. Thomas opened a permanent 150,000 square foot campus in Minneapolis, which is now home to its Opus College of Business graduate programs, the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling and the School of Law. The Rome campus was established in 1999 through a generous gift and serves as a study abroad campus for undergraduate students. In 2013, the school welcomed its 15 th president, Dr. Julie Sullivan. Dr. Sullivan is the first layperson and first woman to hold the title in St. Thomas 130-year history. Before becoming president, Dr. Sullivan served for eight years as the executive vice president and provost at the University of San Diego. Dr. Sullivan 2

3 is an engaged and innovative leader who has built a strong leadership team. She led an institution-wide strategic planning process that resulted in St. Thomas 2020: Living Our Mission, Expanding Our Horizon which was approved by the Board of Trustees in November In February 2016, St. Thomas launched a new university-wide brand strategy ( that is rooted in its mission statement and commitment to the common good. The new brand statement reads: At the University of St. Thomas, we believe in hard work, human dignity and the transformative power of purple. We stand up for faith, hope and the power of individuals, working together, to achieve uncommon feats. We build bridges, create solutions and power ideas that move the world forward. And every day, we commit ourselves to being agents of change: to thinking critically, acting wisely and working skillfully... all for the common good. Development Highlights St. Thomas enjoys robust support from its 100,000+ alumni constituency, and its culture of philanthropy continues to grow. This past year the division launched the university s first-ever online giving day, which raised over $408,000 from 1,300 donors in just 24 hours. St. Thomas last campaign successfully closed at $516 million. That campaign included several eight-figure gifts including: $60 million, $50 million, and two $25 million gifts. LEADERSHIP Dr. Julie Sullivan, President Dr. Julie H. Sullivan became St. Thomas 15th president and first layperson and woman to serve as president on July 1, Her prior academic experience includes service as executive vice president and provost at the University of San Diego ( ) and as professor and administrator at the University of California-San Diego ( ) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) from 1987 to Her research and teaching has focused on issues related to corporate and global tax planning and financial reporting to shareholders. Sullivan is an innovative academic leader with a purpose. She is passionate about learning and scholarship grounded in the needs of an ever-changing and more complex world. She is a champion for social innovation and has been a leader in the Ashoka Changemaker movement. She also is known for her commitments to globalization and intercultural understanding. 3

4 Sullivan shares her education, financial, and business strategy expertise with public and private companies, as well as non-profit organizations. She currently is a board member of SI Group Inc., SI Group India, Loyola University Chicago and Greater Twin Cities United Way. She also is a member of the Minnesota Business Partnership, National Association of Corporate Directors and Minnesota Women s Economic Roundtable. A native of Florida, Sullivan has three degrees from the University of Florida, including a Ph.D. in business. VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS The vice president for development will report directly to the president and serve as a member of her leadership team. S/he will work closely with this group in setting priorities and devising strategies to achieve institution-wide objectives. The vice president will also work closely with the Board of Trustees, key volunteers, faculty, and staff, using their time and talents efficiently and appropriately to increase engagement and philanthropic support. St. Thomas seeks a vice president with proven management experience of a multi-million dollar fundraising organization. The vice president is responsible for providing innovative leadership and strategic vision to all aspects of the university s fundraising activities and constituent relationships. S/he will manage an operating budget of $9.3 million and oversee the development and advancement division, which currently includes major gifts, development for the colleges and schools, corporate and foundation relations, annual fund, alumni affairs, operations, donor relations, advancement communications, and gift planning. There are four direct reports to the vice president for development with a total budgeted staff of 70. In the past 1.5 years, there have been 18 new hires in development and advancement. Today, there are five open positions in addition to this one. The vice president will solidify a team that includes both strong institutional knowledge and performance, as well as a wealth of new talent. S/he will build a culture of high achievement and accountability, and further integrate the development and alumni relations program to allow for collaborative and professional relationships across the various functions, and across the university. There is an excellent foundation for achieving this goal; with qualified staff in key positions and an understanding that additional investment is needed, the university is well positioned to move forward. St. Thomas seeks an outstanding leader who desires to be part of a forwardthinking team. The next vice president for development will have the opportunity to lead and participate in the following: In preparation for future efforts, evaluate philanthropic capacity of all constituencies, identify areas for growth, strategically augment development staff 4

5 and resources, and craft fundraising strategies to raise sights and involvement of volunteers and donors at all levels. Collaborate with the president and other academic and administrative leaders in identifying and defining the full range of future fundraising priorities at St. Thomas; prioritize those opportunities and develop strategies and tactics for prospect identification, cultivation and solicitation. Assess the current approach to alumni engagement. Develop and implement creative and relevant alumni programming that is well-integrated with the overall vision for development, and facilitates and encourages long-lasting and meaningful engagement with and support of the university, philanthropic and otherwise. In conjunction with the president and her senior team, develop clear, compelling messages that describe the strengths and aspirations of St. Thomas and its leadership, and disseminate that information in a way that excites the community about the university s key initiatives and future direction. Represent and promote St. Thomas in a way that serves to enrich and advance its national reputation for an innovative, 21 st century Catholic university. Utilize the time and talents of the president, trustees, senior administration, faculty and development staff to increasingly engage, cultivate and solicit major donors and prospects. Guide and support the president in her role as chief spokesperson and fundraiser, serving as a coach and co-strategist on cultivating and soliciting transformative gifts. Ensure that the president is well-briefed and that her time spent is highly productive and personally rewarding. Analyze the board s giving patterns and encourage their personal participation in philanthropy. Provide the highest level of personal support to the trustees for their activities on behalf of the university; ensure that their volunteer experience is meaningful, productive and enjoyable, and that the trustees intellectual and emotional connection to the university and each other is strengthened. Assist in the identification, recruitment and cultivation of new board members on a national basis, identifying key leaders with an affinity for the mission of St. Thomas. Work closely with the president and board chair to develop strategies that will enhance and strengthen the board. Leverage the loyalty and interest of the university s alumni to broaden and deepen the engagement of graduates in advancing the university s mission, through volunteer service, and ambassadorship on the university s behalf, as well as philanthropy. Cultivate strong working relationships with administrators, faculty and staff across the university. Ensure that the development office is seen as a collaborative, responsive partner able to professionally address both opportunities and concerns. 5

6 Program Management Assess the fundraising potential of the university; serve as architect and builder of a strategic, cohesive and systematic development program to broaden and strengthen St. Thomas development, outreach, and constituent relations activities and maximize near- and long-term gains in endowment, capital and annual funds. Personally manage a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects and donors, and ensure that timely steps are taken toward solicitation. Build greater capacity, particularly in major, annual and planned giving and corporate and foundation relations, in order to support key university priorities and ambitious fundraising goals. Evaluate, strengthen, and enhance existing annual fund programming; develop and implement new innovative programs to identify and acquire prospective donors, increase donor retention, and upgrade and renew existing donors. Emphasize the identification and cultivation of a major donor pipeline, providing a strategic framework, advice and support to the university; deepen relationships with current donors while launching systematic initiatives to identify and target other individuals capable of making major financial contributions. Oversee all special events programming and all other cultivation and fundraising events. Ensure that all systems and processes, from data capture to gift acceptances and processing, maximize available intelligence via reporting and also follow sound budgetary, legal and accountability practices. Assess the current structure and budget of the development operation, making adjustments as necessary to fully leverage human and financial resources. The vice president for development will build on the existing strength of the development staff, and will work to incorporate the new skills and capabilities necessary to meet the expanding complexity and funding needs of St. Thomas. Set clear direction and priorities for approximately 70 professional and support staff. Promote excellence through well-defined and measurable goals; inspire, empower and motivate staff through active communication and delegation, placing staff members work within the context of St. Thomas strategic priorities and mission. Exhibit a leadership style that is open and fluid; foster a work environment that recognizes and rewards performance, builds confidence, encourages interaction and teamwork, and promotes diversity. Celebrate current achievements and set clear expectations for future success. Recruit, lead, mentor and train staff, providing frequent opportunities for professional learning and growth; emphasize retention as a means of increasing the capacity and expertise of the team. Serve as an advocate for staff, representing their concerns and needs. 6

7 Oversee development office personnel activities, including the hiring, definition of job responsibilities and performance review process for each staff member. Qualifications and Experience This position requires strong leadership, exceptional judgment, superb communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with many internal and external constituencies. The vice president will bring many of the following professional qualities and experiences: A deep respect for the history and traditions of St. Thomas; the ability to articulate its mission, its aspirations, and the transformational impact of a Catholic education. Seven to ten years of executive leadership and management of a successful multi-million dollar development program, preferably within higher education. Exposure to or leadership of a strategic, sustainable, and well-integrated development program where collaboration between alumni relations, annual fund programming, and major gifts produces increasing levels of philanthropic support through shared goals and collective successes. Depth of knowledge in all key areas of development and alumni relations; a demonstrated ability to plan, manage and close a comprehensive campaign. Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts at the six-, seven-, and eight-figure levels. An optimistic approach to work supported by an entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic; an outgoing nature and unaffected style. Superb relationship-building skills with a demonstrated ability to work well with people at all levels, across a diverse range of educational and social backgrounds, and a strong commitment to teamwork. Strong management skills, both strategic and operational, and a demonstrated ability to build, manage, mentor and motivate an effective team, providing strong support and an opportunity for growth and development. An appreciation for and interest in the ways in which technology can enhance and facilitate engagement with each of its constituencies; the ability to effectively leverage technology to improve operational efficiency. Intellectual depth, keen interpersonal judgment, maturity, wisdom, and collaborative skills to work effectively with the university s president, trustees, alumni, senior staff and other constituents. Absolute integrity, and an open, collegial, and approachable style of leadership. A desire to deeply engage in the Twin Cities community. The personal flexibility to travel and work evenings or weekends as required. A bachelor s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred. 7

8 In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires successful completion of a background screening. The University of St. Thomas is an Equal Opportunity Employer COMPENSATION Compensation for this position will be competitive and commensurate with experience. TO APPLY All inquiries, nominations/referrals, and resumes with cover letters, should be sent electronically and in confidence to: Jack Gorman Vice President Jonathan Richardson Senior Associate Isaacson, Miller 263 Summer Street, Seventh Floor Boston, MA Telephone: (617) Fax: (617) Website: imsearch.com/5748 8