"Associate Vice President, University Advancement Strategy and Campaigns"

Job Summary

The Associate Vice President (AVP) for University Advancement Strategy and Campaigns is a senior-level position reporting to the Vice President for University Advancement and CEO of the Tower Foundation of San José State University. This role acts as a chief of staff and proxy for the Vice President in meetings, decision-making, and communication with internal and external stakeholders. This role provides strategic and operational leadership across a range of priorities, including campaign planning and execution, organizational goal setting, cross-divisional initiatives, and the advancement division’s internal systems and processes. The AVP supports the division’s organizational effectiveness by aligning key initiatives with institutional goals and fostering collaboration across University Advancement and throughout the university ecosystem.

The AVP serves as a trusted partner to the Vice President, helping to coordinate strategy and execution across advancement functions. This includes serving as the primary strategist and coordinator for the development portfolios of the university president and vice president, as well as overseeing campaign infrastructure, managing strategic projects, contributing to budget planning and management, and supervising key staff where appropriate. The position also serves as the division’s liaison to University Marketing and Communications, ensuring alignment of advancement marketing with broader institutional communications and brand strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior strategic partner to the Vice President in designing, managing, and evaluating campaign planning and execution
• Coordinate campaign milestones, timelines, deliverables, and internal communications across the division and campus partners
• Translate campaign goals into actionable plans, systems, and materials in collaboration with development, alumni, donor relations, deans, university leaders, and communications teams
• Manage campaign infrastructure, including working group agendas, campaign cabinet coordination, and briefings for campus leadership
• Serve as the principal strategist and coordinator for the Vice President’s and the University President’s development portfolios
• Oversee portfolio review cadence, contact strategy, and prospect pipeline movement for top-tier donors (principal and major gift levels)
• Coordinate briefing materials, including talking points and strategy memos, for high-level donor meetings and events
• Work closely with prospect research, development officers, and advancement services to ensure timely and strategic donor engagement
• Lead or co-lead strategic initiatives across the division in alignment with institutional priorities and the Vice President’s strategic goals
• Support the division’s long-term planning processes, including setting goals, tracking progress, and adjusting to emerging opportunities
• Act as a project manager for special cross-functional efforts involving University Advancement and academic leadership
• Lead planning for division-wide meetings, retreats, and information flow
• Support state and foundation budget development and monitoring in coordination with the Tower Foundation
• Supervise the Advancement Research and Prospects team and the Donor Relations and Stewardship team
• Oversee task delegation in areas such as campaign operations, fundraising and alumni engagement strategy, and business operations to support the campaign, fundraising metrics and goals, and advancement’s role to achieve the university’s strategic plan
• Act as the advancement division’s point of contact for coordinating with UMC on campaign messaging, visual identity, and content strategy
• Ensure alignment between advancement communications and university branding
• Collaborate on high-level messaging frameworks for campaign themes, donor communications, and digital storytelling

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated and well-honed leadership abilities, willingness to take risks, and the capacity to solve problems creatively while navigating ambiguity
• A record of accomplishment that reflects initiative, creativity, and accountability in a rapidly changing and intellectually stimulating environment. This includes a thorough understanding of development operations in complex settings, using data analysis and interpretation to drive and assess campaign strategies
• Functional knowledge in marketing, internal communications, principal gift fundraising, and/or advancement campaign leadership
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with attention to detail and the ability to articulate a compelling case for philanthropic support
• Proven skills for prospect identification and relationship building, fostering effective long-term relationships both internally and externally
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, executives, and community leaders, as well as academic and administrative leaders and donors
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant CSU rules and regulations and a deep understanding of CSU and SJSU policies and procedures for fundraising, gift acceptance, and donor stewardship
• Proven technological abilities with expertise in fundraising databases, spreadsheets, word processing, and presentation software
• Demonstrated ability to manage, organize, and delegate to others
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong interpersonal skills supporting collaboration, team building and motivation, and achieving results within diverse populations
• Strong knowledge of higher education fundraising with strong skills in analysis and manipulation of complex data sets
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other constituents

Required Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• Minimum of ten years of experience with at least seven serving at the director level or above; a background of progressively increased responsibility in a comprehensive and sophisticated fundraising program, including supervisory experience
• Experience with metrics-driven major-gift fundraising programs and campaigns in a college or university environment
• Experience with comprehensive campaign design, implementation, reporting cycles, communications and completion, with preference for multi-year comprehensive campaign experience in a college or university
• Experience with all elements required for fundraising program success, including goal setting, target donor development, prospect cultivation, donor research, gift solicitation, acknowledgement, and stewardship
• Demonstrated experience to oversee prospect research and stewardship efforts with creativity and accountability

License

A valid driver's license is required for this position. Out of state candidates selected for the position must obtain a State of California driver's license within 10 days of hire in accordance with the California Department of Motor Vehicles regulations.

Once hired the employee must successfully complete the Defensive Driver Training Program provided by the State of California for California State University campuses.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree
• Demonstrated experience being an effective team builder with a strong commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and partnership with the internal and external community
• Experience cultivating positive working relationships across cultural, functional, and organizational lines
• Substantial experience as a front-line fundraiser including personal success in closing six and seven-figure gifts
• Experience in recruiting, training, leading, and evaluating staff engaged in major-gift fundraising
• Experience working with foundation management, reporting requirements, and governing board processes and support requirements

Compensation

Classification: Administrator IV
Anticipated Hiring Range: $16,667/month - $18,084/month
CSU Salary Range: $10,106/month - $32,441/month

The final hiring salary will be commensurate with experience.

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

All applicants must apply within the specified application period: August 5, 2025 through August 19, 2025. This position is open until filled; however, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university.