"Chief Advancement Officer, The Wharton School"

Job Description Summary

The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) will shape the vision, direction, and culture of all Wharton fundraising and engagement programs across External Affairs' (EA) 90+ person division. Leading by example, the CAO will create a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation. As a member of Wharton's senior leadership team, the CAO will guide, support, and leverage the dean in her role as lead spokesperson, serving as an advisor and strategist in setting fundraising priorities, cultivating highest-level donors, soliciting transformational gifts, and operationalizing bold new ideas. In partnership with the dean, the CAO will lead overall strategic planning efforts, resource analysis and allocation, and organizational development for EA. In addition, the CAO will work with central DAR leaders, including the VP, to help facilitate organizational goals, increase organizational capacity, and strengthen the overall performance of the university-wide philanthropic enterprise.

Job Responsibilities

The CAO will address a wide range of specific opportunities and challenges, including but not limited to the following:

• Partner closely with a forward-thinking dean to develop and implement a school-wide strategic advancement plan that will reflect a long-term vision for growth and align with the Wharton School's distinctive global brand.
• Build upon and further leverage Wharton's deeply engaged and passionate 100,000+ alumni community comprised of some of the most influential and transformational philanthropists and thought leaders in the world.
• In partnership with the dean, continue to grow Wharton's principal and transformational gift pipeline while simultaneously investing in the middle of the giving pyramid and best-in-class annual fund and alumni relations programs.
• Lead high-touch and highly curated member engagement across Wharton's nine advisory boards, including its prominent board of advisors, and other high-level volunteers and next generation board prospects nationally and internationally. Establish effective volunteer leadership structures that position these ambassadors as key partners in Wharton philanthropy, engagement, and advocacy efforts.
• Educate, engage, and inspire key faculty and school leaders to engage with Wharton EA in mutually impactful ways while setting clear and transparent expectations that appropriately balance faculty and school-wide priorities while maintaining a donor-centric approach.
• Strengthen collaboration and cohesion internally among Wharton fundraising, engagement, and operational units; ensure that Wharton EA upholds university prospect management principles, and has a positive relationship with DAR and other schools and centers.
• Assess and further refine existing systems and structures, ensuring that Wharton's EA enterprise aligns with modern best practices, using data analytics and metrics to support and drive philanthropy.
• Motivate and empower staff of all levels and roles, ensuring each member can professionally develop and achieve their goals and understands how their role fits into a greater cohesive vision.
• Ensure an optimal organizational design and staff structure of Wharton EA, particularly within the context of a possible future campaign.
• Effectively respond to the challenges of the current political climate across Wharton, Penn, and higher education at large - both in terms of its impact on Wharton EA staff, and on internal and external leaders' engagement with Wharton and Wharton EA.

Qualifications

Significant and impactful leadership experience in and knowledge of all major functions of development and alumni and constituent engagement are required, as well as substantive leadership experience in a complex, matrixed research university environment or the equivalent.

Additional qualifications and experience include:

• Evidence of creative, strategic, transparent, collaborative, and empathetic leadership within a fast-paced, complex institutional environment.
• A record of achievement in building and retaining high-performing teams who are unified and mobilized around a clear strategic vision and organizational direction.
• A decisive and data-driven decision maker who gives clear direction, sets short-term and long-term goals, and leads teams to consistently deliver measurable results.
• Intellectually curious and mission driven with demonstrated gravitas and self-assuredness.
• A deep level of experience and confidence in working with highly influential and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
• An expert communicator and negotiator who can establish credibility and trust with a multitude of internal and external constituencies, navigate competing priorities, and balance multiple perspectives in a highly complex environment.
• A successful track record in campaign planning and implementation, ideally at the $1 billion+ level.
• A deeply experienced principal and transformational gift fundraiser who can delegate and balance external presence with the need for operational leadership, culture building, and organizational development.
• Knowledge of and experience using data and data systems to drive strategy and improve performance; ability to shift priorities in response to results and trends; and high skill in the areas of planning, critical thinking, and analysis.
• Experience working with senior leaders in setting aspirational goals, building key projects to meet those goals, and developing philanthropic opportunities.
• Experience in leading change in complex organizations; experience leading through influence.
• Proven collaboration and partnership skills to accomplish shared goals involving colleagues and other senior leaders.
• Significant experience overseeing substantial budgets and operations and directing/managing multiple complex projects concurrently.
• A master of Science and Over 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required., as is a willingness to travel and to participate regularly in campus and community events, including weekend and evening engagements.

This search is being led by Isaacson, Miller, an executive search firm. Interested candidates should submit their materials through the Isaacson, Miller website, as application review will begin immediately and continue until the conclusion of the search.

Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School
Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range
$204,000.00 - $525,000.00 Annual Rate