Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Position Description: Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Position Summary

The Vice President of Institutional Advancement drives transformative philanthropic support and fosters a culture of excellence, integrity, and high performance at Coker University. Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President serves as a key, highly collaborative member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) to align advancement priorities with the university's strategic mission. This leader will play a pivotal role in driving the execution and success of Coker's upcoming major fundraising campaign.

Operating with a growth mindset while building advancement staff, the Vice President utilizes a business development approach to cultivate, steward, and move individual and organizational prospects through a strategic investment pipeline. This position establishes and monitors clear performance goals, metrics, and accountability frameworks for both the division and themselves. The role focuses on securing financial funding while simultaneously leveraging external resources and elevating lifelong alumni engagement across the Coker community while understanding the role of relationships in a rural community.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Campaign Execution

• Serve as a key collaborative partner on the Coker University Executive Leadership Team.


• Report directly to the President, providing strategic counsel on institutional advancement.


• Serve as a central driver and key leader in executing the university's upcoming fundraising campaign.


• Work closely with the President and fellow executives to align advancement with strategic campus goals.


• Bridge the advancement division with other campus areas to maximize collective expertise.

Philanthropic Leadership & Strategy

• Provide strategic direction for all university fundraising and philanthropic endeavors.


• Inspire a lasting culture of generosity among alumni, Cobras, donors, and stakeholders.


• Share impactful stories of how a Coker education changes lives to inspire prospective funders.

Business Development & Pipeline Management

• Move prospects efficiently through the university's institutional investment pipeline.


• Build, monitor, and enforce divisional goals, metrics, and accountability.


• Maximize both financial investments and alternative resource cultivation.

Relationship Building & Stewardship

• Cultivate meaningful relationships with alumni, regional donors, and community partners.


• Foster long-term trust, connection, and loyalty to Coker University.


• Practice empathetic, active listening to establish deep rapport with stakeholders.

Alumni Engagement Innovation

• Design innovative strategies to maximize global Coker alumni involvement.


• Leverage modern technology, targeted events, and distinct programming.


• Build strong, diverse, and lifelong connections within the alumni network.

Performance Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of advancement professionals.


• Cultivate an internal team culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.


• Champion a culture of strict integrity, professional ethics, and responsible resource stewardship.

Position Requirements

Education & Experience

• Minimum Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution.


• Minimum seven years of relevant experience in business development within higher education or related corporate industries.


• Demonstrated track record of playing a key role in executing major capital or fundraising campaigns.


• Experience establishing and tracking quantitative divisional performance metrics.

Key Competencies

• Executive Collaboration: Ability to work cohesively within an executive leadership framework to solve complex institutional challenges.


• Campaign Driving: Proven ability to mobilize resources and hit milestones during large-scale institutional campaigns.


• Growth Mindset: Continuously seeks innovative ways to expand institutional reach and resources.


• Relationship Building: Easily establishes rapport and deep trust with diverse stakeholders.


• Communication: Exceptional active listening skills paired with inspiring storytelling abilities.


• Accountability: Strong focus on metrics, data-driven decisions, and performance tracking.