MILLS COLLEGE

MILLS COLLEGE

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT
Oakland, California

About Mills College

Mills College is a nationally known, independent, liberal arts college for women with graduate programs for women and men. Located on 135 wooded acres in the Oakland foothills, the College has an enrollment of 926 undergraduate women and 584 graduate men and women.

Mills has an annual budget of $80,200,000 that supports 181 faculty members. The endowment is valued at over $150,000,000.

The Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors that support the strategic initiatives of Mills College. The strategic initiatives include supporting student scholarships, maintaining preeminence in the arts, encouraging leadership for women in the professions, as well as advancing women in science, technology and research. OIA consists of individual giving programs such as annual, major, and planned gifts as well as foundation and corporate giving. Gift processing and donor relations are also a part of OIA.

For more information, please visit http://www.mills.edu/about/facts.php.

Position Overview

As one of four senior managers, the AVP plays a critical role in the success of the OIA. The leadership team collaborates to create direction and strategy for the OIA, to set and meet ambitious goals across the organization, and to manage all policy, processes and staff.

In particular, the AVP leads the College's efforts in major gifts, planned giving and corporate foundation relations. The AVP develops and implements strategy for each of these programmatic areas and manages a team of up to eight field staff. The AVP also shares responsibility with the Vice President for principal gift fundraising, including managing relationships with the College's trustees and other lead volunteers. The AVP serves as the officer in charge when the VP is out of the office.

Reporting Relationships

The position reports to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement. The position supervises 3-4 major individual gifts officers, 1-2 corporate and foundation relations officers, and 1-2 planned giving officers

Responsibilities

* Develop a comprehensive, strategic major gifts program with a focus on identifying and cultivating new prospects in California and throughout the United States. Creating and managing a robust pipeline of prospects and solicitations for the College's priorities.
* Manage four major gift officers. Collaborate with each of them to develop their portfolios, prospects and activities and supervise the creation of solicitation strategies, proposals and gift agreements.
* Staff major gift volunteers, including the major gifts committee. Recruit new volunteers to the committee, manage relationships with committee members, develop overall goals for the committee, and support members' development efforts.
* Revamp the College's planned giving program. Design an ambitious campaign to identify new bequest intentions. Assess potential for life income gifts and develop a thoughtful marketing and field effort to secure new planned gifts.
* Manage two planned giving officers and their portfolios, activity, prospects and solicitations in progress.
* Provide ongoing training to staff and volunteers on planned giving; ensure that all field staff are soliciting bequest intentions.
* Serve as final reviewer for all proposals and gift documents.
* Reinvigorate the College's program on corporate and foundation relations. Lead the effort to renew relationships with longtime Mills' supporters and identify and cultivate new prospects for institutional gifts. Develop compelling proposals and pursue solicitations to successful outcomes.
* Manage two Corporate and Foundation Relations officers and their portfolios, activity, prospects and solicitations in progress.
* Ensure that all field staff comply with best practices in moves management; manage to and report on key metrics.
* Collaborate with the President, Executive Vice President, Vice President and key volunteers on principal gifts. Develop tailored solicitation strategies and solicit gifts in person and through written proposals.
* Travel with the President and other college officers in order to staff their development work.
* Collaborate across OIA, especially with staff in annual giving, communications, research, stewardship and events to ensure that these programs support the College's efforts in major gifts, planned giving and corporate foundation relations.
* Perform other duties as assigned.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES

* Minimum of ten years experience in development with seven years experience in major gifts, principal gifts, planned giving and/or corporate foundation relations
* Minimum of five years experience supervising field fundraising staff and budgets
* Experience in fundraising for higher education strongly preferred
* Ability to strategize large gift solicitations, analyze options, and adopt and follow through on an effective course of action for each prospect
* Ability to work effectively with volunteers
* Ability to establish and maintain effective and productive working relationships within a diverse and multicultural environment
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills
* Ability to comply with the College's Injury and Illness Prevention Program
* Bachelor's degree; advanced degree preferred

TO APPLY

Please send resume and cover letter to Pamela Cook, Search Consultant at millsavp@pamelacook.com.

Mills College offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including generous vacation and sick leave.

Applicants are subject to background checks both before and after employment.

MILLS COLLEGE IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the selection process may be requested by qualified disabled individuals