Vice President of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships, Girard College

Posted by Girard College on December 18, 2018

Girard College is a full-scholarship boarding school for academically capable students from qualified families of limited financial resources. Girard College’s mission is to prepare scholarship students for advanced education and life as informed, ethical and productive citizens through a rigorous education program that promotes intellectual, social and emotional growth. Girard College students will be prepared to complete an advanced degree so that they may maximize their ability to pursue productive careers and be engaged citizens.

Reporting to the President of Girard College, the Vice President of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships provides overall leadership for Advancement of the College, which includes development and fundraising, communications, marketing, public relations and strategic initiatives that help move the College forward with partners in the Philadelphia region and beyond. The Vice President of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for a comprehensive and integrated institutional advancement and communications strategy, internal and external communications and public relations in support of the institution while  enhancing the image of the College and promoting the legacy of Stephen Girard. The Vice President will concentrate on developing strong relationships with existing and future donors, building external partnerships, local and regional media, directing community engagement and supervising the messaging aspects of the college. This leader will provide visionary leadership for all areas of this office with broad oversight for individual fundraising, grant acquisition, and communications for the advancement of the College. Additionally, the Vice President will support and fortify alumni relations and serve as the primary liaison with the Girard College Alumni Association and the Girard College Foundation.

The Vice President of Advancement and Strategic Partnerships has the following primary responsibilities:
 Teaming closely with the President and College Council in all aspects of institutional advancement.
 Working with the President to create feasible development plans and to execute on friend-raising and fundraising efforts.
 Establishing a diverse donor base of individual, alumni, corporate, foundation, and public segments
 Ensuring meaningful and strategic partnerships with key public and private sector entities to engage Girard College and its impact in the community
 Developing a high-performing team of professionals that direct marketing, historical resources, development, external partnerships, and alumni relations
 Assisting and supporting the Director of Historical Resources to promote the College’s rich historical legacy and the legacy of Stephen Girard
 Promoting and strengthening Alumni relations
 Guiding the development and production of effective communications materials and electronic media productions
 Identifying, developing and managing a strategic communication plan of action for the college, consistent with the strategic plan and then evaluating for effectiveness.
 Providing leadership and direct support on crisis communications, working closely with the crisis communications team and senior leadership.
 Leading the ongoing planning and execution of college marketing, advertising, public relations, communications, and related special events.
 Attending campus and community events representing the college.
 Serving on appropriate college committees.
 Performing other duties as assigned by the President

Areas Supervised:

• Development (including fundraising, grants and contracts, and tax program gifts)
• Alumni Relations
• Communications & Marketing
• Historic Resources

Minimum Qualifications:
Education: Master’s degree required.

Experience:

• Five to seven years management experience in Development required. Two to three years experience in communications, marketing, and/or public relations. Development experience in a school preferred.
• Experience crafting and executing development campaigns. Demonstrated experience implementing effective integrated marketing, branding, public relations, digital/online, design and communications principles and strategies. Demonstrated experience directing department operations and developing staff.

Knowledge:

• Strong working knowledge of best practices and current techniques related to development efforts and communications in educational settings. Knowledge of principles and practices of communications, marketing, planning, and implementation.

Skills:

• Demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills that reflect a growth mindset. The ability to lead & motivate, and to manage multiple projects and assignments with excellent organization, delivery, creativity, planning and attention to detail in collaboration with others.
• Superior written, editing, verbal communication skills and analytical research skills.

https://www.girardcollege.edu/about-us/work-at-girard/open-positions