About DU Advancement

The Denver Difference campaign is our most ambitious campaign yet. It marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. DU is setting the bar with our approach to higher education, developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way. The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. Inclusive of alumni relations, development, and student and alumni career services, DU Advancement is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision.

The University of Denver and DU Advancement deeply value inclusive excellence, recognizing that its success depends on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. As a part of that effort, we are continuing to grow a team of inclusive, collaborative, inquisitive, innovative, ethical, and transparent advancement professionals who possess deep mutual respect for one another and for our shared profession.

Position Summary

The Assistant Vice Chancellor of Development & Alumni Engagement, Schools & Colleges is a leader, thought partner, and subject-matter expert in the field of advancement. This position is responsible for managing development and alumni engagement efforts across all academic units, including all schools and colleges, at DU. Units overseen will include the: College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Daniels College of Business, Sturm College of Law, Korbel School of International Studies, Graduate School of Professional Psychology, Graduate School of Social Work, Morgridge College of Education, and STEM initiatives (including the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, and Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging).

Fundraising and engagement activities in these units represent a significant percentage of the Denver Difference campaign goals, and the Assistant Vice Chancellor will be a key contributor to the success of the most ambitious fundraising campaign in DU’s history. In that capacity, they will drive strategies and programs to identify, cultivate, and steward constituents, including donors, as well as build a strong pipeline for future campaigns. The Assistant Vice Chancellor will also oversee engagement and development professionals with interdisciplinary initiative responsibilities.

Reporting directly to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Development & Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Vice Chancellor is a key leader and advisor to colleagues in advancement, university administrators, and partners across DU. The AVC will liaise directly with deans and vice chancellors to develop and execute philanthropic and engagement priorities.

Essential Functions

Management and Leadership

• Provide comprehensive leadership of the Schools & Colleges development & alumni engagement team. This includes supporting the day-to-day operations of the team, as well as facilitating the recruitment, hiring, training, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development of the team (comprising 25+ FTEs).
• Provide for and encourage individual professional development, inspire teamwork, and serve as a positive presence and advocate for change and business transformation.
• Communicate goals and priorities to the schools and colleges development and alumni engagement team; provide consistent messaging to team leads and ensure the larger team is working toward a shared goal.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Vice Chancellor’s leadership team, helping to craft and guide the overarching strategy of DU’s advancement enterprise and comprehensive campaign.
• Effectively manage the schools and colleges development and alumni engagement operating budget, as well as the associated program budgets under their purview. This includes monitoring transactions and assisting in budget modeling and forecasting processes.

Fundraising

• Build and execute a cohesive strategy for school-, college-, and unit-based giving, using a donor-centered approach to fundraising. Focus on major gifts and building a donor pipeline.
• Consistently meet or exceed team dollar and activity goals.
• Regularly liaise with deans and academic leaders to ensure units are on track towards their goals and that strategies for top prospects are being executed.
• Work closely with the principal gifts team to coordinate SVC/leadership activities for school and college prospects, when appropriate. Work directly with team members to manage multi-area donors towards larger, comprehensive gifts.
• Ensure that the development team is progressing prospect relationships along the donor continuum, and that moves are entered into the PioSphere database in a timely manner.
• Interact with internal colleagues such as deans, faculty, administrators, and other development officers to execute strategies to identify potential top donors not yet aware and/or active with the University.

Alumni Engagement

• Build and execute a cohesive strategy for school, college, and unit-based engagement strategies in alignment with the DU’s strategic vision, ensuring alumni and constituents are meaningfully involved through advisory boards, events, and volunteer opportunities that support the college’s mission and advancement goals.

Partnerships & University Citizenship

• Serves as an active and collaborative partner to all central and unit-based Advancement staff and other campus colleagues, to foster strategic, effective, and collaborative career and professional development practices.
• Models “One DU” leadership.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough understanding of major and principal gift work in an academic setting, while prioritizing multiple responsibilities.
• Strategic approach to prospect and donor relationships; creative thinking and problem-solving to move donors along the giving spectrum using moves management techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to close major gifts ($50,000+), leadership gifts ($1 million+), principal gifts ($5 million+), and gifts with complex assets in a relationship-based culture.
• Demonstrated ability to form and fully leverage cross-functional teams of colleagues, volunteers, and academic/administrative leaders.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to represent the University of Denver and its major initiatives and units in a variety of capacities.
• Proven ability to work with a high level of independence, maintain confidentiality, prioritize assignments, and manage time effectively.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to foster and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, donors, volunteers, and University Officials.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse groups having competing interests and priorities within the University and community.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience (Veterans with equivalent combination of military certification/education and experience may substitute for the degree qualification).
• 10 years of paid frontline fundraising experience in a higher education setting, including at least 5 years of experience directly leading school/college/unit fundraising efforts.
• 5 years of experience managing frontline fundraising professionals, with a demonstrated commitment to coaching, mentoring, and developing team members.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading multiple academic units in a higher education setting.
• Experience leading one or more academic units in a comprehensive campaign, including goal-setting and attainment.

Working Environment

• Standard open office environment.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.
• Some nights and weekend event attendance.
• Travel responsibilities to meet with donors.
• Eligible for hybrid work.

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance.
• Ability to travel periodically within Denver and nationally.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline

For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) July 23, 2025.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number

The salary grade for the position is 17.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $150,000-$200,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.