Working Title: Executive Advisor to the Senior VP of University Advancement

State Role Title: Administrative and Professional Faculty

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

 

College/Division: Principal Relationships

Department: 100244 - Senior VP University Advancement

 

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

 

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

 

Beginning Review Date: 03/3/2026

 

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

 

General Information:

James Madison University seeks a highly trusted, strategic, and execution-oriented Executive Advisor to support the Vice President for Philanthropy & Engagement. This role serves as a daily partner to the Vice President, functioning as a conduit for action, communication, and follow-through, particularly when the Vice President is traveling.

The Executive Advisor ensures continuity of leadership, timely execution of philanthropic and engagement priorities, and effective coordination across the division and with campus partners. This position plays a critical role in advancing major philanthropic conversations, supporting strategic planning, and maintaining strong internal communication and operational momentum.

 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Executive Support & Strategic Coordination

• Provide day-to-day advisory and operational support to the Vice President for Philanthropy & Engagement.
• Act as a trusted proxy and point of continuity while the Vice President is traveling, ensuring timely follow-up, follow-through, and execution of philanthropic and engagement-related conversations.
• Serve as a primary communication link between the Vice President and senior administrators, campus partners, and staff within Alumnae Hall.
• Coordinate closely with Associate Vice Presidents, Assistant Vice Presidents, and Directors to ensure alignment, clarity, and progress on division priorities.
• Track, prioritize, and advance action items emerging from donor engagements, leadership meetings, and strategic initiatives.

Administration & Planning

• Facilitate regular proactive communications for internal and external stakeholders of the Philanthropy & Engagement division to build mission clarity and invite shared ownership and partnership by intentionally using Divisional emails, social media engagement, outlined bullets for meeting remarks and personalized correspondence.
• Plan, coordinate, and support division retreats, leadership meetings, planning sessions, and regular director and leadership meetings.
• Serve as the division’s Program Review Coordinator by establishing and monitoring program review guidelines, timelines, and processes.
• Notify Directors and AVPs of upcoming reviews.
• Ensure all department reviews adhere to university policy and established standards.
• Lead and support strategic and operational planning including oversight of the division’s use of the institution’s Star Tool planning database, development of annual planning objectives, and coordination of annual reporting.
• Provide regular support on PowerPoint presentations and statistical reports for major board meetings and events where the VP will be speaking.
• Maintain budget oversight for all assigned program areas in coordination with divisional leadership and university financial partners.
• Support the Vice President’s vision and divisional strategy related to talent development, staff engagement, and retention.
• Coordinate onboarding of new employees to ensure a consistent, welcoming, and mission-aligned experience across the division.
• Coordinate and support division-wide learning, professional development, and training initiatives.
• Administer and manage the division’s employee recognition efforts, including the Value Employee Awards program.
• Partner with divisional leadership and HR colleagues to reinforce a positive culture, clear expectations, and high performance.
• Coordinate and maintain the University Advancement (Philanthropy & Engagement) event and meeting calendar. Ensure alignment and deconfliction of key division events, leadership meetings, donor-related activities, and campus priorities.
• Assume additional responsibilities as assigned by the Vice President to advance division and university goals.
• Work collaboratively with division colleagues and campus partners to execute strategies that achieve maximum program effectiveness and impact.
• Maintain ongoing knowledge of best practices in philanthropy, alumni engagement, and comprehensive campaign strategy.

Additional Responsibilities

• Attend department, unit, and division meetings and events as requested.
• Represent the Vice President or division, as appropriate, in internal meetings or working groups.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Significant experience in higher education administration, advancement, philanthropy, engagement, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with discretion, sound judgment, and confidentiality at the senior leadership level.
• Strong strategic thinking, project management, and execution skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
• Proven ability to manage complex priorities, deadlines, and cross-functional collaboration.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

 

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

 

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

 

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.