University of Michigan

Associate Vice President, Medical Development and Alumni Relations

UM Health Systems

Working Title

: 

Associate Vice President, Medical Development and Alumni Relations

Posting Number

: 

60637

Job Category

: 

Senior Leadership

Reports To

: 

Reports jointly to the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs/CEO of the Health System and to the Vice President for University Development

Experience Range

: 

15+ Years

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

To apply for this position, please submit your cover letter and resume as one document on the University of Michigan Careers at the U site.

If you are unable to apply via the U-M Jobs site, please submit your cover letter and resume to dev.careers@umich.edu. In the subject line, please type in the Job ID# for which you are applying.

For questions about the U-M application process, please refer to the FAQ page

The Office of Medical Development and Alumni Relations supports the fundraising and alumni relations activities of the entire Health System and each of its components.

The Health System's portion of the University's most recent comprehensive campaign totaled $740 million including $184.2 million for endowment, $350.6 million for departmental expenses including programs and research and $94.7 million for facilities as well as deferred gifts and bequest intentions valued at $110.4 million. In recent years Medical Center fundraising, with $103 million in private support for Fiscal Year 2008, and $66 million for Fiscal Year 2009 and $73 million for Fiscal Year 2010.

The Health System is charting an exciting course for the future. The Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs/Chief Executive Officer of the Health System, Dean of the Medical School and Vice President for University Development are strongly committed to a robust development program. Moreover, the University is in the planning stages of major comprehensive campaign, of which the Health System will be a significant component. A development organization assessment completed in 2010 has identified a number of opportunities for enhanced collaboration and integration of development efforts across the Health System. These factors all contribute to the exciting opportunity for the new Associate Vice President to bring all members of the Health System community together to build on the successes of the past while defining a new culture and organization for even greater achievement in the future. 

Position Description

The Associate Vice President is the chief advancement officer for the Health System. This individual maintains executive responsibility for the planning, implementation, and management of all development and alumni relations programs for the Health System and all of its components.

The position will report jointly to the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs/CEO of the Health System and to the Vice President for University Development. This position will work in close consultation with the Dean of the Medical School and the CEO of the University Hospitals and Health Centers.

The Associate Vice President is the senior executive liaison to the department chairs, program directors, faculty, and teaching and health care affiliates in the area of fundraising and alumni relations. The Associate Vice President also serves on the senior management team of the Office of University Development.

The Associate Vice President oversees a staff of approximately 40 in the centralized Health System development office, plus approximately 50 additional staff in various departments, centers and units.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and implements a comprehensive development program for the Health System.
• In partnership with Health System leadership and University leadership, plan and implement the health systems portion of the next University's comprehensive campaign.
• Establishes, with the EVPMA, the Dean and the VP for University Development, an operating plan with annual goals, objectives, and strategies for fundraising programs in support of Health System priorities:
  • Provides professional fundraising guidance to the EVPMA, the Dean of the Medical School, the CEO of the Hospitals and Health Centers, and other academic and administrative leaders in defining fundraising priorities
  • Establishes an accountability system with clearly defined fundraising goals, objectives, and measures for Health System development officers and staff
  • Regularly evaluates programs and assesses progress towards goals
  • Reports on results to the EVPMA and the VPD
  • Ensures that all development professionals comply with University policies and standards governing development.
• Implements the management methods to achieve Health Systems fundraising goals:
  • Recruits, selects, and evaluates experienced and competent professional and support staff in collaboration with the appropriate Health System administrators
  • Manages the development staff, including making and the delegating all personnel and job assignment decisions
  • Monitors, and evaluates the performance of development staff
  • Establishes appropriate mechanisms for the reporting of all Health System fundraising results, including all cash receipts, trusts, bequests and other expectancies, pledges, gifts-in-kind, and all other fundraising progress in collaboration with the University of Michigan
  • Develops and administers the operating budget (approximately $6.4 million)
• Focuses the Health System development programs and activities on securing major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations:
  • Provides primary staff support to the EVPMA and the Dean with regard to philanthropic support and serves as a member of the EVPMA's senior advisory staff
  • Actively manages a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors by personally participating in their cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
  • Assigns major gifts prospects to professional staff
  • In collaboration with the Business Engagement Center and Foundation Relations Office of University Development, oversees the development of proposals to corporations and foundations in support of health sciences initiatives
  • Ensures the cooperative participation of Health System Development in the University's prospect management and tracking system
  • Maintains overall responsibility for the Health System's donor relations program, including planning and staffing of all donor cultivation efforts
  • Serves as principal staff liaison to the Medical School Alumni Association Board of Directors
  • Along with the EVPMA, works closely with the Health System Advisory Group
  • Builds strong and mutually beneficial relationships between the academic leadership, faculty, and staff of the Health System and external audiences such as donors, alumni, business and community leaders and the University Alumni Association
  • Represents the Health System leadership at public functions and special events as appropriate
  • Develops methods of securing support across all three missions: research, education, and patient care, while protecting the successes of the faculty in securing specific grants for targeted research and recognizing that all the components of the Health System are critical to the reputation of the total institution
  • Has a solid understanding of how to utilize and implement various media channels and emerging technologies to raise funds for the Health System.

• Goals and Objectives:

  The Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and the Vice President for Development, in consultation with their leadership teams, have identified a number of priorities for the new Associate Vice President, including:

  • Develop and implement a strategic development plan with the infrastructure and staff support to maximize the fundraising potential of the Health System and all of its components:
    • Develop a cohesive, high caliber team of development professionals who work in partnership with the academic leadership, faculty, volunteers, and donors for the Health System and its various entities
    • Creatively organize the staff to maximize their effectiveness and clearly define their roles, relationships, and expectations
    • In conjunction with the University Development Talent Management team, develop orientation, onboarding and training programs for staff, that assures development and alumni affairs staff are as current and as competent as possible in their disciplines
    • Increase the involvement of faculty in fundraising activities by creating partnerships with development officers
  • Building on the findings  and recommendations of a comprehensive development organization assessment completed in 2010, address opportunities for increased effectiveness and efficiency across the entire Health System development program, through greater integration and collaboration, and enhanced client service to departments and units
  • Increase the level of giving to the Health System:
    • Enhance the annual giving program, increasing both participation and level of contributions
    • Evaluate and adjust as appropriate the grateful patient program along with the patient facilitated services program
    • Significantly expand the base of major gift prospects
    • Enhance relationships with corporate and foundation donors and develop new linkages with industrial partners
    • Enhance the donor recognition program
  • Create new contexts for increased involvement of alumni and other volunteers to enhance their advocacy and philanthropic support for stated priorities:
    • Develop effective volunteer structures, including an advisory board for the Health System
    • Increase the focus on effective alumni affairs activities which serve to build stronger and deeper relationships with alumni (M.D.s, Ph.D.s, and residents)
  • Be recognized as a valued, committed, and collegial chief advancement officer by the EVPMA, Dean, Chairs, Directors, and faculty of the Health System as well as by the VPD and colleagues in the Office of University Development:
    • Understand and capitalize on the unique strengths of each component of the Health System
    • Enhance partnerships with colleagues in the Office of Development to maximize resources available to the Health System
  • Strengthen ties with potential donors throughout Michigan as well as nationally and internationally.

 

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required; master’s degree preferred
• A minimum of 15 years of significant achievement in a broad-based development role in a complex matrix organization, ideally with experience in an academic medical center
• A record of significant achievement in the major and principal gift fundraising
• Proven success in building productive, long-term relationships with senior university administrators, faculty, staff, institutional boards, volunteers, and donors
• Campaign experience
• Strong organizational and managerial leadership skills
• Highly developed writing and public speaking ability
• Has the ability to balance the needs of the Health System and those of the University as a whole
• A collaborative, team oriented style allied with the ability to be strong and decisive
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, organize, direct, and motivate staff
• A high level of initiative, energy, and creativity
• Sound judgment
• A passion for medical science and health care
• Results-oriented
• The ability to work effectively in a large, complex, and dynamic organization
• Maintains familiarity with philanthropic issues related to medical education, research, and public policy

The final candidate will be a seasoned, successful and creative development professional capable of organizing, implementing, and directly participating in a comprehensive academic medical center fundraising and alumni relations program with a high degree of professionalism, sensitivity and integrity.

 

Mission Statement

The Office of University Development maximizes private support for the University of Michigan through high-quality collaboration with the development programs of schools, colleges, and units. We also provide fundraising leadership through the stimulation and facilitation of healthy, productive and life-long relationships with our colleagues, alumni, friends, foundations and corporations.

U-M EEO/AA Statement: The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.