Senior Vice President for Advancement & External Affairs

Iona University, a nationally recognized independent liberal arts university, is seeking a highly skilled and growth focused Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs.
Founded in 1940, Iona is a Catholic institution inspired by the legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice and the Congregation of Christian Brothers.
With a total enrollment of roughly 3,700 students and an alumni base of over 50,000 around the world, Iona prides itself on its academic excellence and commitment to service, justice, opportunity, diversity and the transformative power of education.
Iona's picturesque 45-acre New Rochelle campus and newly acquired 28-acre Bronxville campus are both just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.
In May 2024, Iona will also pilot its new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, further expanding student opportunities around the globe.
A school on the rise, new student enrollment is up nearly 30 percent since 2019 and the momentum continues to build.
Most recently, The Wall Street Journal/University Pulse ranked Iona as the #66 best University in the nation and #8 among Catholic schools nationwide.
The WSJ’s “2024 Best Universities in America” also ranked Iona as #1 in New York for student experience and the #1 Catholic school nationwide for student experience.
Meanwhile, for the first time ever, Iona this year made The Princeton Review’s national list of “The Best 389 Universities.
” Outside of the classroom, Iona boasts 23 Division I NCAA athletics programs as well as over 80 student clubs and leadership organizations.
The Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs, who reports directly to the President, serves as the chief development officer, and provides extraordinary vision, strategic direction, and innovative entrepreneurial management for the Office of Advancement and External Affairs.
Working alongside the President, the Board of Trustees and a strong leadership team, Iona seeks a game-changing advancement leader who can contribute to Iona’s vision and provide cutting-edge professional knowledge while exploring new levels of support to help fulfill the University’s ambitions for the future.
The successful candidate will display a record of leadership and accomplishment in advancement with a proven track record of fundraising success, especially with campaign planning/execution and in major gift solicitations.
Strong organizational, supervisory, and leadership capabilities are required.
The successful candidate will document successful solicitation of numerous major and principal gifts and present a history of building advancement program and fund-raising performance.
Exemplary interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to solicit and cultivate donors.
This person must be a visible leader both on and off campus.
In compliance with the New York State Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $250,000 - $275,000.
Iona University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.
This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, or other items.
A bachelor’s degree is required with a master’s degree highly preferred.
A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible fundraising and development experience within comprehensive advancement programs is required, with leadership experience within higher education highly valued.
Other qualifications and personal qualities sought in the SVP for Advancement include: A creative leader with substantive management experience, an entrepreneurial outlook, and a broad knowledge of the organization and operation of advancement programs, including alumni, development, communications, and marketing activities.
A proven fundraiser who has successfully led fundraising initiatives, including successfully directing a major comprehensive campaign and management of an experienced development staff.
An individual with an understanding of budgets, endowments, and investments and the confidence to discuss the financial aspects of operations, fundraising and campaigns with the President, trustees, and business leaders.
An excellent communicator, coupled with a comfortable public presence, who can articulate Iona University’s religious affiliation and values and effectively engage all its diverse constituencies with energy, authenticity, and humor; superb interpersonal and communication skills, coupled with a comfortable public presence.
A collaborative leader who will create effective ongoing partnerships with admissions, athletics, academics, and other University departments.
An awareness of key issues affecting higher education institutions nationally, including affordability, distance learning, technology, sustainability, and educational quality, and appreciation for the unique role of colleges and universities in impacting change in those arenas.
Iona University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our employees including staff & administrative employees, faculty and student workers.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, military or veteran status, alienage, citizenship, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, unemployment status, or other legally prohibited basis under federal and state law, or local ordinance.
As an equal opportunity employer, Iona University encourages applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live, in particular historically underrepresented groups.