Associate Vice President, Principal Giving

Feb 24

Wayne State University
Detroit, MI

Anticipated Start Date: 06/15/2026

Description

Wayne State University (WSU) seeks a strategic, creative, and collaborative Associate Vice President, Principal Giving (AVP) to lead a bold principal and transformational giving program during a time of record-breaking fundraising success.

The new AVP will join WSU at a time of considerable momentum as the university prepares to announce the public launch of an ambitious $1 billion+ comprehensive campaign effort. The campaign is designed to double-down on the university’s strengths: empowering social mobility, health equity, economic growth, and the vibrancy of Detroit. With 2025 marking the biggest fundraising year in the university’s history, WSU is poised for even greater heights. WSU’s donors have led by example with recent gifts of $50 million and $20 million, and the power of collective giving is palpable with a record $2.3 million raised on Giving Day 2025, highlighting the pride and loyalty of WSU’s alumni community, more than 70 percent of whom live in southeast Michigan. The AVP will have a strong platform from which to continue elevating sights while playing a significant leadership role in achieving campaign success.

Reporting to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs and working closely with the Office of the President, the AVP will lead principal giving efforts university-wide, taking a strategic approach to maximizing efforts, assets, and impact. The AVP will serve on the Vice President’s senior team and will elevate cross-unit giving opportunities while inviting donors and university leaders to mirror the powerful, determined, and ambitious qualities that define Wayne State Warriors. The AVP will work internally and externally to accelerate strategic thinking and relationship building. Leading through influence and example, the AVP will engender a spirit of shared success and greater collective impact across the enterprise. The successful candidate is expected to have at least seven to ten years of experience with a track record of conceiving and implementing strategies that have resulted in personally securing seven-figure gifts and higher.

They should have a history of working collaboratively with academic leaders and crafting highly complex proposals, gift documentation, and meaningful engagement approaches. Strong financial acumen is expected, as well as a track record of navigating a complex organization. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills are necessary, with a philosophy of teamwork and hands-on implementation. The AVP must have a transparent, planful, and proactive approach to their work as well as a clear, responsive, and graceful communication style. In accordance with its core values, WSU is especially interested in recruiting individuals who will promote and uphold the values embodied within the university’s Mission Statement.

Responsibilities

Personally manage a prospect portfolio to achieve ambitious annual fundraising and visit goals. Establish and implement prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies focusing on securing commitments of $1,000,000+. Draft and negotiate highly complex gift and pledge documentation.
Establish and implement prospect qualification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies for the university’s highest-level gift donors and prospects. Devise and oversee the creation of highly customized, robust solicitation materials for principal and transformational gift donors and prospects. Work closely with the university President, Vice President of Development, and other executive leaders to secure principal and transformational gifts to fund university priorities and meet aggressive fundraising goals.
Collaborate with and support school- and college-based fundraising and academic colleagues on implementing strategies for principal and transformational gift donors and prospects; ensure coordination across multiple departments. Lead and convene effective and productive principal gift strategy sessions on a scheduled cadence.
Supervise staff, effectively managing performance to meet individual and team initiatives; foster a collegial and highly productive work environment. Recruit, interview, hire, train, coach, and evaluate staff. Establish and communicate performance expectations in a manner that motivates and empowers staff to fulfill job duties. Encourage, support, and ensure employee participation in training and development programs.
Manage unit’s annual budget. Develop expense projections, approve expenditures at unit level, and monitor transactions for compliance with university policies and procedures.
Network with outside professional groups and organizations to keep abreast of current industry trends and best practices related to principal gift fundraising. Represent Development & Alumni Affairs at industry or community meetings at the request of leadership.
Special projects and other duties as assigned.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following professional qualities and experiences:

A Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
Minimum of 7 – 10 years of experience in the planning, development, and implementation of fundraising strategies, policies, and procedures for highly sophisticated individual giving programs.
At least 5 years of senior-level management responsibility in a complex organization, preferably higher education.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing personnel.
Proven ability to qualify, cultivate, and solicit high-level donors and prospects. Track record of closing seven-figure gifts.
Professional understanding of, and interest in, Development and Alumni Affairs best practices and general operations. Understanding of trends and best practices within higher education fundraising.
Positive and collaborative professional philosophy, recognizing that this position is integral to the achievement of the goals and objectives of Development and Alumni Affairs.
Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills.
A disposition to listen and circulate widely; outstanding interpersonal skills.
Exceptional reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills, including an ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps.
Superb organizational skills and the ability to multi-task.
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with team members.
Some travel, nights and weekends required.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

$200,000 - $230,000

How to Apply for this Job

Apply Now

About the Organization

As Michigan’s only urban research university and the third largest and most diverse university in the state, WSU is proud to hold the highest Carnegie Foundation ratings for both research intensiveness and community engagement. For more than 150 years, Wayne State has remained a steadfast partner in Detroit, engaging with the community and its people in ways that leave a lasting positive impact from educational access to research that solves real-world problems; from neighborhood service to workforce development; from economic innovation to social mobility. The diversity of people and cultures and the spirit and grit that animate them are mirrored in the university community.

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