Description
Vice President of Institutional Advancement
SUNY Plattsburgh, a vibrant, four-year, public comprehensive university and member of the State University of New York system of higher education, seeks a collaborative leader and accomplished fundraiser to serve as its next Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
The Institution: Founded in 1889, SUNY Plattsburgh has a strong history of meeting regional and statewide needs for higher education. Located in the heart of the North Country, it is also a major driver of the economic and cultural well-being of the community. Today, SUNY Plattsburgh fulfills its motto, “A Proud Past, A Strong Future,” by preparing a broad population of undergraduate and graduate students for a wide range of professional pursuits, responsible citizenship, and ethical life based on a strong foundation in the liberal arts. The University is a selective public institution offering an affordable yet high-quality education at both its main campus and branch campus, located in Queensbury, NY. The University enrolls over 4,500 students in more than 70 Baccalaureate, Certificate, and Master’s programs in the Sciences, Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Education, as well as Health and Human Services. With a student-faculty ratio of 16:1 and an average class size of 22, students receive individual attention from the University’s outstanding faculty and staff. A student-centered approach to higher education is the hallmark of the “Plattsburgh Experience.” As a residential University, Plattsburgh houses approximately 1,700 students, including about 150 international students representing 34 countries. SUNY Plattsburgh is an NCAA Division III University with 18 varsity teams. The institution strives to foster an equitable and inclusive community that supports students of diverse backgrounds and is committed to employing individuals devoted to working in an environment composed of a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations. To learn more about SUNY Plattsburgh, please visit https://www.plattsburgh.edu. Additionally, recent achievements of the University are summarized in the 2023-24 Annual Report, available at http://www.plattsburgh.edu/annualreport.
The Position: Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (VPIA) supports the University’s mission by providing vision, collaborative leadership, and management in a diverse multicultural, international, and high-technology environment, working with all constituents on campus to proactively and effectively coordinate campus connections and a culture of philanthropy. The VPIA assists in university-wide decision making, planning, and implementation related to university budget; academic planning; strategic planning; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; assessment; accreditation; labor/management relations; government and state agency relations; and internal control and compliance. The VPIA serves as a close strategic partner to the President in advancing philanthropic priorities and strengthening external relationships. As lead strategist for Institutional Advancement, this position plans and directs implementation of outreach and development programs including engagement of alumni and friends, annual giving, major gifts, legacy giving, stewardship, research, and prospect management systems. The VPIA will play a key role in assessing campaign readiness and positioning the institution for future comprehensive fundraising initiatives. While leading the Institutional Advancement philosophy and data-informed advancement strategic planning, the VPIA ensures standards for ongoing review and maintains a focus on resources, national and regional trends, and overall campus goals, as well as the University’s strategic vision and mission. As Chief Development Officer, the VPIA manages a pool of 500+ assigned prospects with responsibility to personally cultivate, solicit, steward, and strengthen relationships with top benefactors, and travels and conducts over 100 personal 1:1 off-campus visits annually.
The VPIA partners collaboratively with and supervises the Institutional Advancement leadership team, consisting of the Executive Director of Advancement, Director of Alumni Relations, and Director of Advancement Services, to implement advancement programs and assess effectiveness toward achieving primary goals of increased charitable-gift revenue and sustained lifelong relationships with over 75,000 alumni, faculty, staff, emeriti, retired staff and friends of the university. The VPIA leads Institutional Advancement directors in setting strategy and goals, within Alumni Relations, Advancement Communications, Annual Giving, Stewardship, Research, Major Gifts, Legacy Giving, Advancement Services, and Data Management. While coaching, mentoring, motivating, and evaluating all members of the Institutional Advancement team, the VPIA establishes performance metrics and annual goals for the office.
As Executive Director of the Plattsburgh College Foundation with oversight of all aspects of foundation operations, administration, and policies, the VPIA is entrusted with ensuring the foundation complies with state and federal regulations and laws pertaining to charitable giving and supporting organizations and follows best practices in administration, management, and stewardship of institutional funds. The VPIA oversees the management and investment of a $35 million endowment and $5 million in other assets, disbursement of over $2 million total scholarship awards annually, and disbursement of approximately $2.3 million to university programs annually. The VPIA also directs the $300,000 foundation (administrative & fundraising) budget. Managing the foundation Board of Directors and various foundation Committees, the VPIA constantly collaborates and engages with individuals to maintain and increase engagement and success of the Plattsburgh College Foundation.
Qualifications: The search committee will be considering and giving preference to the following qualifications and skills:
- 8-10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience with success in advancement and fundraising,
- a proven history of managing budgets, administrative processes, and staff,
- engaging diverse constituents, including demographic and functional diversity,
- extensive knowledge of trends and emerging issues in institutional advancement and foundation operations, administration, and policies,
- demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the academic and professional success of a diverse student body,
- strategic, inspirational, enthusiastic, accessible, and inclusive leadership,
- a record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding significant gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations in a metrics-driven culture,
- proven ability to motivate team members and foster meaningful internal and external relationships to accomplish organizational mission and goals,
- excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills,
- the ability to effectively interface with senior administration, staff, and external stakeholders,
- a commitment to collaboration, transparency, and inclusion in all its forms and their value in professional and educational communities,
- an entrepreneurial spirit and support for innovation and change to direct an effective program in fundraising and lead a team and campus.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
Location: Situated in one of the most beautiful regions, SUNY Plattsburgh’s main campus is on Lake Champlain between the Adirondack Mountains and Green Mountains. The University’s 256-acre campus sits on the edge of the city’s downtown area. The population of the city and the adjacent town of Plattsburgh totals over 31,000. The Plattsburgh area is home to a variety of arts and cultural venues, including the renovated Strand Center for the Arts, and boasts a rich history and many community and special events. It is an active waterfront city with a strong community ethos and providing ease of life combined with the advantages and opportunities of a larger urban center. The region is a strong, growing hub for manufacturers, assembly operations, and regional distribution services. It is also an emerging home to microbreweries, wineries, community-supported agriculture, and more. Major employers are SUNY Plattsburgh, UVM Health Network/Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Schluter Systems, Alstom, and Plattsburgh City School District. The campus is within easy traveling distance to Montreal, Quebec; Lake Placid, NY; and Burlington, VT.
About The State University of New York System: The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, and the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide were nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.
Salary: $210,000 - $225,000
Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and curriculum vitae to RPA Inc. at PlattsburghVPIA@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please contact Kendra Mozug, Search Consultant, or Dana Cohick, President, at the email address above. The first review of candidates will begin on February 20, 2026, and first-round interviews will commence thereafter.
SUNY Plattsburgh is fully committed to excellence through diversity, equity and inclusion, and to supporting a welcoming environment for all students, employees and visitors. As an equal opportunity employer and a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), the university guarantees equitable consideration to all qualified applicants with regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, ability, assigned gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, economic status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or any other legally protected status per federal or state laws. Please visit our Human Resource and Payroll Services departmental website at: www.plattsburgh.edu/hr.
Requirements
Qualifications: The search committee will be considering and giving preference to the following qualifications and skills:
- 8-10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience with success in advancement and fundraising,
- a proven history of managing budgets, administrative processes, and staff,
- engaging diverse constituents, including demographic and functional diversity,
- extensive knowledge of trends and emerging issues in institutional advancement and foundation operations, administration, and policies,
- demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the academic and professional success of a diverse student body,
- strategic, inspirational, enthusiastic, accessible, and inclusive leadership,
- a record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding significant gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations in a metrics-driven culture,
- proven ability to motivate team members and foster meaningful internal and external relationships to accomplish organizational mission and goals,
- excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills,
- the ability to effectively interface with senior administration, staff, and external stakeholders,
- a commitment to collaboration, transparency, and inclusion in all its forms and their value in professional and educational communities,
- an entrepreneurial spirit and support for innovation and change to direct an effective program in fundraising and lead a team and campus.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
