SAVP, Development at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee

Job Description:

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement, the Senior Associate Vice President (SAVP) is the second most senior development officer within Institutional Advancement. The SAVP is responsible for direct oversight of all fundraising programs, including principal, major and planned giving, annual giving, alumni relations, corporate and foundation relations, donor communications, stewardship, prospect research, and the operations that support fundraising activities. The SAVP will manage the Institutional Advancement team, with four direct reports, anticipated to grow to six in the next two years. The SAVP will carry and cultivate a small portfolio of leadership giving prospects. The primary focus of the SAVP is to develop fundraising plans and through execution of those plans, establish a sound infrastructure for the Institutional Advancement team. They will also implement new metrics established by Meharry to evaluate the performance of individual gift officers and the entire Institutional Advancement team. Additionally, they will build on and expand Meharry's culture of philanthropy and help maximize the internal capacity and fundraising results delivered by the Institutional Advancement team. With the Senior Vice President, the SAVP will advise on fundraising strategies for the College, including Campaign 150, the College's $350 million capital campaign, which is scheduled to close in 2026, the 150th anniversary of Meharry. Within the first 12 to 18 months, the SAVP will work to build a robust Institutional Advancement team that includes frontline officers as well as advancement operations and other supporting functions. This will include evaluating the team's current capacity and making the necessary adjustments that will help to ensure high performance. Additionally, the SAVP will optimize Institutional Advancement's organizational structure and establish aspirational yet attainable goals for each team member.



Daily Operations

• Provide guidance and strategic direction for Institutional Advancement, including structure, staffing, goals, and professional development.


• Oversee the planning and implementation of all programs and activities designed to enhance philanthropic support of the College, including the Campaign 150, by helping to establish goals for all units, and by directing the strategic implementation and assessment of fundraising and engagement strategies to achieve those goals.


• Manage the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a small portfolio of leadership gift prospects through personal visits and other forms of communication.


• Plan and support all fundraising and constituent activities of the Associate Deans. Where necessary, the Senior Associate Vice President will serve as a proxy for the Senior Vice President.


• Work with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and other leaders on the Board to ensure coordination and continued progress of all fundraising and constituent engagement activities.


• Directly manage four to six professional staff members who have responsibility for annual giving, principal, major and planned giving, alumni relations, corporate and foundation relations, donor communications, stewardship, prospect research, and advancement operations.


• Represent the College at events, to volunteer groups, and in the community with the goal of increasing the visibility of Meharry's advancement priorities and needs.

• Ten or more years of progressive advancement leadership.


• Demonstrated experience as a successful fundraiser in a complex and dynamic environment such as a higher education institution, healthcare and hospital system, or voluntary health association.


• Previous capital campaign experience, ideally in a higher education institution.


• The ability to help determine the fundraising priorities of Meharry Medical College.


• A collaborative and inspiring approach that is supported by data-centered rigor and a strong emphasis on accountability.


• Creative and entrepreneurial thinking.


• Leadership presence that is effective with a variety of constituencies, including trustees, faculty, senior administration, and high-level volunteers.


• Authentic appreciation for the role that Meharry Medical College plays as a premier medical college and a Historically Black College and University institution.


• The ability to travel 30%, independently and with advancement team members.


• A Bachelor's degree is required. A Master's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience would be an advantage.