Associate Vice President

Job Description Summary

As a member of the MUSC Foundation team, the Associate Vice President (AVP) will be responsible for managing and leading grateful patient fundraising programs across MUSC. The AVP will develop overarching strategies to ensure the team maximizes philanthropic revenue in support of MUSC’s priorities, with a strong emphasis on recruiting and retaining effective gift officers, providing ongoing training and professional development, and overseeing progress toward fundraising goals. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the AVP is a member of the senior development team and serves as a thought leader and key partner across the Development organization. Additionally, the AVP will act as a deputy for the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and will collaborate regularly with other fundraising unit leaders, including those in Planned Giving, Schools & Colleges, Clinical Areas and the Annual Fund.

Entity

University Medical Associates (UMA) Only Employees and Financials

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type​

Regular

Cost Center

CC005438 UMA OTHR PAY MUSCF - Institutional Advancement

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Grade

Health-38

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Work Shift

Job Description

As a member of the MUSC Foundation team, the Associate Vice President (AVP) will be responsible for managing and leading grateful patient fundraising programs across MUSC. The AVP will develop overarching strategies to ensure the team maximizes philanthropic revenue in support of MUSC’s priorities, with a strong emphasis on recruiting and retaining effective gift officers, providing ongoing training and professional development, and overseeing progress toward fundraising goals. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, the AVP is a member of the senior development team and serves as a thought leader and key partner across the Development organization. Additionally, the AVP will act as a deputy for the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and will collaborate regularly with other fundraising unit leaders, including those in Planned Giving, Schools & Colleges, Clinical Areas and the Annual Fund.

The AVP is responsible for planning, managing, and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that aligns with the institution’s goals. They will develop a robust program incorporating best practices for major and principal gifts across the enterprise. Additionally, the AVP will design and implement a physician and faculty engagement training program. This position provides strategic leadership in setting philanthropic goals, strategies, and priorities in collaboration with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and manages a portfolio of donors with an agreed-upon fundraising target.

The AVP will also establish an institution-wide pipeline-building process to enhance and expand the flow of grateful patient prospects into the development ecosystem. This will integrate major and principal gift activities with direct response programs to ensure seamless donor transitions, working in collaboration with data analytics and prospect research teams. Additionally, the AVP will leverage this infrastructure to create targeted outreach campaigns focused on high-value, high-opportunity areas where MUSC has expanded or seeks to grow.

This position includes supervisory responsibilities, including overseeing and mentoring development team members, conducting regular performance reviews, and driving the overall strategy for major gifts across the institution. As part of the senior leadership team, the AVP will contribute to the coordination and execution of principal and major gift activities, strategies, and the development of fundraising priorities across MUSC’s footprint.

Responsibilities:

Strategy and Management – 30%

• Recruit, train, and manage gift officers within a performance-driven environment.
• Partner with the Vice President for Institutional Advancement to ensure strategic donor engagement and portfolio coverage.
• Develop and lead a sophisticated, multi-disciplinary grateful patient fundraising program that aligns with institutional priorities and donor intent.
• Serve as a mentor, role model, and resource for a high-performing team, guiding prospect strategy, solicitation, and fundraising techniques.
• Design and implement a physician education program to set expectations for development partnerships across the healthcare system.
• Build and maintain partnerships with faculty and physicians to enhance the pipeline of grateful patient referrals.
• Ensure a balanced and well-managed major gift prospect pool, distributed among team members to optimize fundraising potential.
• Coordinate the participation of faculty, administration, trustees, and volunteers in major gift fundraising strategies.

Fundraising – 30%

• Maintain and manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, focusing on cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop and implement tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies for grateful patient prospects in collaboration with faculty and leadership
• Identify and qualify new prospects, establish relationships, craft personalized solicitation plans, and secure major and principal gifts
• Work with development leadership, faculty, and physicians to align donor interests with institutional priorities.
• Lead strategy for prospects with complex engagement pathways, ensuring collaboration across teams.
• Champion best practices in donor engagement and fundraising execution.
• Navigate the nuanced aspects of medical fundraising, including ethical considerations and institutional policies.

Collaboration and Communication – 20%

• Develop and present high-level fundraising strategies, including $10M+ gift opportunities, to institutional leadership.
• Maintain regular engagement with Deans, Department Chairs, Faculty, and Development Officers to identify fundraising opportunities and ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
• Assist in drafting proposals and key fundraising materials
• Partner with communications and stewardship teams to design donor recognition strategies, impact reporting, and extraordinary stewardship experiences.
• Coordinate development-related briefings, reports, and agendas for leadership and physician partners.
• Guide gift officers in articulating the relationship between philanthropy, patient care, research, and education.

Data Management – 20%

• Establish and enforce best practices for moves management, prospect tracking, and donor database utilization.
• Optimize performance evaluation through a structured metrics system for major gift officers.
• Ensure organizational compliance with established fundraising goals and reporting standards.

Position Requirements

• Ability to collaborate effectively with and earn the respect of faculty, scientists, physicians, and senior administrators.
• Exceptional analytical, oral, and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Capable of prioritizing tasks and working independently, while also collaborating with cross-functional teams to address requests from various departments and individuals
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.

Training and Education

• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of experience in fundraising within a complex healthcare development organization, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven experience managing gift officers in a performance metrics-driven environment.
• Successful track record of cultivating, soliciting, and securing seven- and eight-figure gifts.
• Creative, professional, and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Experience in writing and communications within higher education or nonprofit sectors preferred.
• Previous experience in an academic medical center or basic sciences environment preferred.
• Strong understanding of major gift fundraising and grateful patient programs.
• Familiarity with Blackbaud or other donor management software.

Additional Job Description

Education: Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Work Experience: 10 years progressive work experience and 5 years management experience

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

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