Executive Director of Advancement, West Coast

Arizona State University Foundation has partnered with Lindauer, a national search and talent firm, to conduct this search. To apply, please submit your resume on the Lindauer website.

Please contact the Lindauer team leading this search if you have questions or would like to make a nomination or a referral: Adele Mezher, Senior Vice President and Emily Horsford, Senior Associate.

The salary range for this role is $180,000-230,000 annually.

The West Coast represents one of Arizona State University's most significant opportunities for philanthropic growth and broader engagement. ASU has built a growing presence through its academic programs, students and alumni, partnerships, physical locations, and connections to industries shaping the future. The opportunity now is to translate that presence into a more powerful and sustained culture of philanthropy in the region.

ASU Foundation seeks an entrepreneurial, strategic, and accomplished fundraising leader to serve as Executive Director of Advancement, West Coast. Based in California, the Executive Director will serve as a senior advancement leader for the region, building relationships with philanthropists, entrepreneurs, business and community leaders, alumni, and other partners whose interests intersect with the breadth and ambition of ASU.

The Executive Director will look beyond traditional sources of higher education philanthropy to identify new networks of wealth and influence. The region’s philanthropic landscape is not monolithic; success will require a leader who understands the distinct dynamics of the region including those between Northern and Southern California, recognizes where new wealth is emerging, and knows how to build authentic relationships within those communities.

This is both a frontline fundraising and leadership role. The Executive Director will personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of significant donors and prospects while leading an experienced regional advancement team toward greater focus, collaboration, accountability, and philanthropic results. As momentum and philanthropic opportunity grow, the Executive Director will also have the opportunity to shape and expand the advancement operation to support ASU's ambitions across the region.

ASU brings an unusually broad set of assets to the West Coast, spanning health, science, education, technology, journalism, the arts and creative industries, Global Futures Laboratory, Thunderbird, and other areas of institutional strength. The Executive Director will translate those strengths into compelling philanthropic opportunities, connecting donor interests with the people, programs, and ideas capable of creating meaningful impact

For a creative and entrepreneurial advancement leader, this is an opportunity to help shape the next chapter of ASU's presence on the West Coast and build a culture of philanthropy matching the scale of the University's ambitions.

Reporting to the Chief Global Advancement Officer of the ASU Foundation, the Executive Director of Advancement, West Coast will lead ASUF's advancement strategy and regional team across California and the broader West Coast. The Executive Director will personally manage a significant portfolio of major and principal gift prospects while providing focused leadership, direction, and accountability to an experienced team.

Working across the ASU Foundation and in close partnership with university leadership, schools, colleges, institutes, the ASU Alumni Association, Sun Devil Athletics, and other ASU entities, the Executive Director will bring coordination and strategic focus to advancement activity across the region. The successful candidate will bring deep knowledge of the West Coast philanthropic and business landscape, strong executive judgment, and the ability to focus ASU's people and resources around the relationships and opportunities with the greatest philanthropic potential.

What you’ll do

West Coast Advancement Strategy & Market Development

• • Design and lead a comprehensive advancement strategy for California and the broader West Coast, establishing priorities that advance ASU's institutional and philanthropic goals.
  •  Build ASUF's philanthropic network across the region, identifying and engaging high-potential markets, emerging sources of wealth and influence, and individuals without an existing relationship to the University.
  • Apply knowledge of the region to differentiate among markets, identify where ASU has the strongest philanthropic opportunities, and focus institutional resources accordingly.
  • Develop a seamless and collaborative approach linking the ASU Foundation, ASU Alumni Association, Sun Devil Athletics, and other ASU units operating across the West Coast.

Principal & Major Gift Fundraising

• • Personally manage a significant portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-net-worth individuals through sophisticated, multi-year strategies that raise donor sights and lead to seven-figure+ commitments.
  • Partner with constituent and central development officers, academic leaders, faculty, and other colleagues to connect donor interests with compelling opportunities across ASU.
  • Develop effective cultivation, solicitation, proposal, and stewardship strategies and ensure disciplined prospect management and tracking.
  • Meet ambitious personal and regional fundraising goals and provide timely reporting on progress, pipeline development, and solicitation results.

Team Leadership & Performance

• • Lead, coach, and develop an experienced West Coast advancement team, establishing clear priorities, expectations, accountability, and a shared focus on philanthropic results.
  • Help team members strengthen portfolios, elevate donor strategies, raise sights, and pursue increasingly significant opportunities.
  • Create an environment that encourages collaboration, initiative, sound judgment, and disciplined execution while providing directive leadership when needed.
  • Allocate team attention and resources toward the relationships, markets, and activities with the greatest potential to advance ASU's philanthropic goals.
  • Assess the structure and capacity of the West Coast advancement team over time, building the case for additional investment and thoughtfully growing the team.

University Partnership & Integration      

• • Serve as a senior advancement partner and emissary for ASU across the West Coast, representing the University with credibility, enthusiasm, and intellectual depth.
  • Build trusted relationships with ASU leadership, including the President's Office, and work effectively across a highly entrepreneurial and decentralized university environment.
  • Navigate competing ideas and opportunities with discernment, determining where the Executive Director and team can add the greatest philanthropic value.
  • Bring together the right university leaders, faculty, programs, and advancement partners to connect donor interests and regional opportunities with ASU's institutional priorities.

What you'll need

• At least 10 years of successful development and related experience, preferably in higher education or another complex, mission-driven environment; bachelor's degree required and advanced degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing seven-figure gifts; experience with larger principal or transformational gifts strongly valued.
• Proven ability to raise donor sights, articulate ambitious ideas, and translate institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Deep knowledge of California and the West Coast philanthropic and business landscape, with established relationships and networks and the credibility to build new ones.
• Experience building relationships with high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, and other sophisticated external constituents.
• Demonstrated management experience, including the ability to lead experienced professionals, set direction, coach performance, and create accountability.
• Sound judgment and demonstrated ability to establish priorities and maintain focus amid numerous initiatives, constituencies, and opportunities.
• Intellectual curiosity, creativity, and entrepreneurial orientation, with the ability to understand opportunities across diverse academic, research, and programmatic areas and translate ideas and relationships into philanthropic results.
• Highly collaborative style and demonstrated ability to build trust and work across organizational boundaries in a complex, decentralized environment.
• Executive presence, maturity, integrity, discretion, and the ability to represent ASU effectively with senior institutional and external leaders.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to develop sophisticated proposals and related donor materials.
• Working knowledge of Salesforce or comparable donor/prospect management systems and a commitment to disciplined moves management and reporting.
• An advocate's belief in the vision of ASU as a New American University and enthusiasm for the University's Charter and mission.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently throughout the West Coast and to Arizona and to work a flexible schedule when required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with matching employer contribution
• Parental leave
• 22 days of vacation time
• 11 holidays, including your birthday
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Significant tuition reductions
• Professional development is highly valued at ASU Enterprise Partners; employees are encouraged to look across the organization and nurture new areas of interest

About ASU Foundation

The ASU Foundation fosters partnerships between ASU and like-minded individuals, corporations and foundations who believe in ASU’s mission and provide resources for ASU to manifest its charter into meaningful impact. These partnerships empower ASU to advance student access, serve our community, protect the planet, create equity in higher education and conduct research for the public good.

At the ASU Foundation we value

Character
We prioritize character and integrity in every decision and action, establishing trust as the foundation of all that we do.
 

Service
We are dedicated to serving our students, donors, communities, and colleagues by fostering support and collaboration to ensure that our efforts are impactful.
 

Innovation
Innovation drives us to create meaningful opportunities and solutions, helping every member of our global community achieve meaningful outcomes.

The ASU Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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