Associate Vice President Development

Associate Vice President for Development

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

To be considered for the Associate Vice President for Development opportunity at Rice University, please submit your resume and cover letter in confidence to Witt Kieffer at RiceA with the subject line:
Associate Vice President for Development at Rice University.

Submit your application materials as requested above.

Rice University is a 300‑acre campus in Houston, Texas, ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities. With a 6-to‑1 undergraduate‑to‑faculty ratio, Rice offers a residential college system that supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally. The university prides itself on a strong campus tradition of developing close‑knit, diverse communities and is highly regarded for quality of life and value among private institutions.

Rice’s core values—Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence—guide all decisions and behaviors.

Reporting to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, the Associate Vice President for Development provides leadership, evaluation, and mentoring to the individual‑giving program. The role coordinates efforts to maximize philanthropic support, serves as a primary contact for campus leadership, and manages the participation of deans and other university leaders in fundraising activities. As a senior member of the fundraising team, this person manages a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects at the $1M+ level while overseeing the frontline fundraising operation, including Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Gift Planning, and Parents fundraising programs.

The position serves on the division’s leadership team and the campaign steering committee to advance donor experience and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, strategic thinker with a proven record of leading development staff to set and achieve data‑driven fundraising goals. The candidate motivates, mentors, and advocates for talented staff to facilitate team success.

This hybrid role combines in‑office and remote work. Per Rice policy 440, arrangements may change. Must hold a valid Texas driver’s license with no more than three moving violations or at‑fault accidents in the past 36 months and no DWI or DUI convictions in the past five years.

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 7+ years of successful major‑gift (front‑line) fundraising experience
• At least three years of experience leading a team of development professionals and working with deans, faculty, and senior administrators

• Commitment to Rice University’s mission
• Strong leadership and strategic management skills
• Deep understanding of fundraising best practices
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability to lead and motivate others
• Capacity to manage many fundraising activities simultaneously
• Skill in engaging and motivating diverse groups
• Attention to detail and advanced problem‑solving
• Organizational and time‑management proficiency
• Creativity, initiative, and motivation
• Ability to work under pressure and manage projects concurrently
• Team orientation and leadership example
• Independent work capability and collaborative teamwork to meet deadlines
• Diplomatic judgment and contingency planning
• Interest and commitment to sharing knowledge via training programs

• Master’s degree
• 8+ years of the experience specified above
• 5+ years of fundraising experience at higher education
• Experience on a significant higher‑education fundraising campaign
• Experience as a regional or school‑based fundraising officer
• Good sense of humor and positive outlook
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficiency with fundraising CRM and data‑driven orientation
• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification

• Lead culture of philanthropy and performance excellence
• Communicate Rice’s mission, vision, and values to inspire engagement
• Coach and develop the Individual Giving team across Annual Giving, Major Gifts, and Gift…