Scheduled to open in 2016, the new Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), designed by the renowned Steven Holl Architects, invites applications for the position of Director of Development.

The ICA will be an iconic gateway for the city of Richmond. As a non-collecting museum, the ICA will showcase a fresh slate of changing innovative exhibitions, performances, films and special programs that engage the university, students, faculty, the broader Richmond community, and beyond.

The 40,000-square-foot ICA will be an incubator for interdisciplinary experimentation for the entire university while simultaneously providing opportunities for collaboration both locally and internationally. It will be in direct dialogue with VCUarts, the #1 public art school in the country; set within a major, urban public research university with national and international rankings in sponsored research; and centrally located on the East Coast in a city with a top-10 museum and a region with few venues for the latest contemporary art. The ICA will become a conduit for global collaboration, bridging the distance to artists working in other regions internationally.

The ICA has a $55 million capital and endowment campaign. To date, VCUhas raised $32 million towards the capital campaign.
Chief purpose of this position in support of above mission or goal The Director of Development is a strategic, energetic, entrepreneurial, and creative leader who will garner local, regional, and national support for the ICA’s mission, identifying and cultivating new donors as well as stewarding existing relationships while maintaining the Museum’s profile nationally and internationally. The Director of Development will work to keep the ICAglobally oriented and locally relevant, generating enthusiasm and engendering public pride in the ICA as a highly valued community asset: a magnet for cultural tourism, a venue for exciting exhibitions, and a focal point for significant events and programs.

The Director of Development will report directly to the Director of the ICAand will maintain close working relationships with the University’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations, the VCU School of the Arts’ Executive Director of Development, who has been leading ICA fundraising initiatives for over two years, as well as colleagues throughout VCU, the community, and international partners to generate diverse support.
Position Responsibilities Immediate Priorities and Responsibilities:
• Plans, manages, and implements the overall fundraising strategy for theICA to achieve operating and strategic objectives;
• Ensures the delivery of the ICA’s vision, mission and brand through its fundraising programs and establishes secure resources for its future;
• Leads staff, Advisory Board members and volunteers, solidifying a strong foundation of exiting contributors and develops new connections with individual donors, corporations, and foundations, to ensure increased contributed income, planned giving and foundation revenue.

Essential Functions:

Corporate & Annual Giving:
• Leads efforts to design, implement and evaluate strategies for the stewardship of all aspects of fundraising including individuals, corporations, foundations and government;
• Establishes a presence in the community to increase the organization’s visibility, identifies opportunities and programs to engage new donors, and maintains grant opportunities and relationships with current and past donors;
• Develops and implements successful fundraising events that build and expand on the Museum’s success in this area;
• Builds and diversifies funding base and matching grant opportunities with programmatic priorities;
• Working in alignment with VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, develops grant proposals for foundations and corporations;
• Supervises donor and gift acknowledgement, record keeping and reporting; and
• Establishes the ICA’s membership base and cultivates members as future donors.

Major Gifts:
• Develops and implements a major gifts program for the ICA to engage and cultivate new partners that will increase the number and size of gifts over time;
• Delivers the highest of professional standards while demonstrating the sensitivity necessary to successfully engage and interact with high-level donors; and
• Facilitates the tasks that must be undertaken to advance the work and progress of the ICA, including preparing materials and information that will be used in presentations to prospective donors.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:
• Participates as an active member of the ICA Senior Leadership Team;
• Collaborates with other ICA and VCU departments to ensure the seamless flow of information needed for activities such as writing grants, producing reports and external communications;
• Creates and sustains strong working relationships with the Executive Director, leadership staff, the ICA Advisory Board and its committees;
• Develops an annual fundraising budget, benchmarks and metrics for the Museum to ensure budgetary goals are met or exceeded;
• Manages and mentors staff fundraising team, Advisory Board members, committee members and community volunteers; and
• Maintains office systems to support all development projects and operations.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by the Director and ICA.
Required Qualifications • Minimum of eight (8) years of demonstrated success with increasing responsibility in non-profit fundraising, preferably with an arts organization in a major market;
• Experience working in a senior leadership capacity to develop long-range strategic fundraising plans along with oversight and management of direct reports;
• Experience building strong working relationships and collaborating with a diverse range of donors, foundations, corporations, and other contributors and stakeholders;
• Successful proven track record in providing creative and innovative leadership in resource development and grant writing and in promoting and administering dynamic and diverse fundraising strategies;
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member atVCU;
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills;
• Must be self-motivated, strategic, creative, entrepreneurial, energetic and intelligent;
• Proven flexibility and willingness to perform a wide range of tasks as necessary;
• Ability to problem-solve using sound judgment and professional discretion;
• Proven ability to develop and present complex information to a diverse range of individuals, and at conferences, lectures, and other essential meetings;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take initiative;
• Demonstrated strong work ethic and time management skills;
• Strong organizational skills required and ability to attend to details; and
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize work, handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Must have an advanced degree or training and work experience at a level that equates to an advanced degree.
Preferred Qualifications

Posting Detail Information

Date Posted 09/15/2014
Open Until Filled Yes
Application Deadline Date
Proposed Hire Date 01/05/2015
Type of Search National
Application Process/Additional Information For full consideration, candidates should submit a current resume, a letter of interest, and a list of five professional references with email addresses and telephone numbers to the attention of Ryan Ellington, Director of Human Resources at: www.vcujobs.com. Applications will be reviewed beginning November 17, 2014 and will continue until the position is filled. Only electronic applications submitted via eJobs will be accepted.

To read the full position description, application instructions, and apply, visit: https://www.vcujobs.com/

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation or disability.
Posted Salary

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. * How did you find out about this position?
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    • Chronicle of Higher Education
    • Community event
    • Email notification
    • HERC (Higher Ed Recruitment Consortium)
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  2. * If you selected “Other” for your referral source please indicate where you heard about this posting. (If you did not select “Other,” please enter “n/a.”)(Open Ended Question)

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

  1. Cover Letter/Letter of Application
  2. Resume

Optional Documents

  1. Other Document
  2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  3. Reference Letter – 1