Vice President for Donor Engagement and Experience

Major Gift Officer
Senior Vice President for Development Vice President for Donor Engagement and Experience
Employer
The College Foundation of the University of Virginia
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia
Salary
Competitive Salary and Incentives
Posted Date
May 5, 2026
categories Job Details
The College Foundation
of the University of Virginia
Vice President for Donor Engagement and Experience
The College Foundation of the University of Virginia invites applications for the position of Vice President for Donor Engagement and Experience, a strategic and creative leader who will shape and elevate the Foundation's approach to engaging its broad and diverse community of alumni and supporters. Reporting to the President & CEO and working in close partnership with development colleagues, this individual will play a central role in strengthening the donor journey across all stages of engagement.
The Vice President will provide vision and direction for a comprehensive and unified engagement strategy that integrates events, communications, stewardship, and data driven insights to deliver meaningful and personalized experiences. This leader will inspire and support a high performing team, foster collaboration across the advancement enterprise, and ensure that every interaction reflects the values and aspirations of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia while deepening affinity and long-term philanthropic support.
The ideal candidate will bring a bachelor's degree, with an advanced degree preferred, along with at least ten years of progressively responsible experience in advancement, development, or nonprofit leadership. This individual will have a demonstrated record of leading and developing high performing teams, coupled with a deep understanding of donor psychology, relationship management, and the motivations that drive philanthropy.
Experience in higher education advancement and donor relations is strongly preferred, along with familiarity with comprehensive campaigns and a robust understanding of giving across principal, major, annual, and estate planning. The ideal candidate will also bring an openness to innovation, including experience with emerging technologies and digital engagement platforms.
The successful candidate will be an exceptional communicator, both written and verbal, capable of crafting compelling proposals, presentations, and donor communications. They will be an exceptional relationship builder, with the ability to build trust and the interpersonal skills to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
This is a full-time position that will be performed on-site in Charlottesville, Virginia. Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience and will include a generous benefits package.
Expressions of interest and nominations are being accepted and will continue until the position is filled. Application materials should include a letter of interest and a resume/CV. Applications can be submitted using the Apply button.
The College Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
In 2017, 2020, and 2021, The Nonprofit Times recognized The College Foundation as one of the top 50 nonprofit employers in the country