The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and the University of Illinois Foundation seek a data-driven strategic advancement executive to serve as their next Vice Chancellor for Advancement /Senior Vice President (VCA). 

Reporting to UIS Chancellor Janet Gooch and U of I Foundation President James Moore, the VCA will be a creative and influential leader who will partner closely with the president of the foundation and work with UIS leaders to advance the university’s strategic priorities. In particular, the VCA will review past outcomes and align advancement efforts around shared university goals, collaborating closely with the foundation’s teams, the deans of all four UIS colleges and academic library, as well as the university’s enrollment, communications, alumni relations, academic affairs, and government relations units. 

The VCA must be highly persuasive, capable of inspiring advisors, board members and peers to embrace a new paradigm in campus fundraising and cultivate a sense of collective ownership over fundraising objectives.

Located in the state capital, UIS enrolls over 4,600 students and is one of three universities in the world-class University of Illinois System. Ranked by US News & World Report as one of the top 10 regional public universities in the Midwest, UIS is home to four colleges (Business and Management; Health, Science, and Technology; Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; and Public Affairs and Education) and offers 60 undergraduate programs of study, 44 graduate programs and 1 doctorate. UIS’ ethos of “Leadership lived” reflects the university’s commitment to nurturing learners who evolve into leaders across diverse fields and endeavors.

Faculty members are accomplished teacher-scholars, and the university has a national reputation for innovation in teaching and excellence in online education. UIS is a diverse community-engaged campus — students contribute over 66,000 hours of community service each year — and is a major economic driver in the Central Illinois region, generating more than $176 million in income for the local economy annually. UIS’ recent successful completion (June 2022) of an eight-year Reaching Stellar Campaign funded a number of important efforts including scholarships, academic excellence, technology, and facilities. The $40 million goal was exceeded, with over $42 million raised.

The Vice Chancellor for Advancement will join an entrepreneurial leadership team looking to welcome a partner who thinks strategically and is excited to galvanize the university to pursue new ideas. The incoming VCA will have immediate opportunities to support the expansion and continued success of UIS’ innovation and workforce development initiatives both on campus and in the community. UIS works in partnership with the vibrant capital city community to nurture local research, development, and entrepreneurship — giving UIS students unique access to real-world workforce development opportunities and top-tier technology programs. To continue to grow this and many other exciting initiatives, the new VCA will have the opportunity to help lead the development and planning for what the next advancement campaign will look like for UIS, with the goal of securing the support necessary to ensure a thriving university. These efforts will undoubtedly help bolster the approximately three to four million dollars UIS raises annually and reengage with alumni classes eager to participate. All campaign-planning activities and initiatives that the new VCA will lead will be coordinated with the central services of the foundation.

The role provides an exciting opportunity to create, implement, and lead a strategic advancement program to increase UIS’ profile and philanthropic support. The VCA will have the chance to engage meaningfully with a diverse array of university stakeholders, in close collaboration with UIS’ Cabinet members and deans, and to cultivate relationships with corporate sponsors locally and statewide. 

Revitalizing UIS’ communications and fundraising strategy while strengthening institutional relationships with alumni of all class years will be a key focus area for the VCA. There are eager partners campuswide ready to help the VCA be successful, including in various academic programs, athletics, performing arts and the on-campus NPR radio station. 

Working with the University of Illinois Foundation, the VCA will also play a leadership role in the execution of multiyear campaigns that span across the University of Illinois System and share a common objective: positioning the U of I System to continue to meet the evolving needs of its students, faculty, staff, partners and communities. An additional and unique benefit of being part of the U of I System is access to the foundation’s shared $2.7 billion endowment, which provides a level of financial security not typically found at institutions of UIS’ size and allows for creativity, innovation, and the exploration of new ideas, all in pursuit of long-term growth.

The best candidates will be seasoned leaders who have experience working with a diverse group of funding organizations and individuals and in leading successful advancement teams in complex matrixed organizations, and who will embody UIS’ values of student-centeredness, integrity, inquiry, civic engagement, diversity, strategic thinking, and accountability. They will bring experience and knowledge in contemporary advancement work and will build upon a deep philanthropic culture, implementing the necessary infrastructure to support and sustain a robust advancement plan.