Hendrix College invites nominations and applications for the role of Vice President for Advancement (VPA). The College seeks an energetic and talented advancement professional to re-engineer the Office of Advancement and further develop Hendrix’s culture of philanthropy as the institution moves to celebrate its historic sesquicentennial anniversary.
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas, approximately 30 miles from the capital city of Little Rock. Founded in 1876 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Hendrix has a long tradition of creative programming, including the Hendrix Odyssey Program –
the first-of-its-kind engaged learning program – and the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language. Hendrix is recognized annually for academic excellence, career preparation, innovation, and value. The community is known for the close connections between its 1,100-plus students and their faculty and staff mentors, as well as its unwavering commitment to its liberal arts heritage. Nationally, Hendrix ranks among the top 30 colleges and universities, ahead of schools including Berkeley, Dartmouth, Duke, and Johns Hopkins, for the percentage of graduates who earn Ph.D.’s. Hendrix is also one of the 40 “Colleges that Change Lives.”
Reporting to the President and serving on the President’s Cabinet, the VPA serves as the College’s Chief Development Officer and provides overall strategic vision, direction, policy, and leadership for the College’s advancement division. The new VPA will play a critical role in redesigning the advancement operation, developing strategic metrics and accountability measures, and enhancing efforts to identify and cultivate alumni and donors. Led by the VPA, the Office of Advancement includes Leadership Gifts, Alumni and Constituent Engagement, Annual Fund, Major Gifts, Planned Giving, and Advancement Services. The VPA will serve as a principal gift officer and is expected to manage the College’s most philanthropically promising relationships in close partnership with the President, the Board, and other College leaders in order to optimize annual support for Hendrix.
The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree (preferably in a liberal arts discipline), with an advanced degree preferred, and will bring extensive experience in planning, constituent engagement, fundraising, and stewardship. The ideal candidate will be inspired by the opportunity to promote the mission of Hendrix College and excite people about its future.
Additionally, the successful VPA candidate will be:
- A senior-level advancement executive with a proven track record of accomplishment in the areas of capital campaigns; principal, major and planned giving; and alumni engagement;
- A leader who values the residential liberal arts college experience and who is committed to the mission of Hendrix College;
- A systems thinker who can optimize organizational structure;
- A team builder with demonstrated experience hiring, developing, and retaining top talent;
- Experienced in managing a complex organization across a variety of units;
- A creative and strategic driver of results;
- An inspiring and motivating presence for donors, staff, and volunteers;
- A relationship-driven person who brings authenticity to donor cultivation;
- A professional with an exceptional work ethic and one who embraces travel;
- A collaborative, cooperative, and collegial leader across the Advancement team, Senior Leadership Team, and College constituents;
- A naturally curious person who is eager to learn what makes Hendrix distinctive; and
- A person of deep integrity with a good sense of humor and humility.