The Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with University of Missouri in the search for an Executive Director for Advancement, Annual Giving and Membership.

Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Donor Engagement, the Executive Director for Advancement, Annual Giving and Membership will be the driving force behind a modern and effective annual giving program. Using the latest in annual giving strategy, the Executive Director will lead a high-performing team by overseeing a comprehensive annual giving program and philanthropic digital engagement strategies for Mizzou Advancement. The Executive Director will work collaboratively across the division to identify annual giving, Annual Association membership, and leadership annual giving targets and oversee campaigns that maximize annual, renewable, and upgraded gifts from a broad base of alumni and friends through the optimum mix of digital, print, social media, and personal marketing and outreach. The Executive Director will be fully supported in enhancing fundraising strategies annually to increase the number of donors, members, and dollars raised.

Since 1839, and as Missouri’s only state-supported member of the Association of American Universities, the University of Missouri (MU) has been engaged in groundbreaking research and comprehensive academics that define its strength as a higher education institution. Today, MU supports 31,103 students in 300+ degree programs, including 97 undergraduate majors, 96 master’s degrees, 69 doctoral degrees, and over 70 certificates. Students work side by side with some of the world’s best faculty to advance the arts and humanities, the sciences, and the professions. At MU, scholarship and teaching are driven daily by a commitment to public service—the obligation to produce and disseminate knowledge that will improve the quality of life in the state, the nation, and the world. MU’s NCAA Division I Athletics program in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has 550 student-athletes across 20 sports. There are 344,000 MU alumni living around the world, 185,000 of which remain in the state of Missouri, maintaining MU’s positive impact globally and locally.

MU commits to acting ethically, welcoming differences, and exchanging ideas openly. University leaders demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by ensuring each individual, regardless of background, experiences, and perspectives, is supported at MU. In the past eight years, the university created the Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, hired a Chief Diversity Officer to lead the new division, and established mandatory diversity training for those responsible for hiring. As part of its student accessibility efforts, in 2021, MU invested over $167 million in student scholarships and awards, allowing nearly half of all MU students to graduate without debt.

University of Missouri takes pride in driving innovation and the state of Missouri economy through its extensive research and outreach programs which support local families, business owners, farmers, firefighters and police, and healthcare providers. In 2021, the university secured $389 million on total research via the National Science Foundation. It boasts about 100 new inventions each year and infuses the Missouri economy with approximately $5B on an annual basis. Overall, the University of Missouri positively impacts 1 million Missouri residents through its offerings.

On the heels of record retention and enrollment growth amidst unprecedented challenges facing higher education in 2020, the University of Missouri jumped 15 spots in the U.S. News & World Report list of top national universities, rising to 124 in the publication’s newest rankings of more than 380 public and private institutions. MU also moved up five spots, from No. 90 in 2020 to No. 85, among the Best Value Schools— a measure of colleges that offer the best value for students getting need-based financial aid. Additionally, the university climbed 13 spots to No. 86 among the Best Colleges for Veterans.

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least seven years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to mission of University of Missouri as well as the responsibilities and qualifications presented in the prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $115,000 to $150,000 annually.