Assistant Vice President for Development

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Retirement plan

Generous leave

University benefits

Job summary

Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA, is seeking a senior advancement leader to guide The Campaign for Wentworth. The AVP for University Advancement will drive strategy, oversee the gift-officer team, and cultivate senior donor relationships to position the campaign for a public launch in 2029 and completion in 2031.

The role requires a decade of frontline fundraising with major gifts, campaign leadership at the $50M level, and strong moves-management and data-driven decision skills

Qualifications

• 10+ years of frontline fundraising experience with a demonstrated history of closing major gifts.
• Direct participation in a comprehensive campaign at the $50M level or above.
• Experience managing a development team during a campaign.
• Experience with principal gift strategies at the seven‑figure level and above.
• Strong working knowledge of moves management, pipeline development, and CRM systems such as Slate.
• Ability to analyze fundraising data and use metrics to drive program decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the gift officer team, spanning major gifts, leadership gifts, and industry, foundation, and government partnerships.
• Carry a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects.
• Partner with the Vice President and President on the university's most transformational donor relationships.
• Hold the team accountable using pipeline data, portfolio metrics, and performance indicators, with a regular cadence of moves‑management reviews.
• Develop gift officers into Wentworth's next generation of advancement leaders through direct coaching.
• Steward gift‑acceptance and naming decisions across a 10‑year Institutional Master Plan with naming potential at every level of the gift table.

Skills

fundraising

moves management

CRM systems

data analysis

Tools

Slate CRM

Job description

Job Description

Wentworth Institute of Technology | Boston, MA | Hybrid

About Wentworth Institute of Technology

Wentworth is a private, STEM and design-focused university in Boston's Fenway neighborhood, founded in 1904, with 45,000+ living alumni. Ninety-one percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months, and every undergraduate completes two paid co‑op semesters. Wentworth closed FY25 with more than $40 million in new commitments, well above prior years, including the largest single gift in institutional history.

The Opportunity

The Vice President for University Advancement, Derek Berger, seeks a senior development leader to lead the gift officer team through The Campaign for Wentworth, a comprehensive campaign organized around four priorities: student access and success, next‑generation learning, campus spaces, and unrestricted support through the Wentworth Fund. The campaign is currently in its quiet phase, with a public launch planned for 2029 and completion in 2031, and this is the campaign the next AVP will carry to the finish, contributing to the strategy, prospect readiness, and leadership giving that position it to go public, then leading the team toward the close. The AVP serves as the Vice President's senior partner on fundraising strategy. The team has produced back‑to‑back record fundraising years; what this role adds is reach. The AVP engages at a level of seniority that generates opportunities the team can develop and close, and converts an untapped industry pipeline built through more than fifty years of co‑op relationships in life sciences, technology, construction, and real estate.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the gift officer team, spanning major gifts, leadership gifts, and industry, foundation, and government partnerships
• Carry a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects
• Partner with the Vice President and President on the university's most transformational donor relationships
• Hold the team accountable using pipeline data, portfolio metrics, and performance indicators, with a regular cadence of moves‑management reviews
• Develop gift officers into Wentworth's next generation of advancement leaders through direct coaching
• Steward gift‑acceptance and naming decisions across a 10‑year Institutional Master Plan with naming potential at every level of the gift table

Qualifications

• 10+ years of frontline fundraising experience with a demonstrated history of closing major gifts
• Direct participation in a comprehensive campaign at the $50M level or above
• Experience managing a development team during a campaign
• Experience with principal gift strategies at the seven‑figure level and above
• Strong working knowledge of moves management, pipeline development, and CRM systems such as Slate
• Ability to analyze fundraising data and use metrics to drive program decisions

Position Details

At this time, the university is unable to sponsor applicants for H‑1B visas.

The job grade for this position is Grade12.

$165,000 to $185,000, with comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plan participation, generous leave, and the full range of university benefits. Based on Wentworth's Fenway campus, hybrid with roughly three days in the office, with regional travel and some national presence.

Compensation and Benefits

Wentworth Institute of Technology is committed to fair, transparent, and legally compliant compensation practices. We believe that clarity about pay structures and ranges supports equity, fosters trust, and ensures a positive workplace for all employees.

Wentworth offers a comprehensive benefits package to support the best experience for our employees.

E‑Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification

Wentworth participates in E‑Verify. E‑Verify is an internet‑based system that compares information from your Form I‑9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at [e-mail].