Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Ferra Executive Search; Jackson (MS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi seeks an accomplished fundraiser to serve as Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement. The role partners with senior leaders to shape a bold philanthropic agenda, grow giving, and inspire generosity across alumni, friends, and supporters.

The ideal candidate brings a track record of securing transformational gifts, strategic planning, and the ability to lead a high‑performing team in a liberal arts context.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's preferred for leadership potential and advancement scope.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, development, and organizational leadership.
• Experience securing major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns is essential.

Responsibilities

• Drive philanthropic growth through ambitious annual and multiyear strategies.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, foundations, and corporate partners; manage a 50–75 donor portfolio.
• Build and lead a high-performing fundraising team with clear goals and accountability.
• Provide strategic leadership for annual giving and coordinate with services, alumni engagement, and communications.
• Collaborate with the President, trustees, deans, and senior leadership to set philanthropic priorities.
• Use data and metrics to strengthen donor engagement and measurable results.

Skills

Fundraising

Development

Leadership

Major Gifts

Campaign Management

Donor Relations

Strategic Planning

Advancement Knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Salesforce

Job description

Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Millsaps College

Jackson, Mississippi

Build relationships. Inspire generosity. Help shape the future of an extraordinary college.

An Opportunity to Make a Lasting Impact

On a beautiful, 100-acre campus in the heart of Mississippi's capital city, Millsaps College is preparing for an exciting new chapter.

With a bold strategic vision, an accomplished advancement leader, and a distinguished tradition of academic excellence, Millsaps seeks a dynamic and entrepreneurial fundraising professional to serve as its next Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

This is more than an opportunity to manage a fundraising portfolio. It is an invitation to help shape the future of an institution that has been transforming lives since 1890.

For an advancement professional who thrives on building relationships, inspiring teams, and turning ambitious ideas into meaningful philanthropic investments, Millsaps offers the opportunity to make a lasting difference.

Exceptional Leadership. A Shared Vision for What's Next.

One of the most compelling aspects of this opportunity is the chance to work alongside Kathleen Terry-Sharp, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, an accomplished fundraising executive whose career reflects a passion for building relationships and advancing mission-driven organizations.

A proud Millsaps alumna, Terry-Sharp returned to her alma mater in 2025 with more than two decades of leadership experience spanning higher education, nonprofit organizations, consulting, and philanthropy.

A Certified Fundraising Executive, she has helped secure more than $55 million in grants and major gifts, developing meaningful partnerships with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other institutional supporters.

Her experience includes leadership and fundraising work with the University of Memphis, Christian Brothers University, and several national organizations.

The Associate Vice President will report directly to Terry-Sharp, partnering with her to strengthen the college's fundraising enterprise, expand philanthropic relationships, and inspire a culture of generosity.

The position also offers meaningful opportunities to collaborate with President Frank Neville, whose distinguished leadership experience at Georgia Tech and George Mason University brings a national and global perspective to Millsaps.

Together, these leaders are helping position the college for its next chapter.

The Opportunity: Lead, Build, and Inspire

Millsaps recently introduced Ad Excellentiam, its strategic plan for 2026–2031, organized around three priorities: Vitality, Community, and Impact.

Philanthropy will be an important part of realizing that vision.

The Associate Vice President will help connect the ambitions of the institution with alumni, friends, and supporters who believe in the transformative power of a Millsaps education.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Drive philanthropic growth. Develop and execute ambitious annual and multiyear fundraising strategies, including major gifts, planned giving, and comprehensive campaigns aligned with institutional priorities.
• Secure transformational investments. Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward individuals, foundations, and corporate partners while managing a portfolio of approximately 50 to 75 high-capacity prospects.
• Build and inspire a high-performing team. Recruit, coach, mentor, and lead fundraising professionals, establishing meaningful goals and a culture of collaboration, accountability, and success.
• Elevate annual giving. Provide strategic leadership for the Annual Giving program while coordinating with advancement services, alumni engagement, and communications.
• Partner with institutional leaders. Work alongside the President, trustees, deans, and senior leadership to establish philanthropic priorities and engage donors in the college's future.
• Strengthen the fundraising enterprise. Use thoughtful prospect management, data, and performance metrics to advance relationships, strengthen donor engagement, and achieve measurable results.
• Represent Millsaps with distinction. Serve as an ambassador for the college at alumni, professional, community, and philanthropic events, and represent the advancement division when the Vice President is unavailable.

This role calls for someone who can see the big picture while remaining actively engaged in the relationships and conversations that produce extraordinary gifts.

A Distinctive College Worth Investing In

Millsaps College has been educating generations of thoughtful, accomplished leaders for more than 135 years.

Its personalized approach to education, close relationships between faculty and students, and commitment to intellectual inquiry create a powerful foundation for philanthropic engagement.

Millsaps is home to Mississippi's first Phi Beta Kappa chapter and the AACSB-accredited Else School of Management. With a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 9:1, the college offers the kind of individualized educational experience that is increasingly distinctive.

Here, philanthropy is personal.

A scholarship can change a student's future. An endowed program can expand possibilities for generations. A meaningful donor relationship can help transform an entire institution.

For the right fundraising leader, those are stories worth telling and opportunities worth pursuing.

Discover Jackson: A Great Place to Build a Career and a Life

An exceptional career opportunity should come with an appealing place to call home.

Jackson offers the charm and hospitality of the South, the cultural amenities of a state capital, and a cost of living that can be attractive to professionals relocating from larger metropolitan areas.

Millsaps is situated on a beautiful, tree-lined campus near the distinctive Fondren and Belhaven neighborhoods, where locally owned restaurants, galleries, music venues, and coffee shops contribute to the city’s character.

The broader region offers comparatively affordable housing options, a growing creative community, and convenient access to destinations throughout the Southeast.

For those seeking both meaningful professional impact and a fulfilling life outside work, Jackson deserves a closer look.

Who Will Thrive at Millsaps?

Millsaps is seeking an accomplished, collaborative fundraising professional with the ambition to lead and the personal qualities to build enduring relationships.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A bachelor's degree and at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, development, and organizational leadership; a master's degree is preferred.
• Demonstrated success securing significant major gifts and leading teams to achieve ambitious fundraising goals.
• Comprehensive capital campaign experience and a strong understanding of annual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, and complex gift structures.
• The ability to cultivate relationships with high-capacity donors, trustees, alumni, institutional leaders, and volunteers.
• Exceptional communication, persuasive writing, strategic planning, and interpersonal skills.
• A history of developing fundraising talent and creating a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Experience with advancement technology, including Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar platforms.
• Integrity, sound judgment, discretion, and a genuine appreciation for the mission of liberal arts education.

Above all, Millsaps seeks a builder and relationship-maker:

someone who brings energy, imagination, proven fundraising success, and the ability to inspire others around a shared vision.

This is a full-time, on-site leadership position in Jackson, Mississippi, reporting to Kathleen Terry-Sharp, Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

Regular office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including a one-hour unpaid lunch. The position requires regular travel and participation in occasional evening and weekend advancement activities. Candidates must also be able to perform the position’s essential physical and administrative functions, including computer-based work and lifting or moving up to 15 pounds without assistance.

Help Write the Next Chapter of Millsaps College

Great fundraising leaders do more than secure gifts. They inspire generosity, create connections, and help institutions imagine what is possible.

At Millsaps College, the opportunity to do exactly that awaits.

If you are ready to bring your experience, relationships, creativity, and ambition to an institution with a proud history and a promising future, we invite you to explore this opportunity.

Millsaps College is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations during the hiring process. Employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of applicable background checks and verification of employment. Additional information is available in the college's official position announcement.