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Job Description

Michigan State University
Vice President for Advancement
East Lansing, MI

Michigan State University is the nation's first land grant university. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Michigan State ranks within the world's top 100 research universities. It boasts top-ranked programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, an astoundingly successful study abroad program, and a growing international presence as evidenced by its nascent programs in Academic City, Dubai and Beijing, China. A member of the Big Ten Athletic Conference, Michigan State is a big place with even bigger plans for its future.

To ensure the success of these and other initiatives, Michigan State has combined its development and alumni relations operations into a single, integrated advancement division, providing the university with a structure to coordinate its messaging and otherwise enhance its efforts to create life-long relationships with its key external constituencies. At the outset of this newly integrated approach, the university seeks a vice president for advancement to build, to develop, and to lead this effort.

The new vice president will build on a successful legacy. Though Michigan State did not have a sizeable development infrastructure until the 1990s, it has already executed a campaign that raised over $1.4 billion. Its alumni relations' infrastructure has been somewhat traditional in its approach but has recently undertaken a substantive reorganization to reflect best practices across the nation. The vice president reports directly to the president and will work in close concert with MSU's Board of Trustees, provost, an engaged and highly incentivized cadre of deans, and an enthusiastic new athletic director. Team MSU is ready to dedicate considerable personal energy and institutional resources to the advancement effort. The vice president will join Michigan State at the perfect time both to build the program to maximize the university's considerable assets and to plan a major campaign effort to contribute directly to MSU's continuing evolution as one of the nation's leading research and land-grant institutions.

The vice president will be a leader of considerable experience and skill in an integrated advancement environment. He or she will demonstrate experience and success as a strategist at the institutional, departmental, and prospect level, including a personal track record as a major and principal gift fund raiser. A commitment to the role of alumni relations in an integrated advancement environment is critical and will be best demonstrated by personal experience. Primary, however, will be the attributes of visionary leadership necessary to succeed in an evolving, changing environment, including especially unimpeachable integrity, exceptional communications and interpersonal skills, knowledge of best practices nationally, diplomatic and political savvy, decisiveness, courage of convictions, tolerance for ambiguity, patience, a sense of humor, and an ability to think big and then deliver on that vision.

Michigan State's new and first vice president for advancement will set the stage for all of its future success with its alumni and other key external constituents, thus making a significant, personal impact on this world-famous institution.

Recruitment will continue until the position is filled. Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications (including a cover letter and resume) should be submitted via email to MSUVPA@wittkieffer.com by June 30, 2008 for fullest consideration.

Material that cannot be sent electronically may be sent to:

Confidential inquiries and questions concerning this search may be directed to Dennis M. Barden at 630-575-6167 or John R. Barstad at 630-575-6195.

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