Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science seeks an accomplished, collaborative, and forward-looking Vice President for Institutional Advancement to lead the university’s philanthropic strategy and advancement enterprise during an important period of institutional growth and transition.

The next Vice President will join RFU as the university advances a new strategic plan and prepares for a comprehensive fundraising campaign. Working closely with the president, trustees, cabinet members, faculty, alumni, donors, community partners, and the Institutional Advancement team, the Vice President will develop and execute a clear strategy for increasing philanthropic support and strengthening the university’s long-term advancement capacity.

The Vice President will serve as RFU’s chief advancement and development officer. The individual will provide strategic leadership and disciplined operational oversight across campaign planning; principal, major, leadership, planned, annual, and digital giving; corporate and foundation relations; alumni and stakeholder engagement; stewardship; advancement communications; prospect strategy and research; data and analytics; and advancement services.

The successful candidate will inherit an experienced team and a broad advancement infrastructure. The immediate opportunity is not simply to increase fundraising activity, but to align the division around institutional priorities, strengthen RFU’s culture of philanthropy, deepen relationships with current and prospective supporters, and establish the strategy, systems, talent, and accountability necessary for a successful comprehensive campaign and sustained philanthropic growth.

 

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is a private, nonprofit health sciences university located in North Chicago, Illinois. The university prepares health and biomedical professionals to serve diverse communities and advance health through education, research, clinical care, and community engagement.

RFU’s identity is rooted in interprofessional education, scientific inquiry, service, and a commitment to improving health and health care. Its academic enterprise spans medicine, nursing, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, health professions, and graduate biomedical sciences. The university also supports research, clinical services, community partnerships, pipeline programs, and initiatives intended to expand access to health professions education and improve health outcomes.

RFU’s location in Lake County and proximity to the greater Chicago region create meaningful opportunities for partnership with health systems, corporations, foundations, civic organizations, community-based organizations, alumni, and individual donors. The university’s history, mission, academic breadth, research enterprise, and community impact provide a strong foundation for a more ambitious and integrated advancement program.

RFU is entering a new phase of institutional planning and advancement. The university is developing its next strategic plan and preparing for a comprehensive campaign that will align philanthropic investment with its highest academic, research, student, clinical, community, and capital priorities. 

The campaign will require more than the development of a fundraising goal and case for support. It will require institutional alignment around campaign priorities, an expanded pipeline of prospective donors, disciplined portfolio and relationship management, effective trustee and volunteer engagement, strong campaign communications, consistent stewardship, and an advancement operation capable of supporting sustained fundraising growth.

The Vice President will be expected to assess RFU’s current advancement readiness and establish a clear path from preparation to campaign execution. This work will include partnering with the president and senior leadership to define campaign priorities; working with external campaign counsel; developing a multiyear, university-wide advancement plan; strengthening principal and major gift strategies; expanding alumni and stakeholder engagement; and ensuring that advancement systems, staffing, policies, and performance expectations support the campaign’s objectives.

RFU is entering a new phase of institutional planning and advancement. The university is developing its next strategic plan and preparing for a comprehensive campaign that will align philanthropic investment with its highest academic, research, student, clinical, community, and capital priorities.

The campaign will require more than the development of a fundraising goal and case for support. It will require institutional alignment around campaign priorities, an expanded pipeline of prospective donors, disciplined portfolio and relationship management, effective trustee and volunteer engagement, strong campaign communications, consistent stewardship, and an advancement operation capable of supporting sustained fundraising growth.

The Vice President will be expected to assess RFU’s current advancement readiness and establish a clear path from preparation to campaign execution. This work will include partnering with the president and senior leadership to define campaign priorities; working with external campaign counsel; developing a multiyear, university-wide advancement plan; strengthening principal and major gift strategies; expanding alumni and stakeholder engagement; and ensuring that advancement systems, staffing, policies, and performance expectations support the campaign’s objectives.

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will report to the president and serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet. The Vice President will work closely with the Board of Trustees and appropriate Board committees on philanthropy, campaign strategy, donor engagement, and advancement performance.

The Vice President will lead a division of approximately 17 professionals. Direct reports include the Executive Director of Stewardship and Advancement Services; Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement; Executive Director of Development for Individual and Gift Planning; Executive Director of Development for Corporations, Foundations, and Organizations; and the Development Associate for Stewardship and Administration.

Through these leaders, the Vice President oversees individual and leadership giving, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, alumni and stakeholder engagement, annual and digital philanthropy, stewardship, advancement communications, prospect strategy and research, data and analytics, finance and operations, university archives, and advancement administration.

Lead RFU's comprehensive campaign

Set and execute an integrated philanthropic strategy.

Strengthen institutional and external partnerships.

Advance alumni and stakeholder engagement.

Build a high-performing advancement organization

Ensure strong stewardship and advancement discipline.

The successful candidate will be a strategic and credible advancement leader with the executive presence to engage donors, trustees, faculty, clinicians, scientists, alumni, corporate and foundation leaders, and community partners. The individual will bring campaign leadership, fundraising judgment, institutional orientation, organizational discipline, and the ability to translate complex priorities into a persuasive philanthropic vision.

The Vice President must be collaborative but decisive, candid and trusted as an advisor, attentive to both relationships and results, and committed to ethical leadership, donor intent, discretion, and accountability.