The Opportunity

St. Bonaventure University is currently in a significant era of institutional momentum, calling for a bold and visionary Vice President of Advancement to elevate the university’s philanthropic impact and strengthen its culture of engagement. University leadership seeks an innovative strategist who can reimagine and modernize the advancement enterprise—integrating fundraising, alumni relations, and constituent engagement into a cohesive, mission-driven framework that amplifies the university’s Franciscan values and long-term aspirations.

The Vice President of Advancement will lead the charge in building a unified, data-informed advancement infrastructure that deepens donor relationships, expands philanthropic capacity, and forges powerful partnerships across alumni, parents, friends, and community stakeholders. This leader will have the opportunity to align decentralized efforts, enhance collaboration across the university, optimize resources, and elevate the university’s storytelling to inspire generosity and pride. The first year will be foundational—assessing team strengths, investing in team development, refining organizational structure, strengthening operational systems, and delivering early, visible wins that build confidence among internal and external partners.

This leadership transition presents a rare opportunity to appoint a forward-thinking advancement executive who can shape the future of philanthropy at St. Bonaventure. The ideal candidate will leverage data, technology, and cross-sector collaboration to design agile, donor-centered strategies that expand the university’s reach and impact. With vision, authenticity, and analytical rigor, they will cultivate a culture of philanthropy that energizes the campus community, strengthening alumni affinity, volunteer leadership, and lifelong engagement alongside philanthropic growth. By forging strong cross-campus alliances, translating insights into action, and championing inclusive engagement, this leader will position advancement as a defining force in St. Bonaventure University’s next chapter.

About St. Bonaventure University

Founded in 1858, St. Bonaventure University is a Catholic institution rooted in the Franciscan tradition, known for its strong sense of community, close faculty-student relationships, and belief that education is most powerful when grounded in purpose and care for others. As a residential campus, Bonaventure is deeply relational by design. Students are known, supported, and challenged. Those relationships often last a lifetime.

Franciscan values at St. Bonaventure are lived, not just stated. Compassion, wisdom, and integrity shape how the University teaches, supports students, engages the surrounding community, and makes institutional decisions. This mission is evident in mentoring relationships, service-learning, and student-led initiatives such as the Warming House, a student-run soup kitchen that has served the Olean community since the 1970s and is widely recognized as one of the oldest of its kind in the nation. It is also reflected in BonaResponds, which mobilizes students in response to community and national needs. Students regularly earn recognition for leadership, service, research, athletics, and media work, carrying Franciscan values into their professions and communities.

Academically, St. Bonaventure offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, including combined-degree and early assurance programs, along with 20 graduate programs, many offered fully online. These include doctoral study in Educational Leadership and a master’s program in Speech-Language Pathology. Together, these offerings reflect Bonaventure’s commitment to pairing a strong liberal arts foundation with programs aligned to student goals and societal needs.

St. Bonaventure is currently experiencing a period of meaningful momentum. The University has surpassed 3,000 students in total enrollment for the first time in its history, successfully completed a comprehensive campaign, adopted a new strategic plan, and invested in academic programs and campus facilities, including the School of Health Professions and the Jandoli School of Communication. These efforts signal institutional confidence and readiness to continue building for the future.

With more than 33,000 alumni worldwide, Bonaventure’s graduates remain deeply connected to the University and to one another. Alumni engagement is driven by a powerful sense of belonging, often described simply as the “Bona Family.” In this environment, Advancement plays a central role in the University’s continued success by strengthening partnerships with alumni, families, and friends to support student opportunity, academic ambition, and long-term sustainability.

President Jeff Gingerich

Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., took office as the 22nd president of St. Bonaventure University on June 20, 2022.

From the outset of his presidency, Dr. Gingerich has been deeply engaged in the life of the campus and the broader Bonaventure alumni community, with a particular focus on strengthening philanthropic relationships. Within his first year, he launched the public phase of the university’s comprehensive fundraising campaign in September 2022 and traveled extensively across the country, meeting with alumni and donors at dozens of events and gatherings—often in conjunction with Bonnies basketball—to personally advance the mission and priorities of the university.

Dr. Gingerich views Advancement as a core strategic function of the presidency and works closely with advancement leadership as a collaborative partner in setting priorities, engaging donors, and strengthening the university’s long-term financial sustainability.

The university successfully completed its seven-year comprehensive campaign in May 2025, exceeding its $125 million goal by more than $6 million. Under his leadership, St. Bonaventure also surpassed 3,000 students in total enrollment for the first time in its history and launched a new strategic plan. Recognizing the rapid pace of technological change, Dr. Gingerich established a Presidential Commission on Artificial Intelligence in 2025 to help guide the university’s academic and ethical approach to emerging technologies.

In September 2025, Dr. Gingerich presented a new university strategic plan, Rooted in Mission, Focused on the Future, to the Board of Trustees, which was unanimously approved. The plan articulates an ambitious strategy for St. Bonaventure’s future, with a focus on new opportunities in the School of Health Professions, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, campus infrastructure renewal, and continued progress toward strengthening the university’s endowment.

Jeff and his wife, Betsy, have embraced the spirit of community and the university’s Franciscan values of compassion, wisdom, and integrity. They regularly open their Olean home to students, friars, alumni leaders, and members of the national Alumni Council, and frequently travel on behalf of the university to engage alumni and donors across the country.

Prior to being named president of St. Bonaventure, Gingerich was provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs for four years each at the University of Scranton and at Cabrini University in suburban Philadelphia, where he taught in the Department of Sociology and Criminology for 13 years. He also served as acting president at Scranton and Cabrini, both Catholic institutions.

Gingerich earned master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Mennonite College.

About the Area

St. Bonaventure University is located in the Southern Tier of Western New York, a region known for its natural beauty, strong sense of community, and quality of life that supports both professional focus and personal balance. Nestled between the city of Olean and the village of Allegany, the campus offers the feel of a classic residential college with close ties to a welcoming, livable community. This is a place where people build lives, not just careers.

The area appeals to individuals seeking a place where daily life feels manageable, connected, and grounded. The region offers affordable housing, access to quality schools and healthcare, and a pace of life that allows for deep relationships and meaningful community involvement. Many faculty, staff, and alumni choose to build long-term lives here, drawn by the balance between purposeful work and personal well-being.

Outdoor recreation and four-season living is central to life in the region, with year-round opportunities that include:

• Walking, running, and biking along the Allegheny River Valley Trail, which passes directly through campus

• Kayaking and paddling on the Allegheny River and nearby waterways

• Boating and lake recreation throughout the broader region, including Lake Erie and the Finger Lakes

• Access to Allegany State Park, the largest state park in New York, offering hiking, camping, and four-season outdoor activities

• Proximity to Ellicottville, a vibrant four-season resort community anchored by Holiday Valley, consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in the eastern United States and also known for its golf course, festivals, and family-friendly culture

The surrounding communities offer a strong sense of place, access and opportunity, including:

• A walkable downtown Olean with locally owned restaurants, cafés, shops, and community gathering spaces

• Nearby Jamestown and the Chautauqua-Lake Erie region, home to nationally recognized destinations such as the Chautauqua Institution and the National Comedy Center

• Community events and regional partnerships that contribute to an engaged, welcoming atmosphere

St. Bonaventure’s location offers practical connectivity without the congestion of a large metropolitan area. Buffalo is within approximately 90 minutes, and Rochester is about two hours away, both providing access to international airports. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Niagara Falls, and Toronto are accessible for extended travel, professional connections, and cultural experiences.

A Community That Feels Like Home

What ultimately distinguishes the area is its people. The Bonaventure community is deeply relational, welcoming, and grounded in a shared sense of pride and belonging among faculty, staff, alumni, and neighbors alike. Together, the campus and surrounding region offer a setting that supports meaningful work, strong community connections, and a sustainable quality of life—one where leaders can put down roots, stay engaged, and feel genuinely welcomed into the life of the University and the broader community.

The Opportunity

St. Bonaventure University seeks a Vice President of Advancement at a pivotal moment of momentum and renewal. The University has recently completed its most successful comprehensive campaign to date ($131M), achieved four consecutive years of enrollment and revenue growth, expanded high-demand academic programs—particularly in health professions and online graduate education—and strengthened its distinctive Franciscan identity and alumni engagement.

At the same time, University Advancement requires renewed leadership to bring a strategic vision, greater cohesion, consistency, and confidence to fundraising, communications, and donor engagement. The next Vice President will have the opportunity to optimize talent, professionalize systems, strengthen culture, expand donor pipelines beyond a small group of major supporters, and clearly articulate institutional priorities—including endowment growth, scholarships, athletics facilities, campus infrastructure, and emerging initiatives such as AI.

St. Bonaventure University’s sustained enrollment growth over the past decade presents a powerful and underleveraged advancement opportunity. The expansion of high-demand undergraduate, graduate, and online programs—particularly in health professions—has significantly broadened the alumni base, diversified career outcomes, and strengthened the University’s value proposition. This momentum creates a timely opening to engage a larger, younger, and more professionally diverse alumni population, deepen philanthropic participation across giving levels, and translate enrollment success into long-term fundraising growth, endowment strength, and institutional sustainability.

Reporting directly to the President, this leader will serve as a visible, trusted partner to the Board, Cabinet, deans, faculty, athletics, and alumni, translating institutional momentum into sustainable philanthropic growth through collaborative, hands-on, and mission-aligned leadership.

Purpose of the Position

The Vice President of Advancement is responsible for strengthening and modernizing St. Bonaventure University’s advancement enterprise, providing visionary leadership to build a cohesive, mission‑aligned fundraising and engagement operation. This role oversees the development, implementation, and assessment of comprehensive advancement programs that support institutional priorities, working collaboratively with the President’s Cabinet, academic leaders, alumni engagement, athletics, marketing and communications, and external partners. By cultivating strong donor and alumni relationships, expanding philanthropic pipelines, and elevating the university’s storytelling, the Vice President fosters a culture of philanthropy that advances the university’s long‑term goals.

A central focus of the position is mobilizing alumni, donors, and community stakeholders through meaningful engagement, volunteerism, and philanthropic initiatives that strengthen the university’s impact. The Vice President leads the Office of University Advancement and partners throughout the university to create an innovative, donor‑centered ecosystem grounded in data‑informed strategy, operational excellence, and cross‑campus collaboration. Through strategic leadership, relationship building, and the integration of advancement efforts across the institution, this role ensures that philanthropy and engagement remain essential drivers of St. Bonaventure University’s future success.

Key Responsibilities

The Vice President of Advancement will provide strategic, operational, and relational leadership for all aspects of the University’s advancement enterprise, with responsibility for building a cohesive, high-performing function that supports St. Bonaventure’s long-term sustainability and mission. This leader will be expected to lead from the front—setting clear priorities, strengthening systems and accountability, developing, and coaching staff, and serving as a visible ambassador to donors, alumni, and partners. Working closely with the President, Board, cabinet, deans, athletics, faculty, and volunteers, the Vice President will translate institutional goals into compelling philanthropic strategies while fostering a culture of collaboration, urgency, and shared ownership across the campus community.

Chief Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment

• Develop and lead a comprehensive, university-wide advancement strategy aligned with St. Bonaventure’s strategic plan, Franciscan mission, and long-term financial sustainability, with particular emphasis on endowment growth, scholarships, academic priorities, athletics facilities and Division I Athletics priorities, and emerging initiatives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the President and Board of Trustees on philanthropic opportunities, donor trends, campaign readiness, and advancement performance, providing clear recommendations and data-informed insights.
• Translate institutional priorities into a compelling, disciplined case for support that resonates across donor segments and strengthens the University’s regional and national profile.

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

• Lead and actively participate in major and principal gift fundraising, cultivating and stewarding relationships with key alumni, donors, foundations, corporations, and community partners.
• Expand and diversify the donor base by strengthening annual giving, mid-level giving, alumni engagement, and planned giving strategies, reducing overreliance on a small group of major donors.
• Provide strategic oversight of Giving Days, campaigns, and special initiatives to ensure clarity of purpose, coordinated messaging, and measurable return on investment.
• Provide strategic leadership for athletics fundraising, partnering closely with Athletics leadership to strengthen philanthropic support in a Division I environment, while navigating the evolving landscape of NIL and donor expectations with clarity and integrity.
  
  

Alumni & Family Engagement

• Provide strategic leadership for alumni and family engagement, strengthening lifelong relationships that advance student success, enrollment, athletics, and philanthropic goals.
• Champion alumni and student mentoring initiatives as a core engagement strategy, connecting students with alumni for career exploration, professional development, and lifelong connection to the University.
• Lead the development of differentiated engagement strategies that reflect the diverse needs and interests of alumni across life stages and affiliations, including young alumni, mid-career professionals, emeriti, graduate-degree alumni, and affinity communities.
• Partner with Athletics, Enrollment, Academic leadership, and key volunteer groups to deliver meaningful engagement experiences that build pride, participation, and long-term philanthropic commitment.

Organizational Leadership & Culture of Philanthropy

• Build, inspire, and lead a cohesive advancement team by setting clear expectations, aligning structure to priorities, strengthening accountability, and fostering a culture of collaboration, urgency, and professional excellence.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and evaluate staff at all levels, serving as a teacher and mentor who raises the craft of fundraising and advances talent across the organization.
• Lead change thoughtfully and transparently, addressing cultural and structural challenges while maintaining trust, morale, and shared ownership among staff and campus partners.

Operations, Systems & Accountability

• Oversee advancement operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and fiscal controls, ensuring effective stewardship of resources and alignment with University-wide financial objectives.
• Modernize and simplify advancement systems and processes—including moves management, donor segmentation, endowment tracking, and reporting—to improve effectiveness, usability, and accountability.
• Establish clear performance metrics, dashboards, and regular reporting to monitor progress, inform decision-making, and reinforce a results-oriented culture.

Board, Volunteer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner closely with the Board of Trustees, Advancement Committee, and volunteer leaders to strengthen governance practices, clarify roles, and enhance philanthropic engagement.
• Collaborate with deans, faculty, athletics leadership, and administrative partners to align fundraising strategies with school-level and programmatic priorities.
• Serve as a visible, credible representative of the University with external stakeholders, reinforcing confidence in the advancement function and the institution’s direction.

Communications, Brand & Institutional Storytelling

• Work in close partnership with communications and marketing leadership to ensure consistent, compelling messaging that advances fundraising goals and reinforces St. Bonaventure’s value proposition.
• Champion a donor-centered approach to communications that clearly articulates impact, stewardship, and outcomes grounded in Franciscan values and community.

Other functions as assigned by the university president to include service on high level search committees, the University Planning Commission, and other ad hoc committees requiring advancement participation.

Skills and Competencies

The successful candidate will bring a depth of advancement leadership experience and a people-centered approach that positions them to guide St. Bonaventure University into its next phase of philanthropic growth and mission-driven impact. This role calls for a leader who understands fundraising strategy and donor engagement at a high level, while also recognizing that sustainable success is built through strong teams, clear expectations, and a healthy, values-driven culture.

The ideal Vice President will demonstrate the ability to develop and empower staff, foster trust and collaboration, and align diverse talents around shared goals. Alongside a proven record in major and principal gift fundraising, this leader will bring exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, a commitment to inclusive leadership, and the capacity to unite advancement professionals, campus partners, alumni, and volunteers in advancing the University’s long-term priorities and Franciscan mission.

Skills and competencies required for the role:

• Transformational Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a complex advancement organization, with a strong track record of motivating teams, building trust, and establishing a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth. Brings at least 10 years of senior-level supervisory experience and a clear commitment to inclusive, people-centered leadership.

• Strategic Fundraising & Planning: Proven expertise in advancement strategy and execution, including experience leading comprehensive campaigns and targeted fundraising initiatives that align institutional priorities with donor interests.

• Innovative, Donor-Centered Approach: Brings creativity and sound judgment to fundraising and alumni engagement, informed by best practices and a willingness to modernize approaches in service of stronger outcomes and clearer value to donors.

• Collaborative Partnership Building: Exceptional ability to build productive, trust-based relationships with senior leadership, the Board of Trustees, alumni and volunteer leaders, faculty, staff, and external partners across the University community.

• Executive Presence & Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to represent the University authentically in both large and small settings and to articulate a compelling, mission-driven case for support.

• Mission & Values Fluency: Deep appreciation for the Franciscan and Catholic mission of St. Bonaventure University, with the ability to translate its values of humility, service, and community into meaningful philanthropic engagement.

• Commitment to Equity & Belonging: Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as core elements of advancement practice and relationship-building with alumni and supporters.

• Operational & Institutional Acumen: Experience with university budgeting, systems, and governance, coupled with the ability to navigate complex academic environments and lead change with empathy, clarity, and purpose.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field or the equivalent education and experience preferred
• CFRE certification a plus
  
  

Hybrid Structure

• St. Bonaventure University defines “hybrid” for this role as flexibility in residence location combined with an expectation of regular, predictable, and significant physical presence on campus and in key donor markets. This is not a fully remote position.
• The Vice President is expected to be campus-anchored, team focused, and physically present for Board meetings, cabinet leadership, major donor engagement, and signature university events.
• As a general, non-binding guideline, a hybrid arrangement would likely involve multiple days per week on campus or consistent weeks each month, with the specific cadence determined collaboratively based on institutional needs and subject to ongoing review.

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Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.