Job Title

Assistant Vice President, Solutions and Innovation

Department

University Advancement

Worker Type

Regular

Pay Type

Salary

Position Salary Minimum

$180,000

Position Salary Maximum

$200,000

Salary will be commensurate with the level of the position, education, and experience.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Benefit Eligible

Yes

Screening Date

2025-08-14

Job Description Summary

The Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Solutions and Strategy Innovation is a senior executive leader within University Advancement at Miami University. This role is responsible for architecting and driving the strategic transformation of advancement operations—aligning technology, data, and people to enable a modern, insight-driven, and donor-centric advancement enterprise.

Job Description

The Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Solutions and Strategy Innovation is a senior executive leader within University Advancement at Miami University. This role is responsible for architecting and driving the strategic transformation of advancement operations—aligning technology, data, and people to enable a modern, insight-driven, and donor-centric advancement enterprise.

Reporting to the Vice President for University Advancement, the AVP will provide strategic oversight of the university’s enterprise CRM (Slate), analytics strategy, and advancement systems, while integrating decentralized efforts into a cohesive and scalable operational structure. The AVP will oversee the formation and leadership of key functional areas—Data Strategy, Information Systems, Analytics, Prospect Development, Pipeline Development, and future Innovation efforts—into a unified advancement operations team.

Acting as a systems thinker, strategic planner, and integrative leader, the AVP will ensure that operational units are aligned to deliver best-in-class service, fuel data-driven decision-making, and support Miami’s long-term fundraising and engagement goals. A key charge of this role is to build the infrastructure and insight capacity needed to support Miami University’s bold ambition of becoming an annual $100 million fundraising enterprise.

This role will champion a culture of continuous improvement, guide digital transformation efforts, and drive change management practices to modernize tools, streamline processes, and increase agility. The ideal candidate will be a mission-driven strategist with the ability to lead complex, multi-unit functions, foster innovation, and develop the capacity of staff while maintaining a strong commitment to collaboration, performance, and organizational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Systems Leadership

• Lead the design, execution, and adoption of enterprise platforms including the Slate CRM system.
• Build and oversee integrated operational units such as Information Systems, Analytics, Data Strategy, Pipeline Development, and Prospect Management.
• Develop a centralized advancement reporting infrastructure with predictive and real-time insight capabilities.

Organizational Development and Staff Leadership

• Create and lead a departmental strategic plan focused on continuous improvement, team development, and change leadership.
• Champion skill building and cross-training programs that foster agility, innovation, and staff advancement.
• Partner with HR to recruit, retain, and support a high-performing team.

Operational Planning and Governance

• Guide operational policy development, data governance, and cross-functional planning efforts.
• Oversee administrative budgets and strategic investments in technology and tools.
• Ensure operational alignment with legal, ethical, and university-wide policies and standards.

Innovation and Cross-Unit Coordination

• Establish and lead a Digital Leadership Cabinet to align advancement technologies and resource use.
• Foster a culture of experimentation, agility, and scalable innovation across Advancement.

Prospect Pipeline and Donor Strategy

• Lead the development of a proactive, data-informed approach to prospect research, donor qualification, and engagement readiness.
• Oversee tools and personnel supporting wealth screening, donor signals, and portfolio strategy.
• Support gift officers with actionable intelligence, strategic reports, and fundraising analytics.
• Grow the pipeline of potential donors for today and the future.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in advancement, nonprofit administration, or higher education strategy.
• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience managing multi-unit teams, budgets, and enterprise operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or advanced credentials in business, technology, public administration, or related fields.
• Experience managing CRM system implementations (e.g., Slate, Salesforce).
• Expertise in data infrastructure, analytics platforms, and digital transformation in advancement or mission-driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success and experience leading and maintaining cross-functional innovation and building high-performing teams and executive level relationships.
• Successful leadership in complex Advancement operations, preferably within a Higher Education or non-profit setting
• Understanding of/background in building data governance systems
• Experience in building and refining complex, system-wide processes
• Demonstrated experience with managing complex vendor/partner relationships and related contracts including outsourcing.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to drive successful operational strategies and achieve measurable outcomes
• Knowledge of and experience in developing strategic and tactical plans. Proven record of leading strategic change initiatives in a manner consistent with organizational culture and values.
• Ability to respond quickly to changing business needs and priorities. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and to produce high-quality and compelling work products under tight deadlines.  Ability to work with a high degree of flexibility in a highly-collaborative, fast paced, goal-oriented environment.
• Deep understanding of current and emerging technologies and the ability to apply this knowledge strategically to support organizational goals. 

Additional Position Information (if applicable)

Required Application Documents

To be considered for this position please upload a resume and cover letter.

Special Instructions (if applicable)

None

Additional Information

A criminal background check is required. All campuses are smoke- and tobacco-free campuses.

This organization participates in E-Verify.

Remote Work
For positions that are approved for remote work: Remote work is not a right, it is a work arrangement that can be modified or revoked by Miami University at any time for any reason, including the convenience of the University.

Reasonable Accommodations
Requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities related to employment should be directed to ADAFacultyStaff@miamioh.edu or 513-529-3560. Questions and follow-ups regarding requests should also be directed here.

Miami University Values Statement
Miami University is a scholarly community whose members believe that a liberal education is grounded in qualities of character as well as of intellect. We respect the dignity of other persons, the rights and property of others, and the right of others to hold and express disparate beliefs. We believe in honesty, integrity, and the importance of moral conduct. We defend the freedom of inquiry that is the heart of learning and combine that freedom with the exercise of judgment and the acceptance of personal responsibility.

For more information on Miami University’s mission and core values, please visit the Mission and Core Values webpage.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement
Miami University, an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, encourages applications from protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Miami University prohibits harassment, discrimination and retaliation on the basis of age (40 years or older), color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military status, national origin (ancestry), pregnancy, race, religion, sex/gender, status as a parent or foster parent, sexual orientation, or protected veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, facilities, programs or employment practices. Requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities related to employment should be directed to ADAFacultyStaff@miamioh.edu or 513-529-3560.

Clery Act
As part of the University’s commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe living, learning, and working environment, we encourage you to read Miami University’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report at: http://www.MiamiOH.edu/campus-safety/annual-report/index.html, which contains information about campus safety, crime statistics, and our drug and alcohol abuse and prevention program designed to prevent the unlawful possession, use, and distribution of drugs and alcohol on campus and at university events and activities. This report also contains information on programs and policies designed to prevent and address sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Each year, email notification of this website is made to all faculty, staff, and enrolled students. Written notification is also provided to prospective students and employees. Hard copies of the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report may be obtained from the Miami University Police Department at 513-529-2223.

Labor Law Posters for Applicants

Please visit our Labor Law Posters webpage to access all relevant and applicable labor law information.