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About the Organization
William Carey International University (WCIU) is seeking a Chief Advancement Officer who sees fundraising not merely as revenue generation but as ministry partnership – inviting donors, churches, alumni, foundations, and friends to invest in a global Christian mission.
WCIU is dedicated to preparing men and women for service around the world. Working here means joining a Christ-centered community committed to academic excellence, faith, and real-world impact. Our vision is for a verdant and flourishing world, ripe with wholeness and peace for all peoples.
About the Position
The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) serves as the university’s senior leader for philanthropic growth, donor engagement, alumni connection, and mission-centered external relationships. This role is first and foremost a fundraising leadership position, responsible for building a culture of generosity around WCIU’s global Christian mission. The CAO will personally cultivate and solicit major donors, strengthen relationships with foundations, churches, alumni, and ministry partners, and serve as the President’s chief partner in advancing the university’s philanthropic priorities.
In addition, the CAO will provide leadership for advancement communications, alumni engagement, grants strategy, and advancement operations so that all external engagement is unified, measurable, and aligned with the university’s mission and long-term sustainability.
Primary Responsibilities
Advancement Strategy & Leadership
• Increase contributed revenue through major gifts, annual giving, foundation support, campaign strategy, planned giving, and donor stewardship.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major donor prospects and cultivate, solicit and close gifts.
• Establish and achieve annual fundraising activity goals in partnership with the President and Board.
• Build and manage a major donor pipeline.
• Increase donor retention, donor acquisition, and total philanthropic revenue.
• Prepare regular advancement reports for the President and Board.
• Track visits, asks, proposals, gifts closed, pledge fulfillment, and stewardship actions.
• Serve as the President’s chief partner in donor strategy, preparing the President for high-value donor engagement, coordinating follow-up, and ensuring that presidential relationships are stewarded toward meaningful philanthropic commitment.
• Design and lead comprehensive fundraising campaigns tied to institutional priorities.
• Develop major gift proposals in collaboration with the President and academic leaders.
• Build a planned giving strategy. Engage trustees and key volunteers in donor identification, cultivation, and solicitation.
• Equip and support trustees, advisory council members, alumni leaders, and other volunteers in advancement work.
• Ensure marketing and communications strengthen donor engagement, enrollment visibility, alumni connection, and public confidence in the university’s mission.
• Build systems, processes, and reporting structures that improve advancement effectiveness and accountability.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
• Lead and develop advancement team members including alumni relations, marketing and engagement, and grants administration functions.
• Oversee accurate advancement reporting, donor records, and stewardship practices.
• Support budget development and responsible stewardship of advancement resources across the team.• Foster collaboration across academic, operational, and recruitment teams to support institutional priorities.
• Provide coaching, accountability, and performance oversight for advancement staff.
• Coordinate external vendors, consultants, and strategic partners as appropriate.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible advancement or fundraising leadership experience, preferably in Christian missions, or higher education, nonprofit ministry, or a related faith-based organization.
• Demonstrated success personally cultivating and closing major gifts.
• Experience building donor pipelines, managing campaigns, and leading advancement teams.
• Ability to represent the university’s Christian mission with conviction, warmth, and theological clarity.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategy, build relationships, and drive organizational growth.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience leading teams and managing cross-functional initiatives.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution.
• Demonstrated alignment with the mission, values, and Christian identity of William Carey International University.
• Wholehearted Agreement with WCIU’s Statement of Faith.
Preferred Characteristics
• Advanced degree preferred.
• Relational leader with strong emotional intelligence and collaborative instincts.
• Strategic thinker capable of aligning advancement efforts with institutional goals.
• Skilled communicator and storyteller able to engage diverse audiences.
• Organized and execution-oriented with the ability to lead multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrated stewardship mindset and commitment to mission-driven work.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
• Primarily remote office-based professional work environment with regular computer and video conferencing use.• High-touch presence with donors, churches, partners, alumni, and university leadership through in-person and remote communication and relationship building.
• Regular travel to Pasadena campus, donor markets, board meetings, and university events is expected.
• Occasional evening or weekend work related to events, donor meetings, campaigns, or university functions.
• Requires the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
About WCIU
William Carey International University is dedicated to preparing men and women for service around the world. Working here means joining a Christ-centered community committed to academic excellence, faith, and real-world impact. See how your skills can help shape the future of global education.