The Associate Vice President for University Advancement and Chief Development Officer (AVP/CDO) will serve as a trusted thought partner to the Vice President for University Advancement, leading the next level of development of a maintainable philanthropic infrastructure with long-term impact. The AVP/CDO will guide a team of development staff and work collaboratively with senior leadership to build a unified philanthropic vision that reflects the university’s deep commitment to its mission.

The AVP/CDO serves as a strategic partner to the Vice President for University Advancement and a key architect of MBKU’s philanthropic future. As the university enters a pivotal chapter of growth and possibility, the AVP/CDO will lead, manage, and inspire a team of fundraising professionals in central development (corporate and foundation relations, planned giving and annual giving), cultivating a culture of collaboration, accountability, and bold vision. This leader will shape and execute strategic fundraising plans that elevate private support, with oversight spanning major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, annual and planned giving, donor relations, and prospect development. Beyond oversight of development staff and a portfolio of top prospects, the AVP/CDO will act as a chief collaborator, bringing together academic leadership, advancement staff, and university partners to align philanthropic investment with institutional priorities.

The department of University Advancement at MBKU plays a vital role in strengthening the university’s reputation and securing private support. Through meaningful engagement with alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, and the broader community, the division cultivates partnerships that advance the university’s mission and long-term success. 

University Advancement encompasses several key functions: 

• Development: Includes annual giving, corporate/foundation relations, and planned giving. 
• Alumni and External Relations: Engages alumni, students, and the community through philanthropic opportunities and campus-wide events and celebrations. 
• Advancement Services: Oversees alumni and donor records, prospect research, gift processing, and data analytics. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSI­­BILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Serve as a strategic leader to strengthen the culture of philanthropy at MBKU, and advance a culture of performance excellence within University Advancement.  
• Leverage strong communication skills and storytelling to articulate MBKU’s mission, vision, and values in ways that resonate with all constituents and inspire philanthropic engagement from alumni, corporations, foundations, patients and community members.  
• Oversee University Advancement development staff, development consultants, including foundation and corporate relations, planning and annual giving efforts.  
• Coach and develop the UA team through strategic mentorship, clear goal alignment, and impactful performance management. 
• Drive cohesive strategy development and execution across the campus ensuring alignment with the university’s top fundraising priorities and long-term vision. 
• Champion best practices in gift administration and prospect management and ensure organizational accountability through the consistent application of Advancement policies and procedures. 

Strategy & Major Gift Development

• Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies.  
• Personally manage a portfolio of high-level prospects and work in close partnership with university leadership (VP for Advancement, President, Deans) to cultivate and solicit transformational gifts.  
• Serve as strategist and thought partner on six-figure+ prospects.  

Foundation & Board Engagement

• Serve as one of the staff liaisons to the MBKU Board of Trustees, with primary responsibility for the Advancement Committee. 
• Assist in fostering an inclusive and high-performing board culture that advances university fundraising goals and aspirations. 

Administrative Leadership & Planning

• Serve as a senior member of the Advancement leadership team. 
• Contribute to divisional strategic planning and operational excellence.  
• Collaborate with Database Consultants to ensure adherence to prospect management protocols, stewardship processes, and systems optimization.  
• Serve as a senior advisor to the Vice President for Advancement. 

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The r­equirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Demonstrated ability to be an effective team builder with a strong commitment to collaboration, inclusion, and partnership with the internal and external community.  
• Proven ability to cultivate positive working relationships across cultural, functional, and organizational lines.  
• Proven success in major gift fundraising, including donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.  
• Demonstrated ability to oversee major gift programs and stewardship efforts with creativity and accountability. 

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Required

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. 
• Five (5) years of professional experience as a seasoned performance-driven senior development officer of a higher education or nonprofit institution which may include major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns. 
• Five (5) years of management or supervisory experience. 

Preferred

• Master’s degree from an accredited university  
• 5-8 years of management or supervisory experience with major gift program with performance-driven metrics and accountability.  
• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to build a philanthropic community that reflects MBKU’s values. 

We welcome you to view the candidate packet for the Associate Vice President  for University Advancement & Chief Development Officer position.  Expected start date for this position is January 5, 2026.

SEE YOURSELF HERE

Located on a beautiful, seven-acre campus in Fullerton, California, MBKU is an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution. MBKU is home to the Southern California College of Optometry, the School of PA Studies, College of Pharmacy and the Doctor of Medical Science Program (DMSc) . MBKU owns and operates three health care centers at their clinical teaching facility, Ketchum Health, providing a vision center and PA medical clinic practice in Orange County and second vision center in Los Angeles.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE SINCE 1904

In 1904, Marshall B. Ketchum, MD, opened the Los Angeles School of Ophthalmology and Optometry in Los Angeles. Dr. Ketchum was a visionary entrepreneur and prominent leader in the optometric profession. He made very significant and long-standing contributions in his field of care, in California and throughout the nation.

In the early ‘70s the College moved to its current home in Fullerton, CA and was renamed Southern California College of Optometry. But even the pioneering Dr. Ketchum could not have envisioned his school would grow to become Marshall B. Ketchum University, an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution encompassing multiple disciplines.

BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF HEALTH CARE EDUCATION

Marshall B. Ketchum University offers career opportunities that will put you at the forefront of health care education. You will be provided with learning and advancement opportunities, as well as a culture that recognizes the importance of fun, employee appreciation and a work-life balance.

Our mission is to educate caring, inspired health care professionals who are prepared to deliver collaborative, patient-centric health care in an interprofessional environment. By joining our family, you can help us reimagine the future and inspire future health care leaders.

INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE LEADERS

At Marshall B. Ketchum University, we have led the way in interprofessional healthcare, building on a century of experience as an optometry school. In 2012, the first Physician Assistant program in Orange County was added, followed by the College of Pharmacy program in 2014. Most recently in 2024, we expanded our offerings with the addition of the fully-online Doctor of Medical Science(DMSc) program.  Side-by-side in group discussions, community service, and clinical experience, our OD, PA, PharmD and DMSc students learn what it means to deliver patient-centered health care as a collaborative team of professionals.

BENEFITS

MBKU provides an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, and life insurance, free vision exams, short and long term disability, generous paid time off plans, a university-sponsored retirement plan. See our website under Employment for more details regarding benefits of working for MBKU (www.ketchum.edu).

MBKU is an equal opportunity employer; requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

MBKU is committed to providing an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and professionalism. In accordance with applicable federal and state laws, it is University policy to prevent the unlawful discrimination against students, applicants for admission, employees, applicants for employment and patients requesting treatment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The University also prohibits sexual harassment and harassment on any of the above bases (please refer to the Title IX page for more information).