search
Reed College invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice President for Advancement
About Reed College
Reed College is a highly selective, national college of the liberal arts and sciences located in Portland, Oregon, with over 1,500 students. Reed provides one of the nation’s most rigorous undergraduate experiences, with a highly structured academic program that balances broad distribution requirements and in-depth study in a chosen academic discipline.
The college consistently attracts bright, highly motivated students who are intellectual, demanding, engaged, creative, and independent. Reed students seek a challenging program of study in which strong and ever-improving skills in critical reading, writing, oral expression, quantitative analysis, laboratory work, and creative production are the expectation. For students at Reed, scholarly engagement, academic rigor, and creative invention are the central focus of college life. Reed’s program produces graduates who approach the challenges of the modern world with passion, confidence, and creativity.
Reed’s faculty consists of dedicated teacher-scholars. They are actively engaged in teaching undergraduates and investigating questions of current interest in their disciplines. Faculty members regularly include students in collaborative research, scholarship, and artistic work.
The college enjoys a national reputation as a leader in liberal arts education, with sound financial underpinnings and a beautiful, well-maintained natural and built environment. The faculty, staff, and student body are united in an extraordinary sense of stewardship for the college, its uniqueness, and its mission.
Vice President for Advancement
Executive Summary
Reed College, a top liberal arts and sciences college, seeks an experienced, strategic and collaborative leader to serve as its next vice president for advancement.
Reed College is a highly selective, national college of the liberal arts and sciences located in Portland, Oregon, with over 1,500 students. Reed provides one of the nation’s most rigorous undergraduate experiences, with a highly structured academic program that balances broad distribution requirements and in-depth study in a chosen academic discipline.
The vice president for advancement will report to President Audrey Bilger and will be responsible for advancement, alumni relations, trustee relations and fundraising, marketing and communications, government and foundation grant relations, conferences and events planning, the Center for Life Beyond Reed, and community and external relations. Additionally, the person in this role will oversee brand, marketing, and public relations efforts for the college and the implementation of cohesive and timely communications strategies. As a key member of the President's senior leadership team, the vice president will participate in strategic planning and work collaboratively with others across the institution to identify and support college priorities, initiatives, and opportunities. The college seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking, and goal-oriented advancement leader with a robust track record as a major/principal gift fundraiser and manager of a sophisticated advancement operation.
Substantial leadership and management acumen is required, and thus the ideal candidate will have successfully led or had a major leadership role in development or advancement programs for at least 10 years. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing successful communications and fundraising campaigns is highly desirable. As would be expected, superior communication and relationship-building skills are necessary. The vice president for advancement will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to this outstanding institution by leading it to new levels of engagement with its external constituencies and even greater achievement in fundraising. Doing so will require the skills and experiences of a seasoned advancement leader and manager, one with a significant track record of personal and successful involvement in individual major and principal giving, and experience in leading a team of skilled fundraisers and alumni relations professionals. Demonstrated success with leadership experience within a comprehensive campaign is critical, as is a deep and abiding commitment to the liberal arts. A bachelor's degree is required and an advanced degree is preferred.
Read the complete leadership profile for this position in the attached document. To submit a nomination or express personal interest in this position, please see Procedure for Candidacy at the end of the attached profile.
Leadership Profile
Procedure for Candidacy
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.
WittKieffer is assisting Reed College in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made.
Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to
Mercedes Chacón Vance and Jenna Brumleve
ReedVPAdvancement@wittkieffer.com
Search Advisory Committee
Committee Co-Chairs
Kathy Oleson, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Psychology
Lynn Valenter, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer
Committee Members
Carla Beam ’76, Trustee
Chris Koski, Daniel B. Greenberg Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies
Jolina Kwong Caputo, Associate Dean of Academic Operations
Valerie (Val) Moreno, Chief Information and Security Officer
Anna Ritz, Associate Professor of Biology
Richard (Rick) H. Wollenberg ’75, Trustee
Administrative Support
Matthew Packwood, Executive Administrative Coordinator to the Dean of the Faculty
Get to Know Reed
Discover Reed College, referred to as one of the most intellectual colleges in the country and known for high standards of scholarly practice, creative thinking, and engaged citizenship.
Academic Divisions & Departments
Learn about the five divisions and 26 departments that make up Reed’s unique academic environment.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
See the steps Reed is taking to ensure all students have equitable access to opportunities for success and that faculty and staff are prepared to support a diverse student body and contribute to an inclusive campus learning, living, and working environment.