ASSISTANT DEAN, Questrom Development & Alumni Relations

Boston University Development and Alumni Relations seeks an entrepreneurial, energetic, and collaborative Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations for the Questrom School of Business.  The Assistant Dean will lead a team of fundraising and stewardship professionals in planning and implementing long- and short-term fundraising and engagement strategies that will elevate the advancement capabilities at the Questrom School as it seeks to actualize a strategic plan and moves toward the School’s and BU’s next comprehensive campaign.

In partnership with Dean Susan Fournier and Associate Vice President for School Development Lara Brown de Fuenmayor, the Assistant Dean will be chiefly responsible for systematically engaging and soliciting individual prospects who have potential to make significant philanthropic contributions to the Questrom School.  In addition to serving as a member of the Dean’s leadership team, the Assistant Dean will mentor and provide strategic guidance to five staff members and support the Dean’s Advisory Board in partnership with Dean Fournier. The development program at Questrom is built on a strong foundation, providing the next Assistant Dean with a solid base and significant runway to grow the program, shaping the future of the School alongside a Dean, a warm and excited community of alumni and friends, and with eager and committed team members.

This is an exciting opportunity for an accomplished development professional to strengthen Questrom’s advancement program and enhance the connective tissue between the Questrom community of student and alumni, industry partners, and the University more broadly. The successful candidate will be an inspiring leader and an effective advocate for all constituents. The Assistant Dean will maintain the strong partnership between Questrom and Development and Alumni Relations, encouraging a culture of collaboration and cooperation.

The ideal candidate will have at least 14 years of directly applicable experience and possess a collaborative and collegial style, strong work ethic, and enthusiasm for the mission and goals of the Questrom School of Business and the broader University.  A bachelor’s degree is required.

Boston University

Boston University is an international, comprehensive, private research university, committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals ready to live, adapt, and lead in an interconnected world. Under the leadership of President Melissa Gilliam, the University’s 17 Schools and Colleges generate new knowledge to benefit society. BU remains dedicated to its founding principles: that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community—local and international. These principles endure in the University’s insistence on the value of diversity, in its tradition and standards of excellence, and in its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world. Boston University comprises a remarkable range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs built on a strong foundation of the liberal arts and sciences. With the support and oversight of the Board of Trustees, the University, through its faculty, continually innovates in education and research to ensure that it meets the needs of students and an ever-changing world.

Questrom School of Business

Boston University’s Questrom School of Business prepares innovative and ethical leaders who understand the impact of business on society and create value for the world. Questrom students comprehend organizational systems, the vital role of leadership, and the forces transforming the global economy. Questrom generates scholarly knowledge and insights that advance management practice through research, teaching, and community engagement. Students come from around the world to be a part of this selective, esteemed business community.

Questrom offers undergraduate, graduate, executive, distance learning, and certificate programs taught by acclaimed faculty—many of whom are internationally recognized for their research. The School features modern classrooms with built-in interactive technology, cutting-edge centers and institutes, a broad array of lectures, symposia, student clubs, and competitions.

The School’s strategic plan emphasizes education that transforms, collaborations that enable, and research with impact, focusing on six strategic priorities that will shape the case for philanthropic support through the next campaign. The Questrom School of Business is on an accelerating trajectory of excellence and innovation. More facts about the School are available at: https://www.bu.edu/questrom/about/questrom-at-a-glance/.

Dean Susan Fournier

Allen Questrom Professor and Dean, and Professor, Marketing Susan Fournier joined the faculty at Boston University Questrom School of Business in 2005 as an Associate Professor of Marketing and Dean’s Research Fellow. In the ensuing years, she advanced through the faculty ranks and was named Questrom Professor in Management in 2013. She has been an influential member of the community in her varied roles as an educator, researcher, and administrator.

As Questrom’s first academic dean in over 40 years, Dean Fournier has the benefit of an inside perspective. She brings a wealth of personal experience in academia with over 24 years in the Undergrad, MBA, and Executive classrooms of Harvard Business School, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and Questrom. She is a celebrated professor who designed and delivered one of Questrom’s Top 10 MBA electives. She recently served as Senior Associate Dean of Faculty & Research and was a prior Faculty Director of the Questrom MBA and Doctoral programs. She is an award-winning researcher with an in-depth knowledge of the research and publication enterprises, what it takes to produce “research with impact,” how to bring that knowledge into the classroom, and what it takes to translate academic research for the most significant impact on practice—facets critical to understand in the pursuit of creating value for the world.

Dean Fournier is also the first woman dean at Questrom, marking a significant moment in School history. She is “looking forward to a time when this descriptor is not considered a unique attribute.” Of equal importance, Dean Fournier is a first-generation college student. This status gives her meaningful insight as Questrom continues to focus on diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the School’s life.

Lara Brown de Fuenmayor

Associate Vice President, School Development

Lara Brown de Fuenmayor joined Boston University as assistant vice president for School Development in March 2022.  In her current role, she oversees strategy for the school-based Development and Alumni Relations teams for BU’s 17 Schools and Colleges and directly manages the teams embedded within the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, and Questrom School of Business. Prior to this role, Lara was assistant dean for advancement for North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources and president of the NC State Natural Resources Foundation. She previously served for 10 years as assistant dean for external relations in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. She has also held development positions at Johns Hopkins University and INSEAD.

Lara earned her B.A. in French Interdisciplinary Studies from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, and her Master’s in International Economics and Management from SDA Bocconi School in Milan, Italy.

Development & Alumni Relations at BU

DAR harnesses the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU’s global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support their work, DAR has built—and is continuing to build—an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. It’s not just a job, but a career and a community.

With an endowment valued at approximately $3.5 billion, BU has a legacy of endowment giving in support of faculty chairs and student scholarships. In FY2024, the university raised $349 million in annual philanthropic support. There are approximately 350,000 known prospects and more than 400,000 living alumni; the alumni giving rate is approximately 10 percent.

BU’s Board of Trustees and the university’s executive leadership team are invested in the future of BU and are mobilizing for a comprehensive fundraising campaign, which is currently in the quiet phase. The last campaign for BU, Choose to Be Great, closed in 2019 and raised $1.85 billion for the university.

To learn more about the DAR team, please visit www.bu.edu/dar-talent.

Assistant Dean, Development & Alumni relations

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for School Development (AVP), the Assistant Dean will work with the Dean of the Questrom School, the Vice President for Development, the AVP, the Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) partners, and volunteer leadership, to create, plan, advance and implement a wide range of fundraising activities, strategies, programs and priorities as part of the University’s next comprehensive campaign and in support of the School’s strategic vision. Additionally, the Assistant Dean will collaborate with DAR’s Alumni Engagement team and the Questrom School of Business’ Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement for enhanced cultivation of the school’s alumni and industry partners.

Responsibilities:

·       Fundraising: Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising program for the Questrom School of Business.  Actively maintain a portfolio of leadership and principal gift prospects and cultivate, solicit and steward them on behalf of Questrom. Craft and present proposals for leadership/principal gift solicitations and prepare other fundraising materials to be used to maximize philanthropy for the School’s key strategic priorities.  Play primary role in managing and tracking specific fundraising initiatives as agreed by the Dean and Associate Vice President in accordance with the University’s and the School’s strategic plan.

·       Leadership: Provide expert fundraising counsel to the Dean, faculty, department chairs, and alumni volunteers. Build collaborative working relationships with Questrom’s leadership, faculty, and researchers, and colleagues in the Development and Alumni Relations office. Foster productive relationships between faculty, prospects, and donors. Serve as member of Questrom’s senior leadership team representing DAR in faculty meetings and other assignments as deemed critical to the fundraising/alumni relations agenda by the Dean and the Associate Vice President. In partnership with the Dean, manage the School’s Dean’s Advisory Board.  Work closely with board members to maximize their philanthropy to the School’s key strategic funding priorities.

·       Management: Manage, oversee and provide mentorship for a team of 5 professionals (director of development, two senior major gift officers, senior associate director of stewardship and donor engagement, and development coordinator).  Partner with Alumni Relations professionals based within Questrom’s Feld Center.  Supervise the office, budget and fulfill administrative duties as required by DAR, Questrom, and BU-wide operating procedures.

·       Communications: Serve as the School’s information resource for Development and Alumni Relations. Provide communication about specific departments and programs as well as overarching School-wide initiatives.  Coordinate with Major Gift Officers, Planned Giving Officers, Principal Gift Officers and the Office of Alumni Engagement in their activities on behalf of the Questrom and assist with linkage to the School's faculty and staff as needed to advance prospect activity.

Requirements:

·       Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.  Masters preferred.

·       Minimum of 14 years of experience working in a development office or academic fundraising environment preferred, including developing a portfolio of prospects and soliciting gifts. Working with volunteers and international donors is ideal, along with working knowledge of a business school’s development and alumni operations.

·       Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.

·       Excellent written and oral business communication skills.

·       Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build relationships in a highly collaborative environment.  Must be able to “manage up” working directly with University leaders; engage laterally by building relationships of trust and mutual value added with colleagues across campus; and manage “down” ensuring the support and cooperation of staff both within and outside of Development.

·       Ability to work well on a team; flexibility to take on challenges in mid-stream; ability to delegate when appropriate.

·       Capacity to think strategically and creatively is necessary. This involves the ability to inquire about and listen to a prospect's needs, and then to understand and determine how to best develop a successful strategy for engagement.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

·       Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.

·       Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.

·       Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.

·       Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.

·       Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.

·       Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious next campaign—and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional— we encourage you to apply.  If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application as well.

To learn more about Development & Alumni Relations at Boston University, and other job opportunities, please stop by the DAR Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/dar-talent/.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796.

Location

This is a Boston-based position. BU’s campus is located in Boston’s Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood. Nestled between the beautiful Charles River and historic Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox), BU’s location is ideal for a healthy contemporary lifestyle. Boston is a vibrant city steeped in history with diverse neighborhoods, a rich arts and culture scene, and a legacy of education, innovation, and ideas.

DAR provides a hybrid work schedule, offering employees the opportunity to work two days per week from home, if circumstances allow. More information about the university’s remote work policy is available here: www.bu.edu/hr/lifebu/remote-work.

Compensation

Compensation is highly competitive and budgeted in the range of $210,000 to $230,000 annually, depending on experience. Boston University offers a comprehensive benefits package, which adds significantly to the employee’s total compensation.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.