The USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Advancement team supports the School’s philanthropic, alumni, industry, and constituent engagement priorities through coordinated fundraising, donor relations, stewardship, communications, events, and advancement operations. Working in close partnership with school leadership, academic departments, faculty, university advancement colleagues, alumni, donors, and external partners, the team advances university fundraising campaigns and School-level fundraising plans while building long-term relationships that support Viterbi’s strategic priorities and philanthropic goals.
Position Overview
The Executive Director, Advancement - Alumni & Industry Relations leads the integrated Alumni & Industry Relations function, connecting alumni engagement, corporate relations, and foundation relations to the School’s fundraising and partnership priorities. The role sets portfolio strategy, builds coordinated pathways from engagement to philanthropic support, and drives significant fundraising support for the School through alumni, corporate, and foundation funders.
Core Job Duties
Develop and execute an integrated strategy and plan for alumni, corporations, and foundations that includes measurable goals and specific strategies for expanding engagement and levels and sources of support.
Set aspirational goals, portfolio assignments, engagement plans, and performance expectations for the Alumni & Industry Relations team.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity and priority alumni, corporations, foundations, and other strategic partners.
Coordinate and manage opportunities involving philanthropy, research, talent, programs, boards, events, and executive or faculty engagement.
Build internal relationships with the Dean, Vice Deans, department chairs, faculty, academic and program leadership and staff across the School to acquire a broad and deep understanding of the academic, program and research portfolio to identify strong matches with potential funders.
Draft high-quality and timely proposals, grant requests, correspondence, impact/stewardship reports, and other documents to support best practices.
Develop strategic relationships with key internal partners, including the USC Stevens Center for Innovation, Office of Research and Innovation, Department of Contracts and Grants, and others.
Lead a team of alumni, industry and foundation relations professionals. Plays a key role in developing strategies to strengthen relationships with current prospects and identify and build relationships with new prospects.
Partner with Major Gifts, Operations & Strategy, school leadership, faculty, and central university teams to advance shared prospects.
Manage staff, resources, reporting, budget and compliance and evaluate results across engagement, pipeline, proposals, and ambitious fundraising goals.
Keys to success in this role include:
Strong leadership, management, and interpersonal skills
Strengths in analysis, strategy, and problem-solving
Results-driven motivation, initiative and strong teamwork
Excellent written and oral communication of complex topics for a general audience
Professionalism in collaborating with diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders
Fundraising, industry, foundation and alumni experience and expertise
Preferred Qualifications :
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
7 + years of experience in fundraising with industry, foundations, and alumni
Leadership and management experience: demonstrated ability to lead and manage a team of fundraising professionals.
Results-oriented: comfortable with production goals, accountability, independence, initiative, and teamwork.
Strong communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation).
Ability to work effectively and professionally with colleagues, faculty, industry and foundation staff.
Capacity to understand and communicate research or programmatic information to a variety of stakeholders; adaptable…