Description

Introduction

Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), one of the nation’s leading independent colleges of art and design, seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and relationship-driven leader to serve as its next Vice President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA). Reporting directly to the President + CEO and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the VPIA will serve as the College’s chief advancement officer and a key strategic partner in shaping CIA’s next chapter of institutional growth, sustainability, and impact. 

The College is supported by a proactive culture that continually looks ahead, embraces innovation, and strategically plans for long-term sustainability and growth. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced advancement leader who is energized not only by fundraising success, but by the opportunity to help define the future role of art and design education in a rapidly changing world.

About Cleveland Institute of Art

Founded in 1882, Cleveland Institute of Art’s mission is to cultivate creative leaders who inspire people, strengthen communities and contribute to a thriving and sustainable economy through an innovative education in art and design. In addition to mission stewardship, CIA’s values of Accessibility, Creativity, Excellence, Inclusivity, Individuality, Responsibility, Stewardship, Transparency, and Wellness are thoughtfully integrated and inform the College’s policies, processes and institutional culture. 

Located in Cleveland’s vibrant University Circle cultural district and through its recent expansion into MidTown, CIA serves approximately 500 degree-seeking students within a highly collaborative and immersive educational environment. CIA graduates are artists, designers, makers, storytellers, innovators, and entrepreneurs whose work shapes industries, communities, and culture around the world. In addition, CIA boasts a robust portfolio of community programs and classes for youth and lifelong learners.

Institutional Momentum

CIA enters this search at a moment of meaningful institutional momentum and philanthropic success. The College is in the final stretch of its $35 million Transformation Campaign, with more than $32 million raised to date and several historic milestones already achieved, including doubling CIA’s endowment, securing the largest gift in the College’s history, exceeding scholarship fundraising goals, launching the Jane B. Nord Center for Teaching + Learning, and opening the new state-of-the-art Interactive Media Lab — an innovation hub at the nexus of art and design, technology, industry, and community.

At the same time, CIA is in the final year of execution of an ambitious 2020-27 Strategic Plan focused on cultivating creative leaders, advancing the College, and strengthening the community through student success, curricular innovation, workforce alignment, and long-term sustainability. In addition, as part of its broader business model transformation (BMT) efforts, CIA is strategically diversifying its academic model, aligning expenses with revenue, investing in areas of market growth, and modernizing institutional operations. The College is proactively addressing many of the significant headwinds facing higher education and the creative sector, including demographic shifts, increasing skepticism regarding the value of higher education, rapid technological disruption driven by artificial intelligence, and heightened regulatory and financial pressures.

In other words, CIA is actively reimagining the role of art and design education within evolving economic, technological, and civic ecosystems. The College is investing in interdisciplinary collaboration, future-focused curriculum development, regional innovation partnerships, and expanded pathways connecting creative practice with workforce and community impact.

This work will continue next academic year through a design-centered planning process culminating in the adoption of a new strategic plan in 2027. The next Vice President for Institutional Advancement will play a central role in advancing that vision internally as a key stakeholder, as well as externally through philanthropy, partnerships, advocacy, and constituent engagement.

Leadership Partnership

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will partner closely with President + CEO Kathryn Heidemann, whose leadership is grounded in institutional transformation, creative collaboration, and future-focused strategic thinking. An energetic, visionary, and relationship-centered leader, President Heidemann has led CIA through a period of significant strategic evolution focused on innovation, sustainability, interdisciplinary collaboration, and expanding the role of art and design education within broader civic, economic, and workforce ecosystems. Her leadership style emphasizes experimentation, ideation, entrepreneurial thinking, authentic relationships, and a strong belief in the power of creativity to drive institutional and societal impact.

The relationship between the President and the VPIA will be highly collaborative and deeply integrated. The President is an active and engaged fundraising partner who values strategic thinking, creativity, transparency, humor, and risk taking. The successful candidate will serve not simply as the College’s lead fundraiser, but as a trusted advisor and thought partner in helping shape CIA’s future direction and philanthropic strategy.

The Opportunity

The Vice President of Institutional Advancement will join a highly engaged leadership team and play a critical role in helping CIA navigate and shape the future of art and design education. This role requires both strategic sophistication, systems thinking, and a growth mindset. The VPIA will lead advancement strategy while also maintaining meaningful engagement with donors, prospects, alumni, foundations, community leaders, and strategic partners. The successful candidate will be:

•         a strategic and collaborative leader,
•         an exceptional relationship-builder,
•         a compelling communicator and storyteller,
•         and a forward-thinking advancement executive capable of balancing vision with execution.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Advancement Leadership

•         Develops and executes a comprehensive institutional advancement strategy aligned with CIA’s strategic priorities and long-term financial sustainability.
•         Coordinates closely with the Office of the President to develop and execute cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for high-priority donors, institutional partners, and campaign prospects. Provides strategic counsel and operational support to maximize the President’s effectiveness as a philanthropic and external-facing leader.
•         Partners with the Board of Directors to strengthen philanthropic engagement, fundraising participation, and ambassadorial leadership.
•         Supports and advances a culture of philanthropy across the Board, leadership, faculty, staff, alumni, and broader CIA community.
•         Strengthens and continually improves advancement operations grounded in data-informed decision making, relationship management, technology transformation, measurable outcomes, and a collaborative culture.
•         Partners with academic and administrative leaders to identify philanthropic opportunities that support innovation in curriculum, student success, scholarships, facilities, technology, and community engagement.
•         Helps shape and articulate a compelling institutional case for support that reflects CIA’s distinctive value proposition and future ambitions.

Fundraising and Campaign Leadership

•         Leads and expands all fundraising efforts, including major and principal gifts, annual giving (including alumni giving), foundation and corporate relations, planned giving, endowment giving, campaign strategy (current and future), and special initiatives.
•         Personally manages and grows a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects.
•         Partners closely with the President in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of transformational gifts.
•         Strengthens alumni engagement strategies that build lifelong relationships and increase alumni participation and philanthropic support.
•         Designs and implements innovative fundraising structures and engagement strategies that broaden and diversify CIA’s philanthropic base.
•         Evaluates campaign readiness and helps position CIA for future comprehensive fundraising initiatives.
•         Strengthens donor stewardship practices that deepen engagement, retention, and long-term philanthropic investment.

Leadership and Team Development

•         Supervises the Director of Development and Director of Grants + Institutional Relations. Other IA team members include an Advancement Operations Manager, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, Advancement Associate and an outsourced legislative consultant. 
•         Ensures effective departmental cohesion and coordination, including communication of Cabinet-level priorities, challenges, and opportunities.
•         Leads, mentors, and develops a high-performing advancement team focused on collaboration, accountability, innovation, and professional growth.
•         Oversees advancement operations, prospect management, fundraising analytics, donor stewardship, and CRM strategy.
•         Establishes clear metrics, goals, and performance standards for advancement initiatives.
•         Promotes operational excellence and continuous improvement across all advancement functions.
•         Manages departmental budget and ensures effective stewardship of institutional resources.
•         Represents CIA externally within philanthropic, cultural, educational, corporate, and other key networks.

Candidate Profile

CIA seeks candidates who bring:

•         10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in advancement, development, philanthropy, or related external affairs roles.
•         Demonstrated success securing major and principal gifts.
•         Experience leading complex fundraising initiatives or campaigns.
•         Proven ability to build and sustain relationships with donors, trustees, alumni, and community partners.
•         Experience leading and developing teams with a collaborative and inclusive leadership approach.
•         Demonstrated ability to lead collaboratively and inclusively with a systems-oriented mindset and an energetic, engaging leadership style. 
•         Exceptional communication skills, including writing, listening, storytelling, and verbal presentation, with the ability to inspire and influence diverse audiences. 
•         Strong ability to build relationships, foster trust, and effectively advance institutional priorities, complemented by sound judgment, creativity, and a sense of humor.
•         Strong strategic planning, communication, organizational, and analytical skills.
•         Experience using advancement technologies, CRM systems, and fundraising analytics to inform decision making and moves management strategy.
•         Strong knowledge of financial and budget management.
•         Understanding and commitment to the mission of the College, and a deep appreciation for the transformative role of creativity, art, and design in society.

A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

Preferred qualifications include: 

•         Experience in higher education, arts and culture, or other mission-driven nonprofit organizations.
•         Familiarity with campaign planning and campaign execution.
•         Experience engaging creative industries, entrepreneurial ecosystems, or innovation-focused partnerships.
•         Understanding of evolving philanthropic trends, donor engagement models, and advancement best practices.
•         Knowledge of government regulations regarding philanthropic contributions.

Work Environment and Expectations

The Vice President of Institutional Advancement is expected to maintain an active presence on campus and within the community. Evening and weekend events and regional travel are required, as well as occasional national travel.

Living in Cleveland

Living near the Cleveland Institute of Art means being at the heart of one of America’s most vibrant cultural districts. University Circle is home to world-renowned institutions including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Severance Music Center, Cleveland Botanical Garden, and Case Western Reserve University. Cleveland offers an exceptional quality of life, combining rich arts and cultural assets with affordability, vibrant neighborhoods, nationally recognized healthcare systems, extensive park systems, lakefront access, and a growing innovation economy.

How To Apply

Applications should include a cover letter and résumé/curriculum vitae and will be reviewed as they are received, with priority consideration for candidates applying before June 15.  Please apply here: Work at CIA - Cleveland Institute of Art

CIA is committed to increasing diversity in our community and actively recruits individuals from all backgrounds. Additionally, CIA complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws and provides equal opportunity in all educational programs and activities, admission of students and conditions of employment for all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, gender identity or national origin.