Bentley University, a private, not-for-profit university, is a place for successful leaders who set out to create positive change in our communities, organizations and the world. Bentley believes in doing business and doing good at the same time.
By combining business education with arts and sciences, Bentley provides students with the critical thinking and practical skills to help them collaborate effectively, communicate clearly and lead successful, rewarding careers.
Bentley is more than just one of the nation’s top business schools. They are a community of leaders committed to making an impact that doesn’t just move business forward, but that moves us all forward. Bentley prepares students to be a force - a force for business and a force for good.
Bentley's Student Outcomes:
Bentley University ranks No. 8 among colleges and universities offering the greatest return on investment - with a net economic gain of more than $1 million 20 years after graduation and $2.25 million 40 years after graduation.
Bentley University ranks No. 1 in Career Services – 99% of students are employed or attending grad school within 6 months, with a $68,000 average starting salary.
Bentley University was ranked among the top highly selective private colleges for economic mobility by the New York Times.
Leadership Spotlight
E. LaBrent Chrite, Ph.D. - President
E. LaBrent Chrite, Ph.D.
President
E. LaBrent Chrite, the ninth president of Bentley University, is an experienced higher education leader who believes business can change lives for the better. He served most recently as the president of Bethune-Cookman University, where he led the institution through an extensive review that resulted in continued accreditation and strengthened institutional governance and fiscal integrity. Prior to joining Bethune-Cookman, Brent served as the dean of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver and dean and professor of management at the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University. Over the course of his career, Brent has helped governments, universities and foundations across the world to develop programs and research initiatives aimed at bolstering emerging markets, entrepreneurism and capital development and reducing poverty. Originally from Detroit, Brent has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, M.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia and B.A. from Michigan State University.
Chris Grugan - Vice President for University Advancement
Chris Grugan
Vice President for University Advancement
As head of Advancement, Chris oversees the university’s fundraising, alumni engagement and Pulsifer Career Development Center. Before joining Bentley, Chris served as the executive director of Principal Giving for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. In this role, he was responsible for developing and leading a newly created principal giving team, which worked with many of the university’s most generous alumni, parents and friends. Before serving in this capacity, Chris also served as the senior executive director of Individual Giving, where he led a 90-person team responsible for generating philanthropic support for the university’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Before that, he held advancement leadership positions at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and Tufts University. Chris holds a B.A. in Geology from Colgate University.
Executive Director, Advancement Communications and Donor Relations
The executive director for Advancement Communications and Donor Relations will develop and lead a comprehensive advancement communications and donor relations strategy as a member of the University Advancement leadership team. This role will be a key architect of Bentley University’s strategy to communicate the central role philanthropy plays in advancing Bentley’s mission.
The executive director will be a strong collaborator with members of the university’s Marketing and Communications senior leadership team, leveraging the power and resources of the full Marketing and Communications division to achieve University Advancement objectives. The incumbent will ensure that the ongoing communications strategy for University Advancement complements that of the university and that all branding and identity guidelines, design specifications, tone and voice standards set by Marketing and Communications are consistently followed.
The executive director oversees the Stewardship and Donor Relations team and is the chief strategist for Advancement Communications and will direct the work of a team of dedicated Advancement Communications professionals nested within the university’s Marketing and Communications function.
The Advancement Communications and Donor Relations function is charged with communicating the impact of philanthropic support from case and proposal development through reporting to existing donors. The Executive Director is a consummate story-teller who can creatively and compellingly communicate complex messages across mediums from print and digital to in-person events.
The incumbent will be a positive leader who is able to work collaboratively across the organization with a commitment to excellence and accountability. This role is best suited to someone who is agile, adaptable, solution-oriented, and committed to innovation and continuous improvement. The incumbent should be excited to shape a team committed to becoming a peerless advancement organization and will be a keeper of a strong, positive culture committed to personal and professional growth in a fun, collegial, and flexible work environment.
This role reports to the Vice President for University Advancement and will collaborate closely with the university's Vice President for Marketing and Communications to ensure consistency in the communication of the university's overall brand and message to alumni and donors.
Essential Duties:
Develop and lead a comprehensive communications strategy to support philanthropic goals and alumni and donor relations at Bentley.
Work with a dedicated cadre of Advancement Communications professionals, as well as the full suite of services available in Bentley’s Marketing and Communications team to effectively execute strategic priorities and annual work plans.
Develop and lead a comprehensive Stewardship and Donors Relations strategy for University Advancement.
Manage and lead a team of Stewardship and Donor Relations professionals.
Oversees the execution of a suite of donor relations activities, provides thought leadership to the development of recognition societies, works with Vice President and AVP for Development on the development and execution of high-level principal giving stewardship and donor relations plans.
In collaboration with the Vice President for University Advancement, and leveraging the skills of the Advancement Communications team, work closely with the President, Provost, Deans, faculty, and other university leaders to translate institutional priorities into fundraising priorities, including the development of concept papers, case statements, gift opportunities, proposals, talking points, and collateral materials.
Define the annual work plan and budget for the Advancement Communications and Stewardship and Donor Relations functions in consultation with Vice President of University Advancement and the Director of Advancement Communications and other stakeholders.
Leads philanthropy-related communication strategies that feature the president, provost, vice presidents and deans. Oversee the development of talking points for key events.
Actively seek out and appropriately apply trends and best practices at peer and aspirant institutions.
Embrace and model Bentley’s positive culture principles, where all community members are empowered, engaged, and thriving in their work and studies. As a member of the University Advancement Leadership team, embraces institutional values and takes seriously the role of leadership in modeling our values.
Manage staffing, workflow, performance, and team development. Establish annual work plans, priorities, standards, and ensures each team member is progressing against these measures. Provides coaching and support to help team members develop and grow while being comfortable providing difficult feedback with clarity, empathy, and directness when necessary. Establish operating policies, procedures, departmental and individual goals and metrics including a review of existing and potential technology tools.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree
7+ years of leadership-level experience in marketing or communications
Experience in leading a fundraising and engagement communications, marketing, and creative services team in developing effective communications plans.
Strong management/coaching skills are required. Experience building, leading, motivating, assessing, and holding accountable high-performing, well-integrated professional teams preferably in a higher education environment.
Ability to inspire others, foster cross-divisional collaboration and manage by influence across a diverse organization.
Expertise in core communications principles, strategies, and best practices.
Knowledge and deep understanding of philanthropic communications efforts and best practices.
Must be deadline oriented and able to manage multiple projects on tight timelines in a fast-paced work environment.
Exceptional interpersonal skills, oral and written are required. Strong diplomatic skills are required as well as the ability to work with senior executives and donors.
Ability and experience to think strategically – both long and short term. Strong project management, problem solving, organizational and detail-oriented skills.
Proven track record of developing and executing programs and managing budgets.
Excellent judgment and the ability to treat confidential information with discretion.
The Organization - Bentley University
Committed to First Generation Students:
Bentley University is committed to providing a transformative educational experience to all students, and are especially proud of its efforts to attract and retain students who are the first in their families to attain a degree in higher education. Bentley has a variety of programs specifically targeted to first-generation college students (which they define as students whose parents or guardians have not attained a bachelor’s degree at any college or university). Bentley knows that first-generation college students are ready to take on business and society’s most pressing challenges, and Bentley will give them the tools they need to succeed.
In 1917, Harry C. Bentley first convened a class of 30 students on Huntington Avenue in Boston, with a goal of educating the next generation of accountants. Since opening our doors over 100 years ago, Bentley University has continuously reinvented business education and grown from those humble beginnings to become one of the top business universities in the U.S.
As a transformative lifelong-learning community, Bentley University prepares over 5,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students each year to use their business know-how to make a positive difference in the world. With a community of over 65,000 proud Falcon alumni, the impacts of a Bentley education stretch around the globe.
The Princeton Review ranks Bentley No. 1 in the nation for career services.
Bentley's Mission Statement:
Bentley University changes the world with a transformative business education, integrated with arts and sciences, that inspires and prepares ethical leaders who will confront the challenges of today and shape the opportunities of tomorrow.
Bentley's Vision:
As a preeminent business university, Bentley will be a knowledge-producing, engagement-based institution that develops learners for an innovation economy and empowers its community and stakeholders to address some of the world's most consequential challenges. We will achieve this by broadening our reach and impact, strengthening our programmatic portfolio, and creating a culture that becomes a beacon for inclusion and equity.
Diversity & Inclusion
Valuing diversity is one of Bentley's greatest strengths and is a core value. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion is responsible for fostering an inclusive community by leveraging interactions between offices, educating the entire community and working to increase the diversity at all levels of the University. While the office coordinates university-wide, diversity-related programs and initiatives, many other departments, centers, offices, and organizations at Bentley contribute to improving the diversity climate through varied and persistent efforts.
Diversity is critical to Bentley University’s mission of educating creative, ethical, and socially responsible organizational leaders. Bentley's institutional values are rooted in a belief that appreciating diversity means that they work in an environment that embraces diversity of opinion and that is free from hostility and intolerance.
Applications & Nominations
Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.
Expressions of Interest
Bentley University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, building strength through diversity. The University is committed to building a community of talented students, faculty, and staff who reflect the diversity of global business. We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities, covered veterans, and those with diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Bentley University has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:
Lisa Vuona has decades of experience in executive search and human resource management, primarily in the non-profit, healthcare and education sectors. She is distinguished by her track record and network, and by her approach, which combines the strategic power of data with a finely tuned ability to understand the client’s organization and identify high-caliber leaders who fit the culture.
Jill Coran started her career as a recruiter. After many successful years, she naturally moved into Human Resources Management. Jill worked early in the dot com, biotechnology, and media fields. After taking time off to raise her daughter and twin boys, she went back to work for a multimedia company as their Human Resource Manager. In addition to recruiting, Jill negotiated and administered benefit programs, as well as managing employee relation issues. Jill’s passion has always remained connecting top talent with local and national organizations. Her goal is to build strong, long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with candidates and clients alike.
Leslie Smith has helped numerous individuals and organizations achieve their goals. She works with non-profits and educational institutions, helping to define leadership needs and connecting them with the right talent. Along with extensive knowledge of the non-profit sector, she has a passion for strengthening mission-driven organizations and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
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