Executive Brief
Leadership Giving Officer
Seton Hall University School of Law
The Organization: Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
One of the country's leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856. Home to over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall's academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.
Seton Hall's 58-acre main campus is located in the quaint town of South Orange, New Jersey, only 14 miles from Manhattan. The University's nationally ranked School of Law is located in nearby Newark, N.J. Our new Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus, situated in the towns of Clifton and Nutley, N.J., opened in July 2018. The IHS campus houses Seton Hall's College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences, as well as the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
Seton Hall University, School of Law
Seton Hall Law School is widely known and respected at home and abroad. Located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, approximately 20 minutes from Manhattan, Seton Hall Law School offers a vibrant, energetic academic environment. Clinical education has been a significant part of our curriculum for more than 50 years. Seton Hall Law is especially well-regarded in the health and life sciences law, intellectual property, cybersecurity, and privacy arenas, and it is in the process of expanding its role in energy, gaming/sports, technology and data analytics.
Seton Hall Law is home to five centers of excellence including the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law, Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology, the Center for Social Justice, the Center for Policy & Research, and the Institute for Privacy Protection.
Seton Hall Law - Leadership Spotlight:
Ronald H. Weich
Dean of Seton Hall School of Law
Ronald Weich became dean of Seton Hall University School of Law on July 1, 2024. Weich comes to Seton Hall from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he had served as dean since 2012. While at Baltimore Law, he led a faculty of 45 tenured and tenure-track professors, as well as many adjunct faculty members, teaching fellows, and professors of practice. In addition, he managed the school’s annual budget and led the development of a strategic plan that emphasizes admissions standards, academic excellence, faculty scholarships, and career development.
Prior to his time in academia, Weich was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs in the Department of Justice, a post he held from 2009 to 2012. His work in Washington, D.C., included several other prominent positions, including Chief Counsel to U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Harry Reid. Weich also served as a partner in the firm of Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.
Weich began his career in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney. He is a graduate of Yale Law School, which he attended after undergraduate studies at Columbia University and the London School of Economics.
Seton Hall University Advancement
The Division of University Advancement oversees programs that strengthen Seton Hall's brand and reputation while nurturing relationships inside and outside the University that result in greater engagement and philanthropic support.
The division consists of three departments: Advancement Services, Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy, and Development.
Seton Hall Advancement - Leadership Spotlight:
Irene Obrien
Senior Executive Director of Advancement
Irene Obrien is currently serving as Senior Executive Director of Advancement for Seton Hall Law School. Irene has had a successful career in higher education development and alumni relations roles. Most recently she served as Vice President for Central Fundraising and Engagement at the Rutgers University Foundation after many years as Vice Chancellor for Advancement at Rutgers-Newark where she worked with Rutgers Law School among other components of that campus. Earlier in her career, Irene served in a leadership fundraising role at Fordham University. She earned her BA and MPA from Rutgers.
The Opportunity: Leadership Giving Officer
Seton Hall University - Leadership Giving Officer - Job Description (PDF Download)
Position Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director, Law School Advancement, the Leadership Giving Officer (LGO) plays a significant role in increasing philanthropic support for Seton Hall’s Law School. The LGO qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards individuals living locally and out of state who have the capacity to make gifts of $5k to $25K. The LGO’s portfolio may be focused on specific prospect constituencies including alumni and parents, geographic regions, and/or institutional priorities including financial aid, scholarships, capital projects, and other priorities of the Law School.
Responsibilities and Qualifications
- Effectively and efficiently qualify 125-150 individuals in portfolio to solicit and close gifts ranging from $5k to $25k;
- Manage donors and prospects throughout the qualification, solicitation, and stewardship phases applying sound strategies for each Law School prospect;
- Partner with Seton Hall’s central advancement team on Giving Days, challenges and other campus-wide giving events and priorities;
- Maximize productivity through portfolio management strategies supported by prospect research and data analytics, including securing face-to-face visits with potential donors;
- Regularly update database with timely contact reports, demographic updates, and moves management activity;
- Prepare donor correspondence, gift documentation, briefing materials and related documents as needed;
- Collaborate with the Law School faculty, administration, and staff to maximize resources and create opportunities to engage prospects and donors through events, conferences, and other activities;
- Develop relationships with key campus partners to achieve engagement and revenue goals; and
- Uphold the mission, vision, and values of Seton Hall, and development a deep knowledge of the funding priorities, programs, and strategic positioning of the Law School.
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 4 years of frontline fundraising experience, preferably in higher education. Other related experience, sales, or account management experience, may be considered;
- Positive professional who is initiative-taking, results-oriented and collaborator who is enthusiastic and able to make direct person-to-person solicitations;
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills;
- Ability to organize and complete multiple tasks simultaneously with close attention to detail and prioritization to meet deadlines; and
- Consistent professional interactions and ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
Applications & Nominations
Seton Hall 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
Managing Partner, Boston
lvuona@boyden.com
LinkedIn
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.
Shaké Sulikyan
Senior Advisor and Executive Search Consultant, Boston
ssulikyan@boyden.com
LinkedIn
Making the world a better place is Shaké Sulikyan’s mission in life. She has decades of experience in the nonprofit sector including senior leadership roles in healthcare, academic medicine, higher education, and social services. Shaké loves connecting nonprofit organizations and exceptional professionals and is honored to support social impact organizations throughout the United States. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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.