PRESS RELEASES

Dallas-based executive search and talent development firm Bryant Group, has been selected to recruit the Vice President of Philanthropy and Engagement for Hope College

Dallas-based executive search and talent development firm Bryant Group, has been selected to recruit the Vice President of Philanthropy and Engagement for Hope College. Chris Bingley, President of Bryant Group, is spearheading the assignment for the search firm.
“The ideal leader for this position is energized by big challenges. We are looking for a teammate who wants to help this community change the world and make history by revolutionizing the business model of higher education,” said Hope College President Matthew A. Scogin.

Reporting to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet and the senior leadership team, the Vice President of Philanthropy and Engagement provides leadership and direction for a staff of 40 members in the areas of philanthropy, alumni and family engagement, and philanthropy services.

Three years ago, the college announced a new vision called Hope Forward – an
innovative model for higher education where students fund their education
through gifts after graduation rather than paying for college through tuition and
debt upfront. Hope College took a problem – lack of access to higher education
– and went to the Gospel. “Freely you have received; now freely give” (Matthew
10:8). Hope College imagines a reality where their entire funding model is based on those instructions, “your tuition is covered; now go and live generously.” This new
vision will require historic funds raised to make it a reality.

Hope College is a four-year liberal arts college where academic excellence and
vibrant Christian faith join together in a transformational and welcoming
community. Hope offers an academically rigorous, co-educational and residential
education to approximately 3,100 undergraduate students from more than 40
states and 25 countries. Affiliated with the Reformed Church in America since its
founding in 1866, Hope College is known for its invitational ecumenical Christian
atmosphere, friendly campus community and outstanding academic and co-
curricular offerings.

Hope College is recognized as a national leader in student-faculty collaborative
research, scholarship and creative projects and for providing exceptional
professional preparation and life-changing educational experiences. In 2021,
U.S. News and World Report ranked Hope nationally as 24th for undergraduate
research and creative performance, and top 50 for undergraduate teaching.

Hope’s beautiful 120-acre campus is located just steps from downtown Holland,
Michigan, a city of 35,000 enriched by an ever-growing diverse population in
an urban area of over 100,000. Located on the scenic shores of Lake Michigan
and Lake Macatawa, the area offers sandy beaches, parks, miles of hiking and
biking trails and a historic downtown. Downtown hosts an eclectic mix of retail
shops, boutiques, restaurants and craft-brew pubs housed in restored Victorian-
era buildings, a popular and expansive year-round Farmers’ Market and a snow-melt system that keeps sidewalks and roadways snow-free during the
winter months.

Additional Information about the Position
The Vice President will develop strong relationships with faculty and staff to understand program needs and coordinate and prioritize requests to potential donors, as well as oversee and manage the budget for the philanthropy division. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

● Oversee and direct all fundraising activity for Hope College; provide and implement a strategic plan that increases philanthropic giving to, and alumni involvement with, the College
● Provide visionary and strategic leadership that allows all members of the philanthropy team to understand their roles and contribute ideas to achieve individual and team goals
● Advise the President and Board of Trustees on best practices related to donor cultivation, stewardship, and solicitations; together, cast the vision and mission of the college into fundraising priorities
● Build meaningful relationships with the senior administration and faculty in order to learn about fundraising priorities and enlist their support in all fundraising activities.

Some characteristics of the ideal candidate include the following:

● A Christ-centered leader who personally lives out a strong commitment to the Christian faith and has an enthusiastic commitment to articulating the mission of Hope College as a Christian liberal arts college
● A minimum of ten years of successful major and principal gift fundraising experience in a leadership position (required)
● Previous experience identifying and securing six and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations
● Bachelor’s degree (required); Master’s degree (preferred).

Advancing Great Leadership
Bryant Group, based in Irving, Texas, with associates located across the United States, specializes in executive search and leadership consulting for higher education, healthcare and nonprofits with an emphasis on advancement leaders and other executives. In 1988, Bryant Group founder, Chris Bryant, started one of the country’s first search firms specializing in philanthropy recruitment. Now under the leadership of CEO Sally Bryant, the woman-owned firm continues its focus on advancing great leadership for some of the world’s most impactful institutions. Bryant Group has impacted more than 10,000 leaders and served more than 275 organizations.