Senior Advisor

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off. Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Essential Functions

• Lead the strategic operations of the Division of External Affairs, ensuring alignment and effective coordination across government relations, community engagement, advancement, alumni relations, and public affairs.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Vice President for External Affairs, translating executive priorities into actionable initiatives, implementation plans, and performance tracking mechanisms.
• Coordinate the work of the External Affairs leadership team, convening senior leadership meetings and cross‑functional working groups to support strategic decision‑making and execution of divisional priorities.
• Prepare and oversee high‑level briefing materials for meetings with elected officials, community leaders, donors, alumni, and strategic partners, synthesizing complex information into clear executive guidance.
• Act as a key liaison between the Division of External Affairs and internal University stakeholders, facilitating collaboration and alignment across academic, administrative, and mission-based units.
• Develop and manage strategic communications on behalf of the Vice President, including executive correspondence, talking points, briefing memos, and stakeholder updates to ensure consistent messaging aligned with institutional priorities.
• Partner with University Communications and Marketing to coordinate external messaging related to government relations, community engagement, advancement initiatives, and public affairs activities.
• Provide fiscal and operational oversight for the Division, supporting budget planning, monitoring expenditures, and identifying opportunities to strategically allocate resources in support of external affairs priorities.
• Monitor legislative, policy, and community developments and provide strategic analysis and recommendations to inform the University’s external engagement and positioning.
• Identify and advance strategic grant opportunities that support the University’s external engagement priorities, coordinating proposal development, cross‑functional collaboration, and post‑award oversight to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and alignment with institutional goals.
• Support the planning and execution of high‑level external engagements and partnerships, including donor cultivation, community collaborations, and public‑facing initiatives that advance the University’s mission and visibility.

This list is not exhaustive. The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities

• Provide peer‑level coordination or subject‑matter guidance to colleagues performing similar work and/or student, part‑time workers, including helping organize tasks, clarify priorities, or review work for quality or consistency.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience supporting executive leadership, preferably within a complex higher education or non‑profit environment.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills

• Proven track record of managing departmental budgets and navigating complex organizational structures.
• Strong judgment, problem‑solving, verbal, and written communication skills to engage effectively with diverse University stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate the needs of executive leadership and exercise discretion and sound judgment in independent decision‑making.
• Ability to build productive working relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the University, both internal and external.
• Ability to synthesize complex data into executive‑level briefings and ‘one‑pagers’ for rapid decision‑making.
• Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Public Policy/Public Administration, Business, or a related field strongly preferred.

Salary

• Minimum Starting Salary: $110,000
• Maximum Starting Salary: $140,000
• Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

EEO Statement

Fordham University is committed to excellence and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds. Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.