POSITION SUMMARY

Ivy Tech Community College invites nominations and applications for the position of Senior Vice President for Development of the College and President of the Foundation — a transformative leadership opportunity for a bold, visionary, and collaborative fundraising executive who will help shape the future of the largest singly accredited statewide community college system in the United States.

As the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer and a key member of the college’s leadership team, the SVP of Development and Foundation President will lead with purpose and strategy, driving philanthropic growth, donor engagement, and statewide impact. They will be a proven fundraising innovator who thrives in dynamic environments, brings deep operational and campaign experience, and shares Ivy Tech’s mission to remove barriers, uplift communities, and advance economic mobility through education.

Ivy Tech is uniquely positioned to serve as Indiana’s most powerful engine for workforce transformation, career advancement, and educational access. The foundation’s next chapter will be defined by unprecedented opportunity, statewide ambition, and a commitment to reimagining what community college philanthropy can achieve.

The SVP for Development and Foundation President will report directly to Ivy Tech Community College President Martin Pollio and lead a diverse, high-performing team responsible for development, donor relations, and board engagement. Working in close partnership with Ivy Tech’s 19 campuses, 26 satellite locations and a statewide Board of Directors, the president will design and implement regionally responsive, data-informed fundraising strategies that meet the evolving needs of students, employers, and communities.

This is more than a leadership role — it is an opportunity to leave a legacy that transforms lives across every corner of Indiana.

IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Indiana’s Engine of Opportunity

Ivy Tech Community College is the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. With 45 locations and 200,000 students served annually, Ivy Tech is committed to transforming Indiana through accessible, affordable, and high-quality education. The college offers over 70 academic programs aligned to regional workforce needs — including health sciences, advanced manufacturing, IT, business, and education — and is a primary pipeline for transfer to Indiana’s four-year institutions.

Since its founding in 1963, Ivy Tech has remained deeply connected to the economic and social well-being of Indiana. Today, Ivy Tech continues to evolve as a dynamic institution that prepares learners of all backgrounds to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. Through a focus on equity, innovation, and career outcomes, Ivy Tech enables upward mobility and strengthens the communities it serves.

With a vision to be a force for economic transformation across the state,
Ivy Tech is actively pursuing bold new strategies — including partnerships with employers, K–12 schools, and government leaders — to increase postsecondary attainment and reduce achievement gaps. The college’s commitment to student success, community impact, and institutional agility makes it a model for what modern community colleges can be.

STRATEGIC PLAN

The current 2023 – 2025 strategic plan has four goals.
Goal 1: Teaching & Learning
Goal 2: Workforce & Careers
Goal 3: Student Experience
Goal 4: Operational Excellence

THE IVY TECH FOUNDATION

Mission-Driven. Community-Informed. Future-Focused.

The Ivy Tech Foundation exists to build bridges between philanthropy and possibility. It generates critical resources that help students persist, complete, and thrive — and ensures Ivy Tech can meet the evolving needs of Indiana’s workforce and communities.

With a statewide reach and a deeply local presence, the foundation is governed by a regionally representative board of directors, composed of civic, business, and philanthropic leaders from across Indiana. These volunteers bring a powerful blend of insight and advocacy to the foundation’s mission: to support Ivy Tech’s learners and transform lives through education.

The foundation works together with campus development teams, alumni relations, and institutional leadership to design giving strategies that are aligned, efficient, and impactful. The foundation’s fundraising success supports scholarships, wraparound services, workforce innovation, and regional program development — expanding opportunity across the state.

This position will inherit a strong, committed team and a high-functioning organization — and will be empowered to lead the next bold leap forward, including the planning and execution of the foundation’s next comprehensive campaign.

Invest IN Ivy Tech Comprehensive Campaign  - The campaign concluded during the 60th anniversary of the founding of Ivy Tech. Donors committed $340 million earmarked for student scholarships and related support, workforce development, infrastructure, and next-generation programs for those attending one of the college’s 19 campuses.

ROLE OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLLEGE AND PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION

Chief Philanthropic Strategist and Catalyst for Opportunity

The Senior Vice President for Development of the College and President of the Foundation is the chief executive and operating officer of the foundation, responsible for all aspects of its strategy, performance, and impact. Reporting directly to the President of Ivy Tech Community College, the foundation president serves as a key member of the college’s leadership team and provides strategic counsel on philanthropy, economic mobility, and community investment.

They will lead a team of seventeen foundation staff and matrix manage the development professionals at the regional campuses and be a dynamic, persuasive, and mission-driven leader who can align philanthropic opportunity with institutional vision, and who thrives at the intersection of innovation, stewardship, and results. This role is an extraordinary opportunity for a fundraising executive who is motivated by scale, community impact, and building the future of workforce-focused education.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as chief executive of the Ivy Tech Foundation, overseeing all aspects of operations, development, stewardship, and campaign strategy.

• Lead the design and execution of the foundation’s next comprehensive fundraising campaign, advancing transformational goals and elevating Ivy Tech’s national visibility in two-year college philanthropy.

• Cultivate and steward major donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic institutions — in collaboration with the Ivy Tech President and senior leadership — to drive investment in student success and statewide prosperity.

• Inspire and lead a high-performing internal and matrix-managed statewide foundation team, ensuring accountability to strategic fundraising goals and operational excellence across all functions.

• Design regionally tailored fundraising approaches that reflect community needs, empower local campuses, and activate alumni engagement.

• Serve as a trusted member of the president’s cabinet and contribute to institutional strategy through a philanthropic lens.

• Strengthen board engagement through intentional recruitment, preparation, and facilitation of board of directors’ meetings, retreats, and strategic priorities.

• Lead efforts to evolve the foundation’s culture, infrastructure, and communications to reflect national best practices in advancement, data-informed philanthropy, and donor-centered engagement.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

The next SVP of Development and Ivy Tech Foundation President will enter at a time of significant momentum and promise. Key priorities for this role include:

Leading a Statewide Multi-Year Campaign

They will design and implement Ivy Tech’s next comprehensive campaign — aligning statewide and local goals into a unified effort that inspires donors and transforms communities.

Driving Transformational Giving

This role offers the opportunity to secure major and principal gifts that unlock new possibilities for Ivy Tech’s students, programs, and partnerships. The next president will cultivate a portfolio of high-capacity donors and align institutional priorities with philanthropic interests.

Building a Culture of Excellence and Innovation

The Foundation is operationally strong; the next leader will continue to drive performance metrics, embrace data and technology, and foster a culture of accountability, agility, and innovation.

Elevating Equity and Impact

The Foundation’s future will be shaped by inclusive strategies that prioritize access, remove barriers, and engage diverse communities. The SVP of Development and President must lead with equity in mind — ensuring that philanthropy becomes a force for meaningful and measurable transformation across Indiana.

QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate for the Senior Vice President for Development of the College and President of the Foundation will be a bold, collaborative, and forward-thinking leader with:

• A bachelor’s degree or, master’s degree preferred.

• Minimum seven years of executive leadership experience, preferably in higher education or the nonprofit sector.

• Demonstrated experience in building and implementing a strategic plan.

• Ability to implement goals and metrics for individuals and the overall organization.

• A strong track record in designing and executing successful comprehensive fundraising campaigns.

• Demonstrated success in cultivating and closing major gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other institutions, and supporting the President and Senior Stakeholders on donor strategies.

• Experience with leading foundation operations.

• Exceptional strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and communication skills.

• The ability to lead organizational change and inspire high-performing teams within complex, matrixed environments.

• Experience working effectively with volunteer boards, senior executives, and diverse stakeholders.

• A deep commitment to equity, access, and the mission of community colleges as engines of economic and social mobility.

• Familiarity with Indiana’s philanthropic, civic, and business landscape — or a strong ability to quickly build trust within it.

• Ability to leverage external relations, marketing, and communications.

IVY TECH LEADERSHIP

President Dr. Martin (Marty) Pollio

Dr. Martin (Marty) Pollio brings more than 25 years of transformational leadership in education to his role as the 10th president of Ivy Tech Community College. As president of Ivy Tech, Dr. Pollio serves as the chief executive officer of Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution, which enrolled more than 200,000 students in the 2024-25 academic year. Dr. Pollio champions the implementation of Higher Education at the Speed of Life, the college’s strategy to deliver 50,000 annual credential completions aligned with the needs of Indiana’s workforce. He leads a team of nearly 7,000 faculty and staff across the college’s 19 campuses in Indiana and online and oversees major institutional initiatives that strengthen academic quality and improve student retention, completion, employment and transfer outcomes.

Dr. Pollio joined the college on July 1, 2025, after a nationally recognized tenure as superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), one of largest urban public school districts in the United States. In his eight years of leadership, JCPS increased its high school graduation rate and nearly doubled its postsecondary readiness rate while reducing achievement gaps.

Central to Dr. Pollio’s educational philosophy is a deep commitment to preparing students for success at work and in life. At JCPS, he directed the Academies of Louisville, a nationally recognized initiative that embedded career pathways into the high school experience. He previously led similar efforts while serving as principal of Jeffersontown and Doss high schools, where he drove improvements in student achievement by bridging academic instruction with hands-on, work-based learning opportunities.

Dr. Pollio holds a Bachelor of Arts in education from Indiana University, a Master of Science in health education from Eastern Kentucky University, and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership and management from the University of Louisville.

The President’s Cabinet

The President’s cabinet is a team of six, including the president of the foundation and the following positions:

• Provost & Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs

• Senior Vice President for Workforce and Careers

• Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

• Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer

• Senior Vice President, Legal and Public Affairs

The Ivy Tech Foundation Board of Directors

A statewide body representing Indiana’s regional diversity, business expertise, and civic leadership. The Board Chair is Lauren Salerno.

Ivy Tech’s Chancellors

Ivy Tech’s 19 campus leadership teams, ensuring localized fundraising success and alignment with community needs.

APPLICATIONS & NOMINATIONS

Ivy Tech has engaged Woodhouse Executive Search to lead the recruitment for its next Foundation President. Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications—including a resume and letter of interest—may be submitted to laurie@woodhousesearch.com.

Selected candidate for employment will be subject to pre-employment background checks, including criminal history check, and any offer of employment will be contingent upon that outcome.

Ivy Tech Community College is an accredited, equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age or veteran status. As required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Ivy Tech Community College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, including sexual harassment in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions. Questions specific to Title IX may be referred to the College’s Title IX Coordinator or to the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.

Job ID: JR0000106628