Orchestrating a 'Picture-Perfect' AVP Recruitment at UCF

The Client

The University of Central Florida Advancement and Partnerships Division approached Boyden to continue their partnership in recruiting senior management, this time for an Associate Vice President of Advancement Operations. Advancement and Partnerships is experiencing significant growth as it enhances infrastructure and programs in preparation for an unprecedented campaign. The AVP oversees central operations for UCF Advancement, including information technology services, prospect development, records and gifts, donor experience and events, and operations and organizational development teams comprising about 50 employees.

The Challenge

Since 2022, under new leadership, the UCF Advancement and Partnerships have aimed to elevate program sophistication, striving for "best in class" systems and programs. A critical area of focus is advancing data quality and integration across the university. Boyden was tasked with identifying candidates proficient in data integrity and system integration, crucial for UCF's complex advancement systems that currently lag behind benchmark universities. The search faced a tight timeline due to approaching summer months, scheduled management vacations, and school registration deadlines for relocating candidates.

The Solution

The Boyden team engaged with Advancement and Partnerships leadership and direct reports to grasp the strengths, challenges, and priorities of advancement operations. A targeted research strategy was devised to attract leaders from both public and private universities in advancement operations. Boyden interviewed 26 candidates and presented a slate of five candidates to the search committee. The search committee interviewed all five and they chose three finalists to invite to campus. One candidate withdrew and two finalists traveled to UCF’s campus for a full day of interviews with staff and university leadership.

The Results

An offer was extended to the incumbent within a ten-week timeframe. Understanding the tight timeline, key milestones and interview dates were scheduled well in advance to secure calendars with the UCF team and candidates. Additionally, all parties involved had a clear understanding of the priorities and expectations of the role. Candidates had clarity on KPIs and had the opportunity to engage with direct reports and colleagues. Transparency regarding salary was provided to all candidates. After the finalist accepted the verbal offer on the spot, the SVP of Advancement and Partnerships shared with Boyden that this was a “picture perfect” search!