Chief Advancement Officer, Innovative Genomics Institute at University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California

Job Description:

Chief Advancement Officer

In 2012, Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) founder Dr. Jennifer Doudna and colleagues developed the gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9, hailed as the scientific breakthrough of the century. With unprecedented ease and precision, CRISPR-Cas9 has the potential to serve as a molecular scalpel with the capacity to correct errors in the genetic alphabet of all living systems including microbes, plants, animals, and people.

In 2014, Dr. Doudna and Dr. Jonathan Weissman established a partnership between UC-Berkeley and UC-San Francisco that would advance positive developments in genome engineering. Combining the universities' fundamental research expertise and biomedical talent with generous donations, this initiative rapidly evolved and re-launched as the Innovative Genomics Institute in 2017 as a joint effort between UC-Berkeley and UC-San Francisco with affiliates at UC-Davis, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Gladstone Institutes, and other institutions. Having raised significant philanthropic and corporate-sponsored research funding, the IGI has grown rapidly, launching numerous cross-discipline and multi-institutional scientific initiatives to develop affordable and accessible solutions in health, agriculture, and climate.

In the context of this quickly moving and high-impact environment, the IGI seeks its first-ever Chief Advancement Officer (CAO). The CAO will oversee a principal and transformative gifts program enabling the IGI to effectively expand in the areas of biomedicine, climate, and sustainable agriculture. The CAO will report directly to Dr. Doudna, with a dotted line reporting to the Dean of Biological Sciences.

This CAO's primary responsibility will be to plan and execute a campaign for principal and transformational gifts to the IGI. This campaign will help the IGI expand into its next phase of work and help UC-Berkeley build an ecosystem of bio-innovation and bio-entrepreneurship associated with a new building that will house an expansion of the IGI. The CAO will create and execute an annual fundraising plan for engagement with donors and prospects to increase private philanthropic support, including developing annual goals for cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation as well as annual revenue goals. The current working goal for the campaign is $500 million.

The selected CAO will have ten years of progressively responsible advancement experience with at least five years devoted to principal and/or transformational gifts as well as a proven track record of success. Recognized organization-wide as an advancement expert, the CAO will work with both IGI and UC-Berkeley leadership in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of some of the university's highest-level donors. This will require the CAO to have superb written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, including excellent political acumen. The CAO should also have experience in highly matrixed, complex organizations.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile available at wittkieffer.com.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. The budgeted salary that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $250,000 to $300,000 annually.

WittKieffer is assisting the Innovative Genomics Institute in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by May 3. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Greg Duyck and Jenna Brumleve at IGI-CAO@wittkieffer.com.


All letters will be treated as confidential as per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via third party (i.e., dossier service or career center) to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality at http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.htmlprior to submitting their letters.

UC Berkeley has an excellent benefits package as well as a number of policies and programs to support employees as they balance work and family.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at UC Berkeley and the IGI. Our excellence can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates for our academic positions will demonstrate evidence of a commitment to advancing equity and inclusion.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/DiscHarassAffirmAction.

This is a sensitive position and subject to a criminal background check.

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